Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies Two Ways

After a welcome respite from hosting Thanksgiving, my husband and I have the house and yard decorated and now I'm ready to start baking for Christmas!  The first new recipe I wanted to try were these flaky and delicate Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. 

Filled with toasted and ground hazelnuts, I topped each cookie with a whole hazelnut before baking, because I LOVE hazelnuts.  Not to worry if hazelnuts aren't your thing. You could easily substitute pecans or almonds in this recipe with great results. 

Never one to leave a good thing alone, I was inspired by some thumbprint cookies I had seen on Pinterest and decided to try the idea with the same hazelnut cookie dough and created Hazelnut Caramel and Chocolate Cookies. A marriage made in cookie heaven!  You will find instructions for both variations below. 

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  We had our first measurable snowfall early this week.  Even though much of has melted already, I couldn't help snap a few shots while the tree limbs were coated with pristine, white snow in the evening. 

Have you done any holiday baking yet? What is your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies

Printable Recipe

Makes about 48 cookies

2/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fresh baking powder
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 300F to toast the nuts. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes until fragrant and toasted. Allow to cool and place in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground, being careful not to turn the nuts into a paste.

In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the egg and mix until light and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder and chopped hazelnuts and mix just until incorporated. Gather dough together and place in a smaller bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400F.

Place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a large, rimmed baking sheet. 

Shape dough into balls about the size of small walnuts and place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press tops of cookies with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Top each with a whole hazelnut, if desired.

Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Hazelnut, Caramel, Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Use same recipe as above to make cookie dough.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll chilled dough into 1" balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each piece of dough.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and, using the back of a round, 1 teaspoon measuring spoon, press lightly into each indentation in cookie, being careful not to break cookie. Cool completely.

To Make Caramel Filling:

14 Vanilla Caramels, unwrapped
2 Tablespoons heavy (double) cream

In a small saucepan, melt caramels and cream together over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel mixture into the center of each cookie. Cool completely.

To Make Chocolate Drizzle:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon shortening or butter

Microwave for 30 second intervals until just melted, stirring after each interval. Allow to cool slightly and pour into a small pastry bag fitted with a tip with small round hole and pipe back and forth onto cooled cookies. Allow chocolate to cool completely. Refrigerating cookies will help the chocolate to set.

Basic cookie recipe adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojankangas.