• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Sequined Life logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Fudgy Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

    Published: Dec 16, 2019 · Modified: Jul 9, 2020 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Share via Email

    These chocolate hazelnut brownies are SUPER fudgy and rich from a blend of dark and semisweet chocolate. Roasted hazelnuts provide some crunch and pair so well with chocolate for a favorite flavor combo.

    A pan of chocolate hazelnut brownies cut into squares with two brownies stacked on top of one another

    If you're not the kind of person who is super into chocolate desserts, I'll come right out and say it: these hazelnut brownies won't be for you.

    But if you are into any and all things chocolate, then take a look at these babies. Ultra fudgy homemade brownies are packed with chocolate chips and roasted hazelnuts for a fun twist (walnuts, who?) on a family favorite. Sort of a more subtle/less sweet ode to Nutella.

    There are a few brownie recipes hanging around the site, and all of them are offshoots of this basic recipe. We have small batch brownies, then dark chocolate peppermint brownies, and then pumpkin brownies. And how about raspberry brownies for spring? Something for every season, almost.

    Chocolate and butter melted together in a bowl and whisked until shiny and smooth

    Cakey vs. fudgy brownies

    So many brownie recipes feature the same or similar ingredients, but did you know it's the method of combining them that determines if they're on the cakier or fudgier side?

    Fudgy brownies like these begin by melting together butter and chocolate until silky smooth, like the photo above. YUM.

    Into that chocolate we whisk in sugar and the eggs, and then the dry ingredients. Stir it up well until the mixture has a sheen to it, then fold in chocolate chips and/or nuts and bake.

    All of the chocolate hazelnut brownie ingredients in bowls on a marble board

    Slice them when cool and there you go! Homemade brownies with that quintessential crackly brownie surface.

    These hazelnut brownies are big time fudgy (so hopefully that's your preference, too), but for the curious, cakey brownies begin by creaming together the butter and sugar. This makes the brownies less dense and more cake-like. 

    Homemade brownies are pretty straight-forward to make, and can be done all in one bowl if you use a larger, microwave-safe one. Clearly I wasn't thinking and neglected to do that with these so I had another bowl to wash. But I won't make that mistake twice.

    A bowl of brownie batter topped with chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips ready to be mixed in

    Another thing that helps out on the fudgy front is how little flour we use here. Just a half-cup! Rich brownies like these really don't need that much.

    One ingredient I just about *always* add to brownies and other chocolate-y desserts is instant espresso powder. Just a little bit works to give depth to and enhance the chocolate flavor without bringing any coffee flavor.

    While you can find espresso powder offered by specialty kitchen companies in the baking extracts section, a basic variety found in the coffee aisle of the conventional grocery store works just fine, too. This post isn't sponsored but I've used the Medaglia d'Oro brand for years. It has a green lid and the label resembles the Italian flag. 🙂

    If you don't drink/consume coffee or just don't feel like buying something else to take up room in your kitchen cabinets (do I know that struggle or what!), no sweat. It's totally optional and these hazelnut brownies will still be delicious without it.

    Hazelnut brownies baked in a pan before being sliced

    Now let's talk about the chocolate. There's wiggle room here! I'm partial to a blend of dark and semisweet chocolate, but you can certainly tweak the ratio to be more in line with what you and yours like.

    A 50/50 split of dark and semisweet chocolate will produce a rich, not too sweet hazelnut brownie.

    That said, bump up the semisweet portion if you know you like extra sweetness in a dessert like this, or if you're not a huge dark chocolate fan.

    And a word on the hazelnuts. I bought a bag of roasted, unsalted, and shelled hazelnuts (at Trader Joe's) so that kept that part easy. I suggest using roasted hazelnuts here for extra flavor oomph, as well as unsalted.

    A stack of three hazelnut brownies dusted with powdered sugar

    Recipe notes

    • See the recipe card for notes on the varieties/blends of chocolate you can use.
    • Hazelnuts are a favorite, but you can also use whatever type of nut you prefer here, or choose to omit them entirely.
    A pan of chocolate hazelnut brownies cut into squares with two brownies stacked on top of one another

