Earl Grey Hazelnut Cookies

Description

These cookies are coated in delicious finely chopped hazelnuts and studded with small bits of floral Earl Grey tea. They are best paired alongside a steaming cup of the tea to bring out their bright flavors.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Steven Smith Teamaker Lord Bergamot Blend No: 55 (1 sachet)
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup finely chopped roasted hazelnuts, plus 6 hazelnuts, halved
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the tea leaves to a spice grinder and pulse until finely chopped. Toss the tea with the brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low for 1 minute to combine the flavors. Add the butter and cream for 2 minutes, until smooth and pale brown