Salt & Wind Travel

Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies Recipe

You probably already know that we have a major love for the Italian flavor of gianduja (aka hazelnut and cocoa), which is why we have a sweet spot for these Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies.

We plan trips to its origin region of Piedmont just to eat it (and many other local regional specialties), we use the combination for one of our favorite homemade ice creams, and we’ll always say “yes” to a bicerin!

So when we decided to make a twist on the classic Linzer cookie, we once again turned to this flavor combination. The result is a bit sweet, crunchy, salty, and crispy cookies, and they’re pretty much perfection. 

What Are Linzer Cookies? 

Linzer cookies might be our favorites: what’s not to like about two buttery cookies sandwiched around a sweet filling?

And clearly, we’re not alone because they’ve been around for a long time. The Linzer cookies come from the Linzer torte, of which some form or another of the recipe has been around for over 300 years. It’s commonly agreed that the tart recipe was discovered in an Austrian abbey in the mid-1600s, and by the 1800s, the recipe had been introduced to the United States. 

The cookies’ first appearance isn’t quite as clear cut, but now you can find the Linzer torte or Linzer cookies in bakeries across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and into Eastern France and Northern Italy.

In Italy, these cookies are known as occhio di bue (pronounced “oh-key-oh dee boo-eh”), which translates to ox eyes since the top cookie has a hole that reveals the filling (traditionally preserves or jam). 

Here we decided it was time to update it with some of our favorite flavors of all time: chocolate and hazelnut. 

Tips To Make These Cookies

The key is to get high-quality whole hazelnuts and make the meal yourself so that the final cookie has a bit of a crunchy texture.

Also, you want to make sure you use a top-quality gianduja paste (no Nutella, as it has palm oil!) so that you have a clean, pure, not-too-sweet hazelnut-cocoa flavor. The brand that’s easiest to find stateside is Rigoni di Asiago which can be found in gourmet stores or online.

Make The Hazelnut Meal A Bit Coarse

As we said, you don’t want the hazelnut meal to be too finely ground, or you’ll lose out on that delicious toasted nut crunch. Pulse the nuts until they’re about a coarsely ground polenta size.

Roll The Dough As Thin As Is Reasonable

Then you want to roll the dough really thin (at most 1/4-inch thick) so that they get even crispier as they bake. Another reason to do this is that the cookies get sandwiched, so they’ll be too bulky if you roll them any thicker.

Chill The Dough Well

The dough is wet and delicate (which is why it’s so delicious), so this is more of an intermediate recipe. A way to make it easier to work with is to chill the dough adequately before you roll it and after you stamp out the cookies (which will also reduce spread as they bake). 

Don’t Overdo The Gianduja

Resist the urge to add more hazelnut-cocoa paste that we call for in the recipe, as it will just fall out the sides once you sandwich them. 

Let The Cookies Sit Before Serving

Finally, once you’ve finished assembling the cookies, let them sit for at least an hour before serving them or packing them in a cookie box so that they can set up nicely.

Go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!

Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies Recipe

Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies Recipe

If you love the Italian flavor of gianduja (aka hazelnut and cocoa), then you'll want to make these cookies. A twist on the classic linzer cookie recipe or occhio di bue in Italian, they're a bit sweet, crunchy, salty, and pretty much perfection!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
resting time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 25 Cookies
Calories 210 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup whole hazelnuts toasted
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (1 cup) room temperature
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread

Instructions
 

  • Make The Hazelnut Meal: Add the nuts to the bowl of a small food processor fitted with a blade and pulse until finely ground (it should look like meal and be powdery). Set aside.
  • Mix The Dry Ingredients: Combine the ground hazelnuts, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until aerated and any lumps are broken up.
  • Cream The Butter: Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle and mix on medium speed until airy and light, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until well combined.
  • Chill The Dough: Turn off mixer, scrape down the sides, and add the flour mixture. Mix on low until just combined. Divide the dough in two pieces, place each in a square of plastic wrap or parchment, pat into a square that's 1-inch thick, and wrap tightly. Place in the refrigerator to chill, at least 1 hour.
  • Roll Out The Dough: When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F and arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let warm up until easy to roll and pliable, at least 10 minutes.
  • Stamp Out The Cookies: Place half the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment or wax paper, and, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, stamp out cookies. Using a second smaller cookie cutter, stamp out the centers of half of the cookies to make stars or rings.
  • Freeze Before Baking: Arrange cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze briefly, at least 5 minutes, before baking. Gather dough scraps into a ball and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Bake The Cookies: Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden and the tops are set, switching the sheets halfway through baking, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack then repeat with remaining dough to bake off all the cookies.
  • Assemble: To assemble, spread 1 teaspoon of the chocolate-hazelnut spread on the solid cookie then top it with a ring or star-shaped cookie. Repeat to assemble all the linzer cookie sandwiches.

PERSONAL NOTES

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 89mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 248IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chocolate cookies, holiday cookies, italian cookies
Tried this recipe?Mention @saltandwind or tag #swsociety!

Travel Planning Resources

This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to our privacy policy.

About The Author

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




TRAVEL SERVICES

We'll help you taste Italy Mexico California Hawaii Mexico France Spain the world

We specialize in food-focused experiences in the most interesting culinary regions of the world.

We host unique small group trips to California, Italy, and Mexico from Sicily to Oaxaca.

Our tailored-to-you trip planning services help you make the most of your trip.