Hazelnut Lime Sticks

April 20, 2015

These cookies are super crunchy and satisfying. They can handle all sorts of flavor variations: spicy black pepper, hazelnut and cumin seed or fennel seed and coconut too. Olive oil replaces butter in this recipe. Still, the dough assembles like pastry, but keeping it cold is less important. Hazelnut Lime Sticks pack well for a picnic, a hike or a bike ride. They also help you think strategy while playing Scrabble or chess. Try them today.

The original version comes from Alice Medrich’s wonderful book : Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies.

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Ingredients

Volume Grams Ounces

2/3 cup 76 grams 2.6 ounces raw hazelnuts
1 1/4 cup 160 grams 5.6 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons 110 grams 3.8 ounces sugar
3/8 teaspoon 3/8 teaspoon 3/8 teaspoon fine salt
6 tablespoons 6 tablespoons 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons 4 teaspoons 4 teaspoons cold water
1 to 2 1 to 2 1 to 2 lime zest
or ½ teaspoon pure lime oil (for this recipe, the essence of lime from either the zest or lime oil is what you'll need. adding lime juice in place of water could make the cookie sour.)

Instructions

MISE EN PLACE FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH

To see how Mise en Place can benefit you, see The Finer Cookie’s post on why everyone should Mise en Place.
Measure the nuts, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
Measure the olive oil and set aside.
Grate the lime zest and set aside. Click here to read more about zesting citrus.
Measure the water in a separate small bowl.
Line the baking sheets with parchment (you can spray your baking sheets with cooking spray, but the cookies often stick and break when you try to release them. Parchment is more successful.)
Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a clean surface.

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE COOKIE DOUGH

Pulse hazelnuts, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor, until the hazelnuts are finely chopped.
Drizzle in the olive oil. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Add the water and lime zest and pulse just until the mixture resembles damp crumbs—it should not be a smooth mass—but it should stick together when you press it.
Pulse in a bit of extra water if the dough isn’t holding together.

Empty the mixture onto a clean counter and press it together until it’s a smooth dough.

Set the pressed dough on the sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a rectangle about 4 to 5 inches by 9 to 10 inches, squaring up the edges to make an even compact layer about 1/2 inch thick.
Fold the plastic wrap tightly over the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.

CUT THE STICKS

Unwrap the dough and transfer it to a cutting board. Use a long sharp serrated knife (preferably), cut the dough crosswise, into scant 3/8 inch slices.

The slices could be fragile, so if necessary, use the offset spatula to transfer the slice and lay it onto the cookie sheet. Repeat, placing slices 1 inch apart.

BAKE THE COOKIES

Bake at 350ºF until cookies are golden brown, 15-18 minutes (time depends on thickness of cookies).
Rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back half way through the baking time to ensure even baking.

Hazelnut Lime Sticks are perfect to serve when playing board games.

Let the cookies cool slightly and slide the parchment carefully onto a rack or set the pans themselves on a rack to cool. They should release from the parchment with little effort.
Cool cookies completely before stacking or storing.
Cookies may be stored, airtight, for several days.