One Year Ago: Chocolate Mint Cookies
Cookies have been exploding out of my kitchen lately. These cookies are just one of the many batches I have made. Delicious brown butter is combined with hazelnuts into a sweet sugar cookie dough. The one thing I like about this dough is that it does not have to be refrigerated before using. I love a good cookie dough that does not have to be refrigerated. Do you agree? Is it just me?
I hope everyone has started their holiday baking and if not you should give these delicious beauties a try. It has brown butter in the title….how can you go wrong?
Also please do not forget about the Christmas All Through The Year Cheer Event! The MckLinky will be up December 19th!
Brown Butter Hazelnut Sugar Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 11 - 13 minutes
Total Time: 50 - 55 minutes
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups sugar - plus 1/3 cup for rolling
1/4 cup cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
2 ounces cream cheese - cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Source: Cook's Illustrated
Directions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
Place 1½ cups sugar, hazelnuts, and cream cheese in large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan frequently, until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour butter over sugar and cream cheese mixture; whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until soft homogeneous dough forms.
Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 tablespoons each. Using hands, roll dough into balls. Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with 4 teaspoons reserved sugar (2 teaspoons per tray), discarding any remaining sugar.
Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.