Best Chestnut Cookies Recipes

CHOCOLATE-CHESTNUT TORTELLI (CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Blend the chestnuts, sugar and salt in a food processor until the chestnuts are finely ground. Add the rum, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Blend until the filling is almost smooth, scraping down the work bowl as necessary. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until combined. (Can be made 2 days in advance).
• Working with 1 pie crust at a time, unroll the pie crusts on a work surface and, using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 10 rounds from each crust. Brush the pastry rounds with the beaten egg to cover. Drop 1 generous teaspoon of the filling into the center of each round. Fold half of the dough over the filling and seal to make a half-circle shape. Brush the top of the tortelli with the beaten egg. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium until fluffy. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and salt; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour, and beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate. (Dough can be frozen, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 month; thaw before using.)
• Form dough into 1-inch balls; place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Using thumb or rounded end of a wooden spoon or dowel, make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each with about 1 teaspoon creme de marrons or Nutella. Place in freezer or refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake until edges are golden and cookies are firm, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

MINI CHESTNUT-FILLED CHOCOLATE COOKIES (BACI DI DAMA)

Steps:

• Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• In a food processor, pulse chestnuts until finely ground. Measure 1/2 cup tightly packed, then reserve remaining for filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons water (mixture will be clumpy).
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, confectioners' sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in 1/2 cup packed ground chestnuts and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.
• Place sanding sugar in a small shallow dish. Using a 1-teaspoon ice cream scoop, drop dough into one hand, then roll into a ball. Roll in sanding sugar to coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing 1 inch apart.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed with slight cracking on top, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Filling: Meanwhile, in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together confectioners' sugar, reserved 1/2 cup ground chestnuts, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Spread 1/2 teaspoon filling onto bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges. Filled cookies are best eaten the day they are made.

FIRE ROASTED CHESTNUT CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• For the fire roasted chestnuts: (Broiler Method) Preheat the broiler on your stove. Slice the chestnuts about 1/4 inch thick and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes. Transfer the chestnuts to a plate and allow to cool fully to room temperature. Rough chop the chestnuts and set aside. (Outdoor Method) Build a safe outdoor fire using lump charcoal. Be sure to keep a fire extinguisher close at hand. Wrap the chestnuts in heavy-duty foil so that they can move freely inside the foil pouch. Using a chopstick tip, poke three holes in both sides of the foil packet. Place the foil packet in the fire for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Using tongs, remove the pouch from the fire and allow to cool to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes. Rough chop the chestnuts and set aside.
• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a sieve with a large dry bowl under it. Sift the ingredients together into the bowl, and then add the chestnuts and set aside. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale yellow and well combined. Add the vanilla and egg and mix until combined, approximately 30 seconds.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients from the bowl into the stand mixer on the lowest possible speed. Once the mixture starts to come together, gradually increase the speed to medium until it forms a dough-like ball. Form 20 even-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 15 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack with a sheet of parchment paper under the entire rack. Allow the cookies to cool while you make the salty caramel crack.
• For the salty caramel crack: Add the sugar to a medium dry skillet and set over medium heat; the sugar will start to melt and turn a pale yellow color. Shake the pan and let it continue to melt. The sugar will start to turn golden brown and then a deep rust color--make sure to shake the pan often to mix. Once the sugar becomes a solid amber red, remove from the heat and add the cream and then the butter. Mix quickly with a soup spoon; it will start bubbling. Be careful not to touch the sugar with your hands as it is scorching hot.
• While the sugar is still soft and can be drizzled, spoon it generously over the cookies. The sugar will start setting to a hard crack as it cools fully. Sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of each glazed cookie. Let the cookies fully cool before serving.

CHESTNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Beat egg into mixture.
• Beat puree and vanilla into mixture.
• Sift and then stir in everything else.
• Roll scant tablespoon of dough into 2.5" fingers. Place on silpat lined baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake about 20 minutes.
• Cool.
• Dip 1 end in chocolate and place on waxed paper or silpat.