Nutella sandwich cookie hearts (grain free, vegan)
Valentines Day (or any day, really!) is the perfect time to bake something special for the people you love. These Hazelnut Heart Cookies are as beautiful as they are delicious— a tender, buttery shortbread cookie sandwiched with a rich and chocolatey hazelnut cacao spread. Think of them as an elevated, healthier take on classic Nutella-stuffed treats, but completely grain-free, vegan, and naturally sweetened!
Each bite is a melt-in-your-mouth combination of crisp shortbread and creamy hazelnut cacao, making them the ultimate indulgence without refined oils or dairy.
Whether you’re making these for a loved one or treating yourself, these cookies are a must-bake.
Hazelnut Heart Cookies (Grain-Free & Vegan)
This recipe takes classic linzer-style cookies and gives them a healthier, grain-free, and vegan twist. The cookies themselves are delicately crisp, made with a combination of almond flour and cassava flour for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Instead of traditional refined sugar and butter, they’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup and use non-hydrogenated palm shortening (or your favorite dairy-free butter alternative).
Why you’ll love these cookies
Better-for-You Ingredients: Made with almond and cassava flour, naturally sweetened, and dairy-free.
Crisp Yet Buttery The shortbread-style dough bakes up beautifully with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Chocolate + Hazelnut = Pure Bliss If you love the classic Nutella flavor, this filling is everything.
Perfect for Any Occasion
While they make the cutest Valentines Day treat, these cookies are great for birthdays, anniversaries, or even a cozy weekend baking session.
Nutella heart sandwich cookies
Ingredients
Ingredients
- For the cookies:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ¼ cup maple syrup, room temp
- ⅓ cup softened non-hydrogenated palm oil shortening, or substitute with vegan butter or refined coconut oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the filling:
- Chocolate hazelnut spread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cassava flour, and sugar. Add the shortening (or coconut oil) and maple syrup, then stir until a smooth dough forms.
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to ¼-inch thickness.
- Use a 2.5-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 20-22 hearts. Then, use a mini 0.5-inch heart cutter to cut out small heart “windows” in half of the cookies.
- Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark to prevent over-browning. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, spread ½ teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread onto each solid heart cookie. Place a “window” heart cookie on top to form a sandwich.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
