Italian Hazelnut Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES WITH NUTELLA® HAZELNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together hazelnuts, flour and sugar. Mix in butter, egg yolk and salt until combined. Form into ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Roll dough into 48 small balls, about 2 tsp each. Arrange balls, about 2 inches apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
• Bake, in batches, for about 18 minutes or until just set and lightly golden brown. Let cool completely on cooling rack.
• Spread or pipe 1 tsp Nutella® hazelnut spread over the bottoms of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies.

HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and grind coarsely. Reserve 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts. Grind the remaining nuts fine and add the oil. Blend the mixture thoroughly into a hazelnut butter. Set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (this can be done in the washed food processor or with an electric mixer in a bowl). Beat in the hazelnut butter, the egg and the vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
• Sift the flour and add with the baking soda and the salt. Mix thoroughly and add the reserved hazelnuts. Using a teaspoon, form the dough into balls and arrange them 2 inches apart on baking sheets that have been greased or lined with parchment paper. Using the prongs of a fork that have been dipped into flour to prevent sticking, flatten the balls into 1 1/2 inch rounds (Tip: If you want a clearly visible criss-cross design on the cookies, chill dough for 30 minutes before doing so).
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 8-to-9 minutes or until the cookies are golden. Cool on racks. The cookies will keep for about a week in a sealed jar.

ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Position 2 racks as close to the center of the oven as possible; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
• Pulse nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture. Add vanilla and gently but thoroughly mix until combined.
• Drop the batter by the tablespoons 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
• Gently transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When the baking sheets are thoroughly cooled, repeat with the remaining batter.
• NOTE: TO TOAST AND SKIN HAZELNUTS.
• TO TOAST: Cook sliced or chopped nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Toast whole hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes.
• TO SKIN: Let the nuts cool for a few minutes, then rub together in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the papery skins.

HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.
• For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1 inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.)

MEZZALUNAS (ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES)

Steps:

• To prepare the hazelnuts, toast them in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven (leaving the temperature set at 350 degrees) and place them in a kitchen towel. Rubbing the towel between both hands, rub the nuts to remove the skins.
• Place the nuts and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the flour and pulse briefly to mix. Break the butter into pieces, and add this into the food processor and pulse briefly until the dough is just blended. Stir mixture together by hand until well incorporated.
• On a lightly floured surface, pinch off 1-1/2 inch pieces and form into balls. Next shape these balls into a crescent shape. Roll the crescents carefully into a bowl of sugar to lightly coat. Place the crescents on a lightly buttered baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, store in an airtight container. These cookies will keep two weeks in a cool place. May be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months.

ITALIAN HAZELNUT ESPRESSO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon espresso powder and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; blend until finely chopped. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead just until dough comes together.
• Divide dough in half. Press each half into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shortbread to rack; cool 2 minutes. Remove pan sides.
• Cut each shortbread round into 24 wedges. Cool completely.
• Mix 2 tablespoons hot water and remaining 1 teaspoon espresso powder in small saucepan. Add chocolate. Stir over medium-low heat until chocolate is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over cookies. Let stand until chocolate sets. (Can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)