Chestnut Cookies
Chestnut Cookies are the perfect little holiday (or any day) treat. These thumbprint style cookies have a hint of spice and a sweet chestnut filling nestled in the center.
Table of contents
About This Recipe
American’s are not very familiar with chestnuts in general, and they are especially unheard of in American desserts.
I think you’ll be charmed by the nutty, earthy and singular flavor of chestnut cookie dough and the sweet chestnut filling.
These are basically simple thumbprint cookies adapted with chestnut flour in the dough and chestnut spread instead of jelly for the filling. Both the flour and spread can be bought on-line.
The dough can be made well-ahead of time and held either in the refrigerator or freezer so this is a great recipe for stocking up for your holiday bake-a-thon.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Cake Flour – Cake flour has a low protein content and makes a very tender cookie. Cake flour also absorbs less moisture than all purpose flour so the dough stays moist. For a cup of cake flour you can substitute 3/4 cup of all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons of corn starch.
- Chestnut Flour – Chestnut flour is higher in starch and lower in protein than wheat flour. It is also gluten free so doesn’t contribute much to the structure of the cookie. But it does add a lovely, nutty flavor to the dough. I don’t recommend trying to make this recipe without it. It is available on-line. See the recipe card for a link.
- Chestnut Spread – For this recipe I use pre-sweetened chestnut spread. It is available on-line. See the recipe card for a link. Leftover chestnut spread can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer for about 2-3 months.
Process Photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg yolks.
- Add the dry ingredients.
- Mix until combined. The dough will be quite soft.
- Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. This will firm up the dough and give the flour time to absorb moisture.
- Roll the dough to a 1″ thick dowel.
- Cut the dowel into 1″ segments.
- Roll each piece of dough into a ball.
- Use your thumb to make an indent in each cookie.
- Lightly brush each cookie with egg white.
- Put a 1/2 teaspoon of filling into each cookie.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned.
Make Ahead Tips
The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days. The dough can be frozen in one piece or cut and rolled into balls before freezing. Chill the dough balls then pack them into freezer bags. The dough can be stored in the freezer up to 2 months.
Storage
The cookies will keep for 1 week at room temperature in an air-tight container.
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Chestnut Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ oz cake flour (¾ cup)
- 2 ½ oz chestnut flour (¾ cup)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 egg white (whisked)
- 4 oz chestnut spread (¼ cup)
Instructions
- Cream 6 oz unsalted butter with 3 oz granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add 2 egg yolks and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Add 3 ½ oz cake flour 2 ½ oz chestnut flour, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon table salt. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Dump the dough out onto a lightly flour work surface and knead into a ball. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes or up to 2 days. The dough can be frozen for a month.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use your hands to roll the dough into a 1” thick dowel.
- Slice the dowel into 1” long segments and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet leaving ½” between cookies. Use your thumb to make a deep indent in the middle of each cookie. Lightly brush the cookies with egg white. Spoon a ½ teaspoon of chestnut paste into the indentations.
- Bake until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges, about 8 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
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