Name: Chocolate Hazelnut Blooms
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup blanched hazelnuts (*); 1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts (coarsely chopped (optional)); ¾ cup blanched almond flour; 4 tablespoons raw cacao powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; pinch fine himalayan salt; 3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted); 2 tablespoons raw honey (or maple syrup); 1 teaspoon hazelnut extract (or vanilla extract); ¼ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips; 1 tablespoon coconut cream (or pastured butter**)

Cookies:

Pulse ⅓ cup of hazelnuts in your food processor until finely ground.
In a large bowl, mix the ground hazelnuts, blanched almond flour, raw cacao powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, and hazelnut extract.
Using a rubber spatula, mix dry and wet ingredients together just until combined.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the chopped hazelnuts.
Place balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and press your thumb into the center of each ball to make an indentation.
Bake at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes. Immediately upon removal, press down the center of each cookie and set baking sheet on a wire rack to cool.

Filling:

Melt chocolate chips slowly in a bowl over simmering water (double boiler).
Stir coconut cream (or butter) with the melted chocolate until smooth.
Spoon or pipe the chocolate into the center of each cookie and serve.

Chocolate Hazelnut Blooms