Baking Nutty Cookies

By: Elizabeth Hinds - Updated: 14 Jun 2010 | *Discuss

 

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We’ve gone nuts for you! Whether you prefer the crunchy smoothness of peanut butter or the delicious sweetness of caramelised pecans, we’ve a Cookie Recipe that’s just right. We take hazelnuts and add their natural partner, chocolate, and combine those traditional favourites, coffee and walnuts to make cookies that won’t linger long in the jar.

Hazelnut Cookies

• 110g (4 oz) margarine
• 60g (2½ oz) caster sugar
• 150g (5 oz) plain flour
• 125g (4½ oz) ground hazelnuts
• 75g (3 oz) good quality plain cooking chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a baking sheet.

Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift the flour over the creamed mixture and beat it in along with about 3 oz hazelnuts. Knead lightly and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll out and cut into rounds. Place on the baking sheet and cook for about 12 minutes or until golden and beginning to firm. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate and roll the cookies in it before rolling in the remaining hazelnuts to give a nutty-chocolate edge to the cookies. Allow to set before eating.

Coffee And Walnut Biscuits

• 110g (4 oz) plain flour
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• 110g (4 oz) margarine
• 50g (2 oz) caster sugar
• 50g (2 oz) walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Grease a baking sheet. Sieve together the flour and coffee powder.

Cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Place teaspoonfuls on the baking sheet, well-spaced to allow for spreading. Cook for about 15 – 20 minutes. Cool on a wire tray.

Caramel Pecan Squares

• 275g (10 oz) plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 50g (2 oz) caster sugar
• 175g (6 oz) hard margarine
• 1 egg
• Grated rind of a lemon

Topping

• 110g (4 oz) butter
• 4 tablespoons runny honey
• 25g (1 oz) caster sugar
• 75g (3 oz) soft brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons double cream
• 175g (6 oz) pecans

Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Grease a shallow tin about 8” x 12”.

Sieve together the flour and salt. Stir in the caster sugar. Cut the margarine into small pieces and rub it into the flour using your fingertips. Add the egg and lemon rind and mix until it just holds together. (You may not need all the egg so add a little at a time.) Spread the Pastry over the base of the tin. It will still be crumbly so use your fingertips to level it and press it down. Prick with a fork and leave in the fridge for about 10 minutes before baking for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile melt the honey and butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar and heat gently, stirring, until dissolved. Bring to the boil and let it boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and nuts. Pour over the partly-cooked base and return to the oven to bake for another 25 minutes.

Allow to cool in the tin before cutting into squares. Using a very sharp knife that you’ve dipped into very hot water will make the cutting easier.

Peanut butter cookies

• 150g (5 oz) plain flour
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• Vanilla essence
• 110g (4 oz) margarine
• 75g (3 oz) soft dark brown sugar
• 75g (3 oz) sugar
• 225g (8 oz) crunchy peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a baking sheet. Sieve together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and set aside. Add a few drops of vanilla essence to the egg and beat lightly.

Cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg gradually. Mix in the peanut butter and, finally, the sifted flour. Cover and leave in the fridge for an hour or so.

Roll generous teaspoonfuls of the dough into balls. Place on the baking sheet and flatten using a fork to leave a pattern on the cookie. Bake for about 15 minutes. Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet before carefully removing to a wire tray.

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