Swiss | thebrookcook

Oh my goodness… I hope it’s not too late to wish all of you a Happy New Year! 🙂

I am so behind on my posts- so please forgive me. I have to do a little catch-up with a couple of holiday cookie posts before I can move on! 😉

These Raspberry-Hazelnut Macaroons were a new addition to my Christmas cookie plates this year. I thought that they were special and tasty- but my biggest critics (read: my husband & my son) were skeptical. Well, let me tell you that TWO of my neighbors told me that they were their absolute favorite!! I was absolutely thrilled. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Luisa Weiss. I doubled the original recipe and reduced the baking time for a convection oven. These cookies are described as “extremely no-fuss”; they require minimal ingredients and no chilling time. Truly the hardest part of their preparation was roasting and peeling the hazelnuts!! I used a hand mixer (as instructed) but would use a stand mixer (with whisk attachment) next time to whip the whites to a little bit past soft peaks. My thought is that the cookies would be less flat as a result. I’ll keep you posted! 😉 They would also be wonderful for Valentine’s Day! ❤ ❤

Yield: approximately 30 cookies

1 1/2 cups whole hazelnuts
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup raspberry jam (I used Trader Joe’s)

Preheat the oven to 400° on convection. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast until the skins split and the nuts are fragrant, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, peel and roast the hazelnuts using the method described here.)
Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and  rub together to release the skins. Let  the hazelnuts cool completely.
In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts until finely chopped.
In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat the egg whites with the salt at medium speed until foamy, 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted,  5 to 7 minutes.
Fold in the hazelnuts.
Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop  or a soup spoon, scoop 1 1/2-inch rounds  of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes on convection, or up to 11 to 13 minutes in a standard oven, or until fragrant and lightly browned; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
Remove the cookies from the oven and, while they’re still hot, carefully make an indentation in the center of each with  the back of a teaspoon.
In a small saucepan, boil the raspberry jam for 30 seconds, until slightly thickened. Carefully spoon about 1 teaspoon of the hot jam into the center  of each cookie. Let the jam set and the cookies cool completely before serving.