Hazelnut biscuits

Ingredients

• 170 gplain flour (Italian 00 flour)
• 30 gpotato starch
• 100 gshelled hazelnuts
• 150 gbutter, at room temperature
• 100 gcaster sugar
• 1egg yolk (from a large egg)
• to tastemilk
• 1 sachetvanillin
• a few dropshazelnut flavouring
• 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
• 1 pinchsalt
• to tastecaster sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the hazelnuts

   Bake the hazelnuts at 100°C for about 10 minutes. Take them out and rub off the skins quickly between your hands or in a tea towel.

2. 2

   Grind and sift

   Finely grind the hazelnuts with the caster sugar in a food processor. Sift the flour with the potato starch, vanillin and baking powder.

3. 3

   Combine ingredients

   Tip the mixture into a bowl and add the egg yolk, butter cut into small pieces, hazelnut flavouring and salt.

4. 4

   Make the dough

   Work the ingredients together quickly until the dough is smooth and even. If it feels too firm, add a few tablespoons of milk.

5. 5

   Chill and preheat

   Wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour. Meanwhile, line baking trays with baking paper (you will need more than one) and preheat the oven to 170°C.

6. 6

   Shape the dough

   After chilling, put the dough on a work surface and roll it into logs about 2.5–3 cm in diameter.

7. 7

   Form the biscuits

   Shape the logs into S shapes and arrange them on the trays, leaving a little space between each biscuit.

8. 8

   Cut an alternative shape

   Alternatively, roll the dough out on a floured work surface to a thickness of 5 mm and cut out biscuits using cutters of your choice.

9. 9

   Glaze and bake

   Brush the biscuits with a little milk and sprinkle with a light coating of caster sugar. Bake for 12–15 minutes, depending on their size, keeping an eye on them as they cook.

10. 10

    Cool the biscuits

    As each batch is ready, remove the biscuits from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. Leave them to cool, then store them in a tin.

What are hazelnut biscuits?

These are small Italian-style biscuits made with ground hazelnuts, butter and sugar, shaped either into S-shaped logs or cut from rolled dough. Their appeal is in the balance of a crisp outside and a tender, buttery crumb with a pronounced nut flavour.

This version gets its aroma from toasted hazelnuts, with a little hazelnut flavouring adding another layer. The dough is chilled before shaping, which helps it hold its form in the oven.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 362 calories, 4g protein, 34g carbs, 23g fat.

Most of the energy comes from the butter, sugar and hazelnuts; the flour and potato starch supply much of the carbohydrate, while the hazelnuts and egg yolk contribute some protein. Balance a couple of biscuits with fruit or plain yoghurt rather than making them the whole snack.

Toasting and grinding the hazelnuts

Toast the shelled nuts for about 10 minutes at 100°C, then rub away the skins while they are still warm. The recipe uses a short, gentle bake rather than a high-temperature roast.

Grind the nuts together with the sugar. This helps distribute the finely chopped nuts through the dough, while avoiding large pieces that could make shaping less even.

A soft, workable dough

Room-temperature butter is easier to work into the dry ingredients than cold butter. Mix quickly, stopping once the dough looks smooth and holds together.

Milk is only needed if the dough feels too firm to shape. Add it a little at a time, using a few tablespoons as the recipe suggests, rather than making the dough unnecessarily soft.

Chilling and shaping

Chill the wrapped dough for 1 hour before shaping. This rest firms the butter and makes it easier to roll the dough into logs or roll it out evenly.

S-shaped biscuits are made from logs about 2.5–3 cm in diameter. For the cutter option, roll the dough to 5 mm thick on a floured surface and use any shapes you like.

How to judge doneness

Bake at 170°C for 12–15 minutes, adjusting for the size of the biscuits. Begin checking at the shorter end of the range, especially if you have cut smaller shapes.

The recipe calls for checking as they bake but does not specify a colour cue. Remove each batch when it is cooked through, then transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.

Serving with tea or coffee

These biscuits suit a cup of tea or coffee, as their sweet, toasted-hazelnut flavour works well alongside both. They can also be offered as a small sweet after a meal.

If serving them as part of a snack, pair a couple of biscuits with plain yoghurt or fresh fruit for a less sweet contrast.

Recipe notes & tips

• Rub the warm hazelnuts in a tea towel to loosen their skins without handling them for long.
• Use a food processor to grind the hazelnuts and sugar finely and evenly.
• Work the dough quickly so the butter does not become overly soft.
• Add milk gradually only if the dough is too firm to shape.
• Leave a little space between biscuits on the baking trays.
• Bake batches of similarly sized biscuits together so they cook at a similar rate.

Variations

• Cutter shapes: Roll the dough to 5 mm thick and use biscuit cutters instead of making S shapes.
• More hazelnut: Leave a few hazelnuts slightly coarser for a more noticeable nutty texture.
• Skip the flavouring: Omit the hazelnut flavouring for a subtler, toasted-nut taste.
• Citrus note: Add a little finely grated lemon zest for a fresh aromatic contrast.
• Light sugar finish: Use only a light dusting of caster sugar on top before baking.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the chill: The dough may be difficult to shape; chill it for the full 1 hour.
• Grinding too coarsely: Large nut pieces can make the dough uneven; grind the hazelnuts finely with the sugar.
• Adding too much milk: The dough can become too soft; add milk a little at a time only if needed.
• Making uneven shapes: Different sizes bake at different rates; keep the biscuits similar in size within each batch.
• Overbaking: The biscuits can become too dry; check them from 12 minutes and account for their size.

How to store

Once completely cool, keep the biscuits in a tin at room temperature. They are best enjoyed while crisp; if they soften, warm them briefly in a low oven and let them cool again before serving.

Frequently asked questions