This time of year it seems everywhere you go—from the office to grandma's living room, from your friend's apartment to your partner's holiday party—you find a plate of cookies: decadent, sweet, sticky. It's wonderful and enjoyable, but if you're like me, at some point all that gooey sweetness fails to satisfy, and you find yourself wanting to nibble on something a little lighter, simpler, yet still festive and fitting to the season.
When I came across this recipe for Swiss Walnut Cookies on the food blog Eat, Little Bird, I immediately knew I needed to make a batch. Traditionally called Baumnuss-Guetzli, this Swiss seasonal cookie is made from ground walnuts and hazelnuts, and drizzled with a Kirsch (cherry brandy) frosting. Chewy and just sweet enough, these biscuit-like cookies taste very similar to Italian almond cookies (Ricciarelli). And I love the single walnut for decoration. Beautiful and simple.
→ Get the recipe: Swiss Walnut Christmas Cookies at Eat, Little Bird
Related: Easy, Delicious Hazelnut Rosemary Jam Cookies
(Image: Eat, Little Bird)
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I make Zimtsterne every year which are similar, though using almonds and hazelnuts. We have a walnut allergy, so that works.
Me too!!
That is, I make Zimtsterne every year. For the same reason -- our daughter has a walnut allergy. (I use the a Nick Malgieri recipe from Gourmet back in the '80s or '90s)