Hazelnut Cookies

It’s interesting what is popular, and thus sold out, each week at the grocery store. I understand that yeast is hard to find, but I don’t typically have time to bake with yeast, so that’s no different for me. The stores seem to be out of flour, which I could certainly use, but I knew I was low on flour, so I had picked several recipes that don’t require too much flour. I suppose I could always use bread flour, that might be interesting.

This recipe doesn’t make a lot of cookies, about 2 dozen, and thus uses 1-1/2 cups of flour. Some of the flour is replaced with ground hazelnuts or hazelnut flour, which helps. I have almond flour but not hazelnut flour. We had blanched hazelnuts at home, which was helpful. I can blanch most nuts, but don’t even try it with hazelnuts, it’s too hard. I roasted mine in the oven, which made them nice and buttery. Be careful that the hazelnuts don’t burn. After roasting the hazelnuts, I was able to pick away the last bits of skin, too.

This is a shortbread cookie, with hazelnuts. They are so simple, just five ingredients. I didn’t make any substitutions, but I did need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to help the dough come together. You shape the cookies and then flatten them with a fork, as you would a peanut butter cookie. They bake a longer time, about 16-18 minutes, but that is not uncommon with shortbread. When I was shaping these cookies, they smelled so good, and even smelled like they contain honey. While they have no honey, they have a wonderful, nutty hazelnut flavor. It’s such a simple recipe, but they are fantastic.

Hazelnut Cookies

1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

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

Toast the hazelnut in the oven or microwave, until fragrant. Cool completely. Once cool, grind the hazelnuts in a food processor. Do not grind them into a paste.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium until light. Add the flour, ground hazelnuts, and salt and mix on low until a dough forms. If needed, a 1-3 tablespoons of water to help form the dough.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Press the balls with the tines of a folk to flatten.

Bake 16-18 minutes, until golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe from Martha Stewart