Autumn Acorns

By norsegal8

Rich, tender cookies are given a flavor and visual boost by ground hazelnuts and cinnamon. Teaspoons of dough are molded into balls and pinched on one end to create an acorn shape. The rounded end is dipped in an egg-and-nut mixture to form the acorn's cap.

Ingredients

• DOUGH
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• DECORATION
• 1 large egg
• 1 ounce hazelnuts, finely ground
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Details

Servings 7

Preparation

Step 1

1. Dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar and salt until well combined and slightly fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Lower the speed, gradually add the flour, and mix just until thoroughly combined.

2. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. With your palms, shape the dough, one teaspoon at a time, into balls. Pinch them so that each ball is pointed at the bottom to form an acorn shape, and place them ½ inch apart on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or just until the dough is firm.

4. Decoration: In a bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. In another bowl, whisk the ground nuts, sugar and cinnamon briefly just to blend. Dip just the larger rounded end of each acorn-shaped cookie into the beaten egg, then into the crumb mixture, returning each cookie to the baking sheet, ½ inch apart.

5. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies no longer appear shiny and feel slightly firm when touched. Do not allow them to color. Place the baking sheets on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then lift cookies from the parchment with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool.

6. Stack the cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with sheets of aluminum foil to keep the cookies snug and the topping in place, and store at room temperature.