Hazelnut Linzer Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
• Stir together toasted hazelnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; dip balls in egg white, then in hazelnut-sugar mixture. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes.Remove from oven; press down centers again with the end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven. Bake cookies until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly on sheets on wire racks. Fill each center with jam.

HAZELNUT-CHOCOLATE LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Add the nuts to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse until finely ground (it should be powdery and not a paste), about 15 pulses. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and set aside.
• Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl, and add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
• Mix in the orange zest, ground hazelnut powder, and the flour mixture until just incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, pat each into a thin disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until pliable enough to roll. Roll out half of the dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to the freezer to set up for 5 minutes before continuing. Gather the dough scraps and chill.
• Transfer the chilled cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-inch between each cookie. Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden, switching sheets halfway through, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool 5 minutes on sheets then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough is used.
• To assemble cookies, spread 1 teaspoon of the chocolate spread on the bottom of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie.
• For Blackberry-Pecan Linzer Cookies variation, follow the same instructions except spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on the bottom side of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie.

HAZELNUT LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Grind hazelnuts with 1/4 cup sugar.
• Stir together Flour, cinnamon, salt. Set aside.
• Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks.
• Stir in dry ingredients.
• Pat into rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut out with 2" cookie cutter.
• Cut small shape in half of the cookies.
• Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees 12- 14 minutes. Cool on rack.
• Heat preserves slightly in saucepan.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoons preserves onto whole cookie.
• Dust cut-out tops with powdered sugar.
• Place dusted cookies on top of preserve covered cookies.
• Store in tins.

HAZELNUT GANACHE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, hazelnut meal and a pinch of salt
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar together until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract; beat once more. In 2 additions, add the dry ingredient mixture, scraping down the bowl if needed, until completely combined. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Scoop scant tablespoonfuls of dough, roll into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them a few inches apart. Make an indentation, a thumbprint, in the center of each ball of dough using your thumb and/or the help of your index finger. Bake until the bottoms are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately reinforce the thumbprints using the end of a wooden spoon. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
• While the cookies are cooling, make the ganache. Place the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan set over medium-high flame and heat until the cream is scalding. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth.
• When the cookies are cool, add a scant teaspoon of chocolate ganache to each thumbprint. Top with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt. If transporting, allow the chocolate to set for 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; add a third at a time to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts. , Roll dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 1/2-in.-deep indentation in the center of each ball; fill with 1/4 teaspoon of preserves. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Just a before serving, lightly dust with confectioners' sugar.

NUTELLA® THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms.
• Shape into 50 (3/4-inch) balls. In small bowl, beat egg whites lightly with fork. Place nuts in another small bowl. Dip each ball into egg white, then roll in nuts. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets. Using end of wooden spoon, make indentation in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, spoon hazelnut chocolate spread into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off small corner of bag; insert cut corner of bag into indentation in each cookie. Squeeze bag to fill opening, about 1/2 teaspoon per cookie. Sprinkle with nonpareils.
• Store covered in airtight container at room temperature in single layer.