Mezzalunas Italian Hazelnut Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Position 2 racks as close to the center of the oven as possible; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
• Pulse nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture. Add vanilla and gently but thoroughly mix until combined.
• Drop the batter by the tablespoons 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
• Gently transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When the baking sheets are thoroughly cooled, repeat with the remaining batter.
• NOTE: TO TOAST AND SKIN HAZELNUTS.
• TO TOAST: Cook sliced or chopped nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Toast whole hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes.
• TO SKIN: Let the nuts cool for a few minutes, then rub together in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the papery skins.

RUM-DRUNK CRANBERRY HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine the cranberries and rum and microwave for about a minute. Let it sit for about 15 minutes so that the cranberries can get a nice, steady buzz.
• In a food processor (Unless you really like working with a mortar and pestle for a long time) combine the hazelnuts with the margarine until it has a rough paste consistency.
• Stir together the sugars in a large mixing bowl. Beat together the egg and vanilla extract and mix them with your hazelnut 'butter'.
• Sift together the flours, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the dry stuff to the wet stuff a little bit at a time. Do some light stretching and get ready for a really good workout.
• When all of the flour mixture has made it into the sugar mixture, pop your dough ball in the fridge for about an hour or so.
• Roll the dough into little balls (about a spherical inch, maybe). Mix the reserved sugar, crushed hazelnuts, and cranberries in a small dish and press the dough spheres into dough patties in the mixture.
• Put the dough patties on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat if you've got it and bake each batch for roughly 8-10 minutes at 375°F You don't really need to worry about too much spreading as the nuts hold the melting point of the dough up pretty high. Cool the finished product completely on a cooling rack.
• Dunk these babies in some milk and revel in the deliciousness you've just created. Good job!

HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and mix into egg mixture until just combined. Fold in chopped hazelnuts.
• Use a tablespoon to cut off little portions of dough; roll them into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet with room in between.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 20 minutes.

FLOURLESS BUTTERLESS ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES (BRUTTI MA BUONI)

Steps:

• Preheat to 325°F Line two baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.
• Pulse nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Using a silicone spatula, fold the egg whites into the nut mixture. Add vanilla and gently but thoroughly mix until combined.
• Transfer the mixture to a disposable piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe the batter on the Silpat, making sure to keep a uniform size under 1 inch in diameter, as well as maintaining a fingers distance between cookies.
• Tap the baking sheet a few times on the counter, this will help spread the cookie and give a flat cookie with a good snap.
• Sprinkle the cookie batter with the sliced hazelnuts.
• Place the baking sheet in the centre of the oven and bake until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Switch the pans back to front. Keep an eye on it; it goes from golden brown to brown very quickly, given the tiny size.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Gently transfer the butterless cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container for upto a week. But I bet it won't last that long.

HAZELNUT COOKIES (FOUNDOUKIA BISCOTAKIA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325.
• Brush 2 baking sheets with the MELTED butter and dust with flour.
• Beat the ROOM TEMPERATURE butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and creamy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in the honey,then the eggs, one at a time.
• Stir in the cloves, cinnamon, and half of the hazelnuts.
• If the mixture is not stiff enough to hold its shape, add more or all of the hazelnuts.
• Place heaping tablespoons of the mixture 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
• Pull dough gently up into a cone shape.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until firm, but not hard.
• Transfer to racks to cool.
• Liberally dust with confectioners' sugar and pile high on a platter.

MEZZALUNAS (ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES)

Steps:

• To prepare the hazelnuts, toast them in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven (leaving the temperature set at 350 degrees) and place them in a kitchen towel. Rubbing the towel between both hands, rub the nuts to remove the skins.
• Place the nuts and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the flour and pulse briefly to mix. Break the butter into pieces, and add this into the food processor and pulse briefly until the dough is just blended. Stir mixture together by hand until well incorporated.
• On a lightly floured surface, pinch off 1-1/2 inch pieces and form into balls. Next shape these balls into a crescent shape. Roll the crescents carefully into a bowl of sugar to lightly coat. Place the crescents on a lightly buttered baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, store in an airtight container. These cookies will keep two weeks in a cool place. May be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months.