These easy Christmas cookies have many names here in Germany: Kulleraugen, Angel Eyes, or Husarenkrapferl. English-speaking people probably know them as thumbprint cookies. Because you can make the indention for the jam with your thumb ;) Because they are so easy to make, we really love these Hazelnut Brittle Thumbprint Cookies a lot – also because they taste really nice…
I mentioned it already in my post with the recipe for classic Angel Eyes – I think the German names for this type of cookies is quite strange. Sure, they have the characteristic features of eyes – the implied shape of an eyeball and an iris in the middle. So far, so good. But calling cookies with a red or yellow filling “angel eyes” implies the eyes of angels are bright red or yellow… I don’t know. That’s not what I imagine an angel looks like. Red eyes look quite diabolical, aren’t they? :P
Well, we can also call them “Husarenkrapferl” or Thumbprint Cookies. Focussing on the act of preparing these cookies to give them their name seems much more logical than telling people angels have red eyes that stare at you from cookie plates ;P
Anyway. Names aside. These cookies here are actually not very different from the classic version of these Christmas cookies. The dough is very similar – except for the hazelnut brittle that has been incorporated. It makes the cookies more flavorful and the texture changes a bit. Besides that – same procedure preparing them and enjoying them ;P
The filling can be anything you like. I used raspberry jam because I like it a lot, but you could also use orange marmalade/jam, cherry jam, etc. Just make sure there are no large pieces in the jam you use. I normally press jam through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of any seeds or larger pieces. You can avoid this task by buying jelly-like jam or something that has been sifted already – saves some time ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the dough:
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup (80g) cold butter, in small pieces
2 medium egg yolks
1.8 oz. (50g) hazelnut brittle
For the filling:
about 2.5 oz. (70g) raspberry jam (without seeds)
some confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Für den Teig:
130g Mehl (Type 550)
30g Puderzucker
1 Prise Salz
80g kalte Butter, in kleinen Stücken
2 Eigelb (M)
50g Haselnusskrokant
Für die Füllung:
ca. 70g Himbeermarmelade (ohne Kerne)
etwas Puderzucker (optional)
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set it aside. Cut the dough log into slices and shape each slice into a ball (about the size of a walnut). Place on the baking sheet with some space in between. Use your fingers or the back of a wooden spoon and press a depression into each piece of dough. Bake for about 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool down on a wire rack.
3. Heat up the raspberry jam slightly (in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove) and fill the depressions in the cookies with it. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar (optional) if you like and let the jam dry up a bit. Store in a tin box in a cool place without any other cookies – they should be eaten within 2 weeks.
2. Den Ofen auf 200°C (390°F) vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Die Teigrolle in Scheiben schneiden und etwa walnußgroße Kugeln daraus formen und mit etwas Abstand auf das Blech setzen. Mit dem Daumen oder dem Stilende eines Kochlöffels eine Mulde in jede Teigkugel drücken und dann für etwa 10 Minuten backen, bis die Plätzchen leicht farbe bekommen haben. Aus dem Ofen holen und auf einem Kuchengitter abkühlen lassen
3. Die Himbeermarmelade leicht erwärmen (in der Mikrowelle oder in einem kleinen Topf auf dem Herd) und dann in die Mulden der Plätzchen füllen. Wer mag, kann die Kulleraugen noch mit Puderzucker bestäuben (optional) und dann die Marmelade etwas antrocknen lassen. In einer Blechdose an einem kühlen Ort ohne andere Plätzchen lagern – die Kulleraugen sollten so etwa 2 Wochen durchhalten.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Hazelnut Brittle Thumbprint Cookies
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:10
- Total Time: 01:00
- Yield: 18 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: Germany
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Christmas cookies are delicious and easy to prepare: Hazelnut Brittle Thumbprint Cookies. If you want to make last-minute cookies, these are perfect.
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup (80g) cold butter, in small pieces
2 medium egg yolks
1.8 oz. (50g) hazelnut brittle
For the filling:
about 2.5 oz. (70g) raspberry jam (without seeds)
some confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Instructions
1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl, add the cold butter in small pieces, the egg yolks, and hazelnut brittle, and knead everything until you get a smooth dough – works best with your fingers. Shape the dough into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set it aside. Cut the dough log into slices and shape each slice into a ball (about the size of a walnut). Place on the baking sheet with some space in between. Use your fingers or the back of a wooden spoon and press a depression into each piece of dough. Bake for about 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool down on a wire rack.
3. Heat up the raspberry jam slightly (in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove) and fill the depressions in the cookies with it. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar (optional) if you like and let the jam dry up a bit. Store in a tin box in a cool place without any other cookies – they should be eaten within 2 weeks.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
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