Coffee and Hazlenut Cookies. The first recipe I’ve tried from Alice Medrich’s new book Pure Dessert. The book is full of simple and delicious recipes that focus on pure flavor. That is also evident from the way the book is organized; the recipes are categorized by ingredients rather than dessert types.
No fancy frostings, no overpowering ingredients clashing – just a few ingredients that work wonders.
There is a huge informative section on ingredients, techniques and equipment at the beginning of the book. The recipes are very clear and easy to follow and the book is worth buying for the food photography alone.
In this recipe, coffee and hazelnuts (the original recipe has walnuts instead) are playing the lead roles. These cookies turned out crispy (maybe crispier than intended as I always tend to overbake) and full of flavor. It is like eating hazelnut cookies and drinking coffee at the same time.
There are so many other tempting recipes to try and so little time. I think the chestnut pound cake is next.
COFFEE AND HAZELNUT COOKIES RECIPE
Makes 45 2-inch cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup hazelnuts (whole)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh finely ground medium-roast coffee beans, plus 45 whole beans
- 14 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method
- Combine the flour, hazelnuts, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the hazelnuts are finely ground.
- Add the ground coffee and pulse to mix.
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
- Drizzle in pure vanilla extract and pulse until the dough begins to clump up around the blade.
- Remove the dough and press it into a ball. Knead a few times to complete the mixing.
- At this point, you can either roll the dough into a 12×2 inch log or divide the dough in half and form into 2 flat patties.
- Wrap it and refrigerate at least two hours (or overnight).
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- If you rolled the dough into a log, cut into 1/4 inch slices and place on ungreased sheets 1 inch apart. Press a coffee bean into the center of each cookie.
- If you formed the flat patties, roll the dough between two pieces of wax paper to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Using cookie cutters, cut out cookies and place on ungreased sheets 1 inch apart. Press a coffee bean into the center of each cookie.
- Bake until golden at the edges, 14-16 minutes. Let cookies firm up at room temperature before you transfer to a rack.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for at least a month!
“It is like eating hazelnut cookies and drinking coffee at the same time”
Wonderful! Great photos, work and writing as usual!
This seems to be my type of book. And this recipe has definitely made me feel like going to the kitchen.great pictures and review.
These cookies look very tempting. I like the way you have used coffee beans for decoration and flavour.
I’ll soon start my Christmas baking. I love this period of the year
Mmmm coffee cookies! You should submit these to Recipe4Living’s Holiday Cookie Contest: http://www.recipe4living.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=57946
I really, really, really love your plates.
Great pictures and recipe!!! I love hazelnuts and coffee, but I’ve never tried them together in one recipe. Such mix of flavors must be delicious:)
I don’t drink coffee but like baking with it, Cenk – these cookies look delicious!
I felt like I was in the kitchen with you The flavors work great together and I can imagine how wonderful they must taste.
I am going to make this and send to my friend in London! Yours look so pretty, as always.
I wanted to buy this book but wasn’t so sure. I’ll trust you so then if some recipe doesn’t work it will be YOUR fault! =)
might i just say that I am truly ashamed of myself for only just discovering your gob-smackingly awesome blog! Iclove your photographs, your styling, and your immense generosity with sharing recipes!
If one were to use a dark roast instead, would you cut back on the amount used? Or do you think this cookie could handle an espresso roast bean?
Marianna, Patricia – Thank you.
Valentina – This book is a must-have!
Britt – I am sure your friends will appreciate these cookies a lot. Happy baking.
Kelly – Thanks. I am a huge fan of melamine.
Karolina – The combination is fantastic. Hope you give it a try.
Tartelette – Ahh the smell of freshly ground coffee…
Mandy – You have one lucky friend!
Sil – I am willing to take the blame!
Amrita – What a wonderful comment!!! Thank you. Glad you liked it.
Amie – I wouldn’t. If you are a coffee lover, I say go with it. These cookies can very well handle all types of coffee. Enjoy!
I keep hearing so many wonderful things about this book! I told myself, no!, I couldn’t buy it, my collection is getting too large. But now…I just might have to!
ingilizce yazmam gerekmiyor sanırım
muhteşem görünüyor bu kurabiye
Great recipe!!! :-))
I love the color of this cookies..
Marhaba !
Glad to have found your blog through Mandy. I love the simplicity of these cookies, beautiful.
ronell
harika bir sunum.çok iyi görünüyorlar.iyi seneler dilerim size!
Simple, sweet.
I made these last weekend and the family and I absolutely LOVE them! Though the note about them lasting a month should come with a disclaimer that the amount made by the recipe can easily be demolished by a family in a week!
hi cenk,
i want to make these cookies for christmas, but eliminate the coffee , what would you recommend instead? or would you recommend entirely different cookies? please help
Karin – I highly recommend Korova Cookies. Enjoy!
Hi all,
cookies and drinking coffee at the same time.I have any time drinking acoffee.
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saraap01
Cooking
Hi Cenk, it’s your ol’ buddy from S. Comm.
I made these on Monday after my panicked boyfriend woke me up by saying, “We only have 4 cookies left!” He was referring to a chai-spiced oatmeal batch I made the week previous. A quick search on your site led me here. I subbed 1/2c macadamia since we only had 1/2c hazelnut, and put an espresso bean atop each cookie, having used a milder bean for the cookies themselves. They were amazing! A few friends in the restaurant industry tried them last night and I duly recommended your blog as the font of all deliciousness. Hope all is well!
Hello Audrey – So glad to hear you liked the recipe and thanks for recommending my blog to your friends!