Author Notes
Another version of my favorite cookies. This time, with lots of cardamom-y citrus-y flavor, crunch and chew. Adapted from Crunchy Bones Cookies, from the book Trick or Treat by Emily Gwathmey and Suzanne Slesin. —mrslarkin
Ingredients
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1 cup
toasted almonds, skins on
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1 cup
toasted hazelnuts, skins removed
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12
cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed
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grated zest of 1 large orange
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2 cups
confectioner’s sugar (spoon into measuring cup, then sweep off excess with a knife or offset spatula)
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2
large egg whites, room temperature
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24
whole toasted almonds and/or hazelnuts for decorating the cookies
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Place almonds, hazelnuts, cardamom and orange zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until nuts are ground.
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Add confectioner’s sugar and pulse a few more times to blend, and the nuts are finely ground. Turn out to a large bowl.
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In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites for a minute or two, until fluffy. Pour over nut mixture, and blend well, mashing the mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to evenly incorporate the egg whites. Form into a ball shape.
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Divide dough into 24 balls. I use a small ice cream/cookie scoop, about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, which make them pretty uniform in size. Place on cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Press whole almonds/hazelnuts onto cookies. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until just lightly browned on top. Let cool completely on pans before removing.
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Alternatively, after forming the 24 balls, roll each one out into 4 inch long logs, and form into a chubby “s” shape. A little powdered sugar sprinkled on your fingertips helps with the rolling.
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Cooking tip: if your eggs are cold, place them in some hot tap water for a few minutes, to bring them to room temperature faster.
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