Featured Recipe
Crunchy Hazelnut Cookies
By Kate
"
Nutty, crumbly cookies with a semi-sweet spread swirl. Uses browned butter for depth, ground almonds for texture. Replaced tartinade with walnut butter. Lower oven temp, longer bake for better caramelization. Freeze dough balls to preserve shape. Crackles on edges tell when ready. Works with vegan butter and flax egg. Toast nuts till golden, not burned. Mix carefully to keep swirls distinct. A rustic take on nut cookies with a twist of spice and crunch.
"
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
34 min
Serves:
24 pieces
cookies
baking
dessert
vegan
Introduction
Brown butter changes everything. Forget bland, waxy dough. This gets nutty depth you want in hazelnut cookies. Crunch from toasted nuts. Swirls of walnut butter instead of commonplace chocolate spread; richer, earthier. You don’t stir in, you drizzle to keep those pockets. Fold it in and lose all contrast. Temperature matters — dropped it 20 degrees Celsius, baking a bit slower, letting sugars caramelize gently, not burn. Texture mistakes? Overmix flour messes the crumb. Undermix and nuts sink or no structure. Flax egg keeps it moist but vegan-friendly if you want. Quick toast in a dry pan releases aromas, but watch for burnt bits. These smell like success halfway through. Freeze dough balls, saves time on busy days, bakes consistently every time. Cookie edges should crackle on touch and smell toasted but soft centers stay chewy. Real cookies, no shortcuts.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Butter browned, not just softened, boosts nuttiness and aroma, helps develop flavor over regular softened butter. Use dark brown sugar for deeper molasses notes; white sugar yields flat-tasting cookies. Flax egg replaces real egg without sacrificing texture; great allergy option. Ground cinnamon adds subtle warm spice, elevates nuts rather than overpowering. Toast your hazelnuts just lightly until they pop with fragrance — avoid scorched or bitter. Walnut butter brings complexity and earthiness versus sweet hazelnut spreads; swap if unavailable with almond butter, but adjust sweetness accordingly. Use reliable unbleached flour for predictable gluten structure. Keep nuts chopped roughly for satisfying bite variation. Accurate measuring of ingredients is key — flour scooped too densely makes dry crumb. Cooling dough before baking controls spread but freezing is better for holding shape indefinitely. Parchment or silicone mats protect pans and ensure even bottom crisping.
Method
Technique Tips
Browning butter demands vigilance. On medium heat, swirl pan to avoid brown spots; remove when foam subsides and butter turns amber gold, smells nutty. Don’t wait or you get burnt flavor. Toast nuts in dry skillet over medium heat, shake frequently, stop at first golden smell, no more than 5 minutes. Cream butter and sugar until sugar is nearly dissolved, mixture shiny and lighter, ensures even sugar distribution and tenderness. Add flax egg and cinnamon, fold just until homogeneous, then add flour and nuts gently to keep texture. Drizzle walnut butter over dough surface instead of mixing in preserves marbled effect. Scoop dough quickly for uniform size to ensure consistent baking — uneven sizes bake unevenly. Freeze dough balls spaced apart on sheet to quick chill, then transfer to sealed bags. Bake on middle rack one tray at a time; rotating trays avoids uneven baking. Look for edges firm and crackling to touch but centers slightly soft and glossy; residual heat finishes cooking. Cooling cookies on tray is not optional; they’re fragile hot and need time for fats to firm. Adjust bake time slightly next batches depending on your oven quirks and rack placement.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Brown the butter really watched, swirl pan. Remove when amber gold. Nuttiness isn't just aroma; it’s flavors depth. Careful; burnt flavor ruins.
- 💡 Toast hazelnuts briefly in dry pan. Watch for first golden edges. Smell means ready. Don’t burn. Don’t pulverize — need crunch. Keep chunks.
- 💡 Cream butter and sugar until glossy. Sugar needs to dissolve well. 3 minutes electric mixer; even texture matters; create tender cookies. No grit.
- 💡 Add flax egg after sugar mixture; don’t overblend. Mix just enough to keep dough body. Stir gently in flour and hazelnuts; avoid tough cookies.
- 💡 Scoop dough evenly for uniform baking. Dough balls 5 cm apart; they spread. Freeze if time allows; helps maintain shape, good for busy days.
