The other day I got a cookie craving, so I decided to turn to a recipe I’ve made in the past and loved: Nutella Nutcracker Cookies from Freutcake. They are so tasty, and they look perfectly festive for the holidays.
To peel the hazelnuts, I used the strategy of putting them in a single layer on a baking sheet and baking for about ten minutes at 350, until they looked toasty and I could smell them. Next you wrap them up into a dishtowel so they can steam for a minute or two (this helps the skins loosen), then you just rub them around for a minute in the dishtowel, and the friction allows the skins to peel off pretty easily.
These cookies are a little temperamental, so let me give you a few tips in case you decide to make them-this way you won’t have to throw out half the batch, like I did (sad).
Follow the instructions EXACTLY. That means letting the raw dough firm up in the fridge for the full HOUR the recipe calls for (not twenty minutes, like I did), and then letting the balls of dough rest for a full ten minutes in the fridge before baking, as the directions say.Make your balls of dough on the smaller side, as I think this will help them bake up more evenly. Make sure you don’t overcook them.
Just follow the directions to a t, and you should be good to go. And believe me, they’re worth it-the crunch from the chopped hazelnuts and the flavor of the Nutella make this a really unique and delicious cookie.
photographs by me
Mmmm sounds so yummy! Good to know about following the times exactly…I'd have been impatient, too! Also, you should try swirling this into vanilla bean ice cream– my friend did that once and it was amazing!!
Yumm! I'm gonna have to try these!
http://www.bhreaghwho.com
Cheers,
Bhreagh
I love your monogram mug! Is it from Anthropologie?
Yum, looks great! These would be a great edition to my regular cookie lineup.
Heather
http://www.disposableincomegirl.com
Oh yum! Cookies and Christmas are a perfect pair 🙂
Oh man, that sounds amazing! Only thing that could improve these cookies is ice cream..great suggestion!
It is, Alli! I already had the black and white version, but I couldn't resist the gold-so perfect this time of year 🙂
Great, you'll love them!
Yes, definitely. You'll love them!
I definitely agree!
These look so good! I am bookmarking for later! And such a cute mug too!
agirlandhersparkles.blogspot.com
Thanks, they were so delish!