Hazelnut Cookies made with freshly toasted and ground hazelnuts and butter is a must-have sandwich cookie with honey. In fact, these cookies call for simple ingredients from your pantry. I am nuts about nuts. I seek out and try every kind of nut that is available. We are blessed with many nuts that are grown locally in California. I am especially fond of hazelnuts, cashews, and macadamia. To be clear, there is a size difference between American and European hazelnut. In my opinion, they both have that rich, buttery taste and have the same nutritional benefits. These include lowering ‘bad cholesterol’, promoting weight loss, protecting against cell damage, and improving insulin sensitivity.
This recipe is a family favorite. My kids, especially, love this light, healthy, sandwich cookie served with orange blossom honey, which provides a citrusy overtone for an earthy cookie. That is not to say that you cannot use other types of honey. I have tried other types of honey, such as wildflower and even Greek honey, and found that the best complement for hazelnut is the orange blossom honey. In short, this is both a tasty and super healthy recipe from my family to yours.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What are the benefits of hazelnuts?
If you are NOT allergic to nuts, hazelnuts are beneficial to our health in many ways. Studies have shown that hazelnuts have the highest concentration of vitamin E, as well as unsaturated fats, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B. While Vitamin E plays an essential role in preserving healthy skin, nails, and hair, it also protects against cognitive decay. In addition, hazelnuts support bowel movements, lowers harmful cholesterol, promotes weight loss, and supports heart health. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber; however, all nuts must be consumed in moderation.
2. How to best consume hazelnuts?
After shelling the hazelnuts, they are best consumed by toasting and peeling off the skin.
3. What are the other uses for hazelnuts?
You could use hazelnuts in dishes that call for a nut mixture as a coating on meat, in baked goods or even in pesto.
4. Can you make hazelnut cookies without flour?
Yes, hazelnut cookies can be made with almond flour instead of all purpose flour.
5. What are the other variation of fillings?
Other variations that I have tried for my children were Nutella spread or even chocolate ganache. I have adhered to the orange blossom honey as the perfect match.
How to make the Ground Hazelnut Cookies:
- Toast the hazelnuts to golden brown and cool them. Remove the skin and grind the nuts to a fine powder. (Skip this step if using store-bought ground hazelnuts.)
- Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until soft using a stand mixer.
3. Add the flour sieved with the salt and beat for a minute.
4. Combine the ground hazelnuts and beat for another minute.
5. Remove from the stand mixer and knead lightly. Refrigerate the dough (after sealing the container with clingfilm) for 30 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ⅛” thick and cut them into desired shapes.
7. Place the cookies on a lined baking tray and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven even if they are not golden brown in color. Leaving the cookies to bake for longer will make them taste bitter.
8. Cool the cookies on a wire rack and then sandwich with orange blossom honey.
If you are looking to make light pastries without nuts, then take a look at the Swiss Tartlets recipe.
Ground Hazelnut Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 4 ozs butter unsalted
- 3 ozs hazelnuts shelled
- 5 ozs all purpose flour
- salt a pinch
- 2½ ozs granulated sugar
- honey orange blossom (for filling)
Instructions
How to make ground hazelnut cookies:
- Pre-heat the oven to 3500F.
- Toast the hazelnuts to golden brown and cool them. Remove the skin and grind the nuts. (Skip this step if using store-bought ground hazelnuts.)
- Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the flour sieved with the salt and beat for a minute.
- Combine the ground hazelnuts and beat for another minute.
- Remove from the stand mixer and knead lightly.
- Refrigerate the dough (after sealing the container with clingfilm) for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ⅛" thick and cut them into desired shapes.
- Place the cookies on a lined baking tray and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven even if they are not golden brown in color. Leaving the cookies to bake for longer will make them taste bitter.
- Cool the cookies on a wire rack and then sandwich with orange blossom honey.
Notes
- Toasting the freshly shelled hazelnuts gives a rich taste. However, you could use the store-bought ground hazelnuts.
- Butter can be substituted with margarine. If you cannot find hazelnuts, use almonds with the skin, walnuts or pecans.
- Wildflower honey or even Greek honey can be used for sandwiching.
Nutrition
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