Hazelnut Spirals

These hazelnut spirals are a show-stopping cookie that looks like you spent all day in a French patisserie but actually comes together from a simple food processor dough and a handful of toasted ground hazelnuts.

The dough is essentially a shortbread: flour, sugar, cold butter processed to coarse meal, then bound with egg yolk and vanilla. After resting at room temperature, it rolls out into a thin rectangle. Softened butter goes on first, then the hazelnut filling spiked with allspice and nutmeg gets sprinkled over everything. A rolling pin pressed lightly over the top anchors the nuts into the dough so they don’t scatter when you roll.

The tight jellyroll technique is where the magic happens. Rolling from the long edge closest to you, keeping it snug, creates those beautiful concentric spirals you see when you slice. Three hours in the fridge firms the log enough for clean, thin cuts.

Pro Tips

• Toast hazelnuts until the skins crack and the color is deep golden. Under-toasted hazelnuts taste flat. Rub off the papery skins in a towel before grinding.
• Roll tightly. Loose rolls create air gaps that show up as holes in the finished spiral pattern.
• Use a sharp, thin knife for slicing. A dull knife crushes the log and distorts the spiral. Wipe the blade between cuts.

Variations

• Chocolate hazelnut: Spread a thin layer of Nutella over the butter before adding the nut filling.
• Almond spirals: Swap hazelnuts for toasted almonds and add a drop of almond extract to the dough.