The ugly but good hazelnut cookies are delicious, very crumbly dry cookies, slightly crunchy, made with a meringue and chopped hazelnut base.
They are called ugly due to their slightly irregular shape, but they are so good that they were gone the moment they came out of the oven, because one leads to another.
I have been meaning to make these cookies for a while; my son praised those he had tasted in a patisserie in Turin a few days ago. So, browsing through my dessert books, I found a recipe that I personalized by reducing a bit of sugar and butter, and here are mine, which I would say are more “good” than ugly!
If you love crumbly dry cookies with an intense hazelnut flavor, I recommend trying them; I will make them again in a few days.
The recipe is very simple and requires very few ingredients: egg whites, powdered sugar, and hazelnuts…now follow me and make them too!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 20 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Ugly but Good Hazelnut Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups Hazelnuts (toasted)
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Egg Whites
Tools
- 1 Electric Whisk
- 1 Blender
- 1 Baking Tray
Preparation for Ugly but Good Hazelnut Cookies
Coarsely chop the toasted hazelnuts, leaving some whole, with 50 grams of powdered sugar. I did this step with the Thermomix for 2-3 seconds at speed 3.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks (at room temperature), incorporating the powdered sugar at the end.Gently transfer the beaten egg whites with the sugar into a non-stick pan, being careful not to deflate them. Add the chopped and whole hazelnuts, mix well from bottom to top, and cook the mixture, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until it detaches from the sides of the pan.
At this point, remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture rest at room temperature for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to cool it quickly.
BAKING
Preheat the oven and keep it well-heated at 320°F.
Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper, using a spoon to distribute the mixture into small mounds spaced apart from each other.
Bake the ugly but good cookies at 320°F for about 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 285°F and extend the baking (drying) for another 10 minutes.
The color of the cookies varies depending on the use of hazelnuts; if they have the skin, the dough is darker.
Turn off the oven and let them rest for another 5 minutes, then take them out and let the cookies cool on a rack.
The ugly but good should dry without burning: they should be dry and not soft inside, but keep in mind that they will harden a little as they cool; adjust the baking accordingly, based on your oven’s characteristics.
Prepare them also for festive occasions rich in dried fruits; in this version, I added almonds by halving the hazelnuts.
Perfect as a gift idea.
For other cookie recipes click here.
For Christmas desserts click here.
Anna recommends…
The “ugly but good” cookies keep well, provided you can resist eating them immediately, stored in well-sealed boxes in a cool and dry place.
They are perfect to enjoy with a good sweet white wine, Pantelleria passito, or moscato!
The “ugly but good” cookies can also be made with almonds or walnuts and can be flavored according to your taste with cinnamon, cloves, or vanilla.
Can I use peeled hazelnuts?
Yes, of course, the cookies will be lighter.
