Instant espresso powder gives these drop cookies grown-up appeal. If you’d rather not remove the hazelnut skins yourself, as described below, look for blanched nuts at specialty shops, then toast them (see page 365).
Recipe information
Yield
makes 36
Ingredients
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in espresso powder.
Step 3
Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and beat until incorporated. With a wooden spoon, stir in hazelnuts.
Step 4
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 1 1/2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until golden, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored up to 3 days in airtight containers.
Removing Hazelnut Skins
Step 5
Preheat oven to 250°F. Place raw (shelled) hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until skins crack, about 20 minutes. Immediately transfer nuts to a clean kitchen towel and roll up. Let steam 5 minutes. Rub the nuts with the towel until most skins have come off (it’s okay if some remain).