Hazelnut Meringue Cookies

I spent last weekend in Eugene, Oregon, and fell in love with the locally grown hazelnuts that they serve on everything. A roasted hazelnut has such a nutty, rich taste that’s unlike any other nut. Obviously, this inspired me to come home and experiment with a hazelnut baked good. I adapted a meringue cookie recipe to make it dairy free by using some vegan butter, which was a first for me. I’ve shied away from using this up until now, but the cookies actually turned out really well in terms of texture. I may just be a vegan butter convert.

The Recipe (I’ll finish updating this tomorrow—I’m out of town without it)

2 c. hazelnuts
½ c. evaporated cane juice
4 egg whites
1 c. evaporated cane juice
5 tbsp. vegan butter, melted and cooled
1/3 c. flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Roast the hazelnuts: Spread them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every five to ensure even cooking. Reduce oven temp to 225.

3. Rub with a clean, dry towel to remove the bitter skins. (This is important to develop the really hazelnutty flavor in the cookies.) You won’t get every bit of skin off, but rub off as much as you can. Put the skinned nuts in a bowl.
4. Grind the nuts with the cane juice. This means either using a food processor or an immersion blender, which happens to be the most awesome kitchen tool ever. (They’re available on Amazon for, like, twenty bucks.) You’ll be left with a sweet, crumbly textured dough.
5. Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir in the additional cup of cane juice one tablespoon at a time, keeping the beater at high speed.
6. Fold in the butter, flour, and nut mixture until just combined.
7. Scoop one to two tablespoon-sized dollops onto greased cookie sheets or silicone baking pads.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they begin to become golden brown around the edges. (You can’t rush them!)
9. Let cool and serve as is, or decorate with a simple glaze, like I did (made of powdered sugar and water).