    Fudgy Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

    These chocolate hazelnut brownies are SUPER fudgy and rich from a blend of dark and semisweet chocolate. Roasted hazelnuts provide some crunch and pair so well with chocolate for a favorite flavor combo.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bar Desserts
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 18 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 53 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16
    Calories: 253kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter (8 tbsp), cut into ½" pieces
    • 1 ½ cups chocolate chips or chunks, divided (see note)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 eggs,
    • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
    • Pinch of salt
    • ½ cup roasted, unsalted hazelnuts (2.5 oz), roughly chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8"x8" baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to hang over on two opposite sides so you can more easily pull the brownies out to slice when they're all done. Spray the parchment-lined baking dish bottom and sides with cooking spray and set aside.
    • Add 1 cup of your chocolate chips or chunks and the chopped-up butter pieces to a large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave in 20-second increments until melted, shiny, and smooth, stirring up the chocolate/butter pieces well after each increment.
    • Whisk in the sugar and eggs until combined. Add the flour, instant espresso powder, and salt and whisk/stir for a minute or so, or until the batter has a sheen to it and is smooth.
    • Stir in the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips or chunks and the chopped hazelnuts.
    • Pour out batter into the parchment-lined and sprayed baking dish. The batter will be thick so use a spatula or spoon to smooth the surface into an even layer. Tip: Binder clips work well to hold the parchment in place along the baking dish while you're smoothing so it doesn't slide around.
    • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are well set, the top appears crackly, and a thin tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool in the pan completely before slicing. Run a thin spatula along the edges of the pan to loosen the brownies before lifting them out.
    • Once cool, slice brownies however you like. They're very rich and fudgy, so you may wish to slice them into 16 or 25 equally-sized pieces. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerate/freeze wrapped well in plastic.

    Notes

    Chocolate: There's wiggle room on the types of chocolate to use. I like using half dark chocolate and half semisweet chocolate for sweet-but-not-too-sweet brownies. If you like very sweet brownies, you can bump up the ratio of semisweet to dark chocolate. If you don't have dark chocolate, you can use a portion of bittersweet chocolate.
    Nutrition: The nutrition stats are for one-sixteenth of the tray. I would argue that since these hazelnut brownies are so rich and fudgy, you can slice more than sixteen brownies from them and still have portions that satisfy. If sliced into twenty-five equally-sized brownies, each would end up around 162 calories (an estimate). Use your judgment!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 253kcal
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer

    Recipe lightly adapted from The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet/Sur La Table (affiliate link, though I seem to only be able to find it available in used condition), which is one of my go-to cookbooks for all things sweet. It reads like an encyclopedia! 

    « Pignoli Cookies
    BLT Avocado Toast »
    • Facebook
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jiya says

      December 08, 2022 at 11:00 pm

      Hey! Loved your recipe, have tried it once and now I'm going to make a big batch for my baby's birth announcement.
      Just had a question, Can i make a big batch of the batter and refrigerate it? If yes then for how long?
      Since it contains egg and butter. I wish to bake it in installments.
      Will be awaiting your response.
      Thanks alot

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        December 09, 2022 at 8:31 am

        Hi Jiya, so glad you like these brownies! The batter itself should be fine to be refrigerated overnight before baking, however since it's a thick batter in the first place, I'm not sure it will be easily spreadable in a pan the next day. If it becomes too chilled, you can try portioning out some of the batter into the pan and letting that bit sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so to warm up enough to be spread. I hope that is helpful!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    A picture of a woman smiling with a text overlay reading well, hey there.

    Hi! I’m Alyssa and welcome to my food blog. Here you can find a variety of food and drink recipes, running the gamut from better-for-you main dishes to holiday fare, and from lighter bites to some serious desserts. All with the occasional cocktail recipe thrown in for good measure, too. ♥ Learn more →

    As Featured In...

    A collage of publication logos.

    Simple, Tested Basics

    • All of the taco seasoning ingredients poured into a bowl before mixing together.
      The Best Homemade Taco Seasoning
    • Well-roasted sweet potato cubes on a sheet pan.
      Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted broccoli on a sheet pan.
      Oven Roasted Frozen Broccoli
    • A wooden spoon scooping caramelized onions in a saucepan.
      How to Caramelize Onions
    • Baked croutons on a rimmed baking sheet.
      How to Make Croutons
    • A ball of pizza dough on a wooden cutting board.
      Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
    • A close-up of an air fryer baked potato served with a pat of butter and chives.
      Air Fryer Baked Potato
    • Three whole roasted garlic heads on a plate.
      How to Roast Garlic

    Popular Recipes

    • Shredded buffalo chicken in the Instant Pot with a serving spoon.
      Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
    • Peanut butter cookies on a sheet of parchment paper.
      Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • A plate of Italian turkey meatballs with marinara dipping sauce.
      Italian Baked Turkey Meatballs
    • A serving bowl of collard greens.
      Southern Instant Pot Collard Greens
    • Iced anise cookies lined up on a wire rack.
      Italian Anise Cookies
    • Shredded cooked chicken in buffalo sauce in a slow cooker.
      Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    More

    • Recipe Index
    • Dinner Hall of Fame
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Air Fryer Favorites

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2013 - 2023 My Sequined Life