Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

These cupcakes are so good and the smell of chocolate as you are mixing is heavenly!  I call these cupcakes, but the consistency is more like a brownie.  I put them into muffin cups, but you could probably just pour the batter out into a greased pan (I didn’t try that).

So a little more about hazelnuts, or as my grandma calls them,  filberts.  We are lucky to live in the PNW, as WA and OR are the two states that produce these little guys.  They are great to chop up and put on salads, add to a salmon dish, a dessert, or to just eat raw or roasted! 

Gather Up:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate (chopped)
• 1/4 cup honey (could also use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce instead)
• 1/4 cup unsweetnened cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup hazelnut butter (I used Kettle brand – or if you would like, mix up your own into a food processor until the consistency is like a nut butter)

Melt butter and chocolate on super low heat (careful not to burn).  Mix in honey and cocoa and stir until blended.  Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Add in the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until the hazelnut spread is combined really well.  Line cupcake pan with 8 muffin cups.  Could also make into smaller, mini muffins, although not sure how many this would make (cooking time will be shorter), or pour into an 8×8 pan for brownies.  Cooking time will be a bit longer.  Recipe can also be doubled.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes clean (this actually took about 16 minutes, so watch carefully so they do not burn).   Let cool.  Enjoy!