Hazelnut Dunking Biscuits

So if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly picking up items at the store “because I can use them in a recipe.” I’m really good at finding interesting ingredients, but not so good at using them up. Some things I do use up: different types of preserves, dried fruits, etc. But I admit that I do have quite a few varieties of jams that I have picked up at different places, trail mix to use up and some other ingredients that are overflowing my baking cupboards. These cookies use up one of those such finds: sweet and salty hazelnuts, which are candied hazelnuts that I bought at Whole Foods. (Whole Foods is a particularly good place to find unusual items.)

I got home one night and just was feeling kind of grumpy and I felt like baking would help. I had planned to make a coffee cake but I just wasn’t feeling it and wanted something more streamlined. My husband and I had spent the day running errands and had visited the local British store so we had England on the mind. My husband found these hazelnut dunking biscuits online and I figured they’d be great for the candied hazelnuts.

The measures for this recipe have been converted, so I’m sorry if they seem a little strange. (My best investment ever was a scale that does metric measurements!) The original recipe called for one egg, but my dough was too sandy with one egg so I added a second to bring it together. I thought the nuts were just a bit bitter on their own, but my husband couldn’t taste that so maybe my taste buds are off. In the cookie, the brown sugar pairs nicely with the sweet/saltiness of the nuts. These are really just a variation of a chocolate chip cookie, but they are really quite good!

9 tablespoons butter, room temperature
10-1/2 ounces brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
12-1/3 ounces flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
7 ounces hazelnuts, lightly crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until creamy.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture and stir on low until combined. Stir in the hazelnuts, making sure that you don’t over mix the dough.

Shape into 1 inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from The British Larder