Honey Hazelnut Halva Cookies
Dairy-free, gluten-free
It is about 5am and here I am, coffee cup close by, writing up this recipe. Why? Because it is cookie season. And, let’s be honest, 2020 was…rough. I think that right now, if we can, we should all enjoy all the cookies we possibly can.
I am going to keep this short (who knows how long I would ramble on at this time of the day). These cookies are a chewy, just sweet enough, easy to make and perfect to give as a gift to friends and family or to keep for your own enjoyment.
The combination of honey, hazelnuts and a little bit of citrus gives these cookies a floral, nutty undertone to their sweetness. Add in some dark chocolate and you get that little bit of bitterness to even it all out. Halva, a sesame candy, is the preferred mix-in here. You get a boost of that nutty sweetness in each bite (if you crumble it enough).
Let’s quickly talk ingredients.
Hazelnut Butter
I realize that this is not a readily available thing. And no, Nutella is not a good substitution here. I bought hazelnut butter from a local company, Fastachi, but if you can’t find it or don’t want to bother, you can use other nut butters. Runny almond butter or peanut butter would work wonderfully. You can use tahini too!
Hazelnut Oil
Roasted hazelnut oil helps to boost the fragrant nuttiness of these cookies, in combination with the hazelnut butter. Again, this is something that I have in my pantry (I like experimenting with and tasting different oils for baking). If you cannot find it or don’t want to go to the store, then use a neutral oil like avocado oil, sunflower oil or even olive oil.
Yuzu Juice
Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that taste like a combination of tangerines, lemons and just a little hint of tartness. I buy the juice by the bottle since the fruit itself can be hard to find around Boston. The floral flavor of a citrus helps to amplify the honey flavor and provide a nice balance to the nutty hazelnuts. You can easily use orange juice or lemon juice. Even apple cider.
Well, I said that I was going to keep this short and sweet so let’s leave it there. If you need a break from your work, a project for kiddos or just want to get into the kitchen, give these cookies a try!
RECIPE
70g (about 1/3 cup) hazelnut butter (you can sub runny almond or peanut butter)
70g (about 1/3 cup) roasted hazelnut oil (or olive oil)
25g (2 tbsp) honey
95g (1/2 cup) coconut sugar
10g (2 tsp) yuzu or orange juice
1 extra-large egg
53g (1/3 cup) potato starch
132g (1 cup, packed) almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
A generous crumble of vanilla halva (Seed+Mill is my favorite)
Optional mix-ins: chopped hazelnuts, chocolate chunks, whatever floats your boat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, potato starch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Make sure you get out any lumps in the almond flour. Set aside.
In a kind of large bowl, combine the hazelnut (or whatever nut butter you want), oil, honey, coconut sugar, and yuzu/orange juice. Whisk together until smooth and then add the egg. Vigorously whisk the egg in for 3 minutes. You want the mixture to get a little sheen to it.
Add the almond flour mixture and mix with a spatula until the dry ingredients are almost mixed in. Now add in your halva and whatever else sounds yummy to you. Once all mixed in, cover and stick the dough in the fridge.
Now, let’s heat up the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment (do not use a silpat).
Once the oven is ready, scoop the dough with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, leaving 2 inches between each mound. Sprinkle with flaky salt and bake for 14-16 minutes. This is for bigger cookies, if yours are smaller, bake them slightly less.
Let the baked cookies set for about 20 minuets before picking one up and enjoying it with some hot mulled cider.
These cookies keep best covered, at room temperature for 5 days. The dough will keep in the fridge for about a week.