Hazelnut Cookies

I love baking with all kinds of nuts all year round, but the holidays call for something special and hazelnuts, or filberts, fit the bill. Though they’re grown in Oregon, hazelnuts are not perhaps as widely appreciated in the States as they are in Europe. (Italy, in particular, seems to have an affinity for hazelnuts; they are the signature flavor in two Italian exports, Frangelico and Nutella.) Toasted, hazelnuts have a robust, almost smoky flavor and a beautiful golden color, and they blend beautifully with the flavors of caramel and chocolate. They make a sophisticated addition to cakes, tarts, and the cookies in this week’s recipe. 
 
While toasting enhances the flavor of most nuts, for hazelnuts, this step is a necessity. Hazelnuts are sold in their papery brown skins, which lend a slightly bitter, tannic flavor that interferes with the taste of the nuts. Toasting is the best way to remove these skins. Simply place the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a 300-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown (check any broken nuts to gauge the color) and fragrant. You can do this in a regular oven or a toaster oven; either way, watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Just before removing the nuts from the oven, lay a large kitchen towel on the counter. Carefully pour the hazelnuts onto the center of the towel, then wrap the towel around the nuts and let sit for 10 minutes or so. To remove the skins, rub the hazelnuts inside the towel, using your hands to pinch them. It’s OK if a few skins remain. Open up the towel, hold a platter or baking sheet just below the countertop, and use your other hand to roll the nuts off the towel and onto the platter, leaving the skins behind.

Ann
Ann Clark, Ltd.

Hazelnut Cookies
Makes about 14 cookies

The hazelnut-chocolate spread Nutella makes an easy and delicious frosting for these cookies. You can find it near the peanut butter in most supermarkets. If you want something that sets up a little firmer, use ganache, flavored with Frangelico, if you like.

Place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, about 20 pulses:
1 1/4 cups toasted and skinned hazelnuts

Set aside 1/4 cup ground nuts for decorating.
Beat with an electric mixer until light:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
Add and beat thoroughly:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar 

Beat in:
1 large egg 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Whisk together, then add and beat to incorporate:
Ground hazelnuts
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm. (If refrigerated for more than 1 hour, let dough soften on counter 20 minutes before rolling out.) Preheat oven to 350º. Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with your favorite Ann Clark cookie cutters, then transfer cookies onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until just barely browned around the edges. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost with ganache or Nutella, and decorate with reserved hazelnuts, if desired.

My favorite shapes for Hazelnut Cookies include the Mitten cookie cutter, the Ornament cookie cutter, and the Oak Leaf cookie cutter.