Baci di Dama (Lady Kisses) Cookies
Baci di Dama cookies are a traditional dessert from the Piedmont region of Italy.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup hazelnut flour (finely ground hazelnuts)
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 11 tablespoons cold butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Nutella (or any chocolate hazelnut spread; you can also make this from scratch if you have time!)
Preparation:
Cut butter into chunks and incorporate into both flours and sugar until it becomes completely mixed together. It is best to use a wooden spoon or your fingers to completely incorporate the butter with the flour mixture to make the dough.
Place dough in the refrigerator for 10-30 minutes. Then take it out and form small balls the size of a quarter. When placing them on the cookie sheet, press down slightly so that they are flattened on one side. They will form a dome shape: flat on one side, rounded on the other.
Bake at 350 degrees, for about 20 minutes, or until they just start to become slightly darker. After the cookies have cooled spread a thin layer of Nutella on the flat side of the cookie and place another cookie on top, making a sandwich.
P.S. Leaving out the Nutella, this cookie recipe can also be used as a delicious hazelnut pie crust
Learn more about:
- The Food and Cuisine of Piedmont (Piemonte)
- Christmas Treats in Piedmont: Baci di Dama Hazelnut Cookies