Haselnussmakronen are German Hazelnut Macaroons. Chewy and sweet, these German cookies are made with only egg whites, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Naturally gluten free and dairy free.
Haselnussmakronen are a traditional German Christmas cookie. They are light and chewy, filled with hazelnuts, and made without any leavening agents or flour.
Lightly spiced with cinnamon, they make a fantastic addition to holiday cookie trays.
- Hasel = Hazel
- Nuss= Nut
- Makronen = Macaroon
Hazelnut macaroons are similar to another German Cookie recipe I’ve recently shared – Zimtsterne. Both cookies are dairy and gluten free, made with only egg whites, ground nuts, cinnamon, and sugar.
Zimtsterne dough is rolled out, cut into shapes, then topped with a meringue frosting. They turn out chewy, with a crispy exterior, but slightly dense. Haselnussmakronen are light and airy, like dropping dollops of whipped cream onto your baking sheet.
Macaroon VS. Macaron
Macaroon VS. MacaronYou may be wondering – what is the difference between a macaroon and a macaron? Sometimes the names are used interchangeably, or pronounced the same. But is there really a difference between a macaroon and a macaron?
Macaroons and macarons are indeed two different types of cookies.
Without getting too in depth, a macaron (mack-ah-rohn) is made with egg whites, almond flour, and sugar. They have a delicate crust, chewy interior, and are often made into sandwich cookies with a filling in the middle.
Macaroons (mack-ah-roons) are made with egg whites, sugar, and another ingredient mixed in – most commonly shredded coconut. They can also be made with ground nuts – like our hazelnut macaroons today.
For more information, check out this awesome infographic made by Shari’s Berries: Macarons vs. Macaroons: What’s the Difference?
How to Grind Hazelnuts
For this recipe, you’ll need ground hazelnuts. I grind nuts very easily in my mini prep food processor that I’ve had for years and years. It’s been a workhorse in my kitchen and I highly recommend it.
I also use it for grinding graham crackers for cheesecakes, or making pie crusts for my pecan pie.
Shown here, grinding almonds for my Zimtsterne and Vanillekipferl. I use the same process for hazelnuts. Simply place in your food processor and pulse until the desired texture is achieved.
If you pulse too much, you’ll make hazelnut butter! While tasty, it’s not what we’re looking for today.
How to make Haselnussmakronen
So you’re ready to make a batch of homemade German hazelnut macaroons? Fantastic! Let’s get started.
Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, gather your ingredients.
For this recipe, you’ll need cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar if you happen to keep this on hand), confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, and ground hazelnuts.
First, you will whip your egg whites to stiff peaks. As you’re whipping, you’ll notice when your egg whites begin to keep their shape in the bowl.
Continually check for stiff peaks by turning off your mixer, then pulling out the whisk and pointing it upward. Once the egg whites hold their shape and stand straight up on the end of your whisk, they are ready.
Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until well incorporated and egg whites are glossy.
Next, combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl – ground hazelnuts, salt, and cinnamon. Add to your egg white mixture and gently fold to combine.
Next, you have several options for transferring your meringue to your baking sheet.
One – transfer your meringue to a piping bag, or large plastic bag, cut off the tip, and pipe your meringue into small heaps.
Two – using two spoons, gently scoop and form mounds of meringue on your baking sheet.
Three – Use a medium cookie scoop to perfectly portion my meringue to make 24 cookies. I feel like a broken record talking about my cookie scoops, but they really are a time and mess saver when baking!
Don’t forget to top each cookie with a whole hazelnut before they go in the oven.
How to Store Hazelnut Macaroons
How to Store Hazelnut MacaroonsMacaroons need time to cool completely before coming off the baking sheet. Once your cookies have baked and cooled completely, gently lift them from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack.
Note – If your cookies are sticking to the baking sheet – this means that they need more time in the oven, or they haven’t cooled completely.
Once my macaroons have made it to the cooling rack, I like to allow them to rest for a few more hours at room temperature, if possible. After that, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
Macaroons can also be refrigerated if you don’t plan to enjoy them right away. You can also freeze your macaroons! Baked macaroons can be frozen up to a month.
German Cookie Recipes
Make all four of these delicious German cookies below using my easy to follow recipes below!
Left to right:
- Zimtsterne – German Cinnamon Star Cookies
- Haselnussmakronen – German Hazelnut Macaroons (you are here)
- Vanillekipferl – Vanilla Crescent Cookies
- Heidesand – German Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies
Haselnussmakronen
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups ground hazelnuts or hazelnut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 24 whole hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes). Add confectioner's sugar and beat until fully incorporated and glossy. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients - ground hazelnuts, salt, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to meringue and gently fold in until evenly incorporated.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, two spoons, or a piping bag, drop into 1.5 tablespoon heaps onto lined baking sheet. Top each cookie with a whole hazelnut.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from baking sheet to a cooling rack. If cookies stick to baking sheet or feel sticky to the touch, they need more time in the oven.
Aren’t these so gorgeous? I love European Christmas cookies and hazelnuts are my favourite nuts. They look amazing!
Thank you! I agree, I love European desserts too 😊