Filbert Thumbprint Cookies

85 g filberts OR pecans OR pistachios

250 g flour plus 1 teaspoon

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

135 g sugar

2 large egg yolks, room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:

For pecans, 1/3 cup dolce de leche

For Filberts, Nutella

For pistachio, Red currant jelly

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

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Heat oven 350F. Toast filberts or pecans 10-12 minutes. If using filberts, cool in a bowl and rub off the skins using a folded towel.  No need to toast pistachios.

Put nuts into grinder, add 1 T flour and grind until fine. Do not over-process, however.

In mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. 

Add egg yolks and vanilla, beat 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup ground nuts, salt and the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour. Beat on low speed just until combined, then increase speed and beat until dough starts to clump together.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap, shape into disk and chill: 1 hour to 3 days.

Heat oven 350F. Each cookie is about 20 grams of dough. Roll the TOP half into remaining ground nuts. Place a few inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.

CHILL IN FREEZER about 10 minutes.

BAKE 8 minutes. REMOVE from oven and make a thumbprint into each cookie. Continue baking until toasty 6-8 minutes longer.

Remove to cooling racks. While still warm, fill with filling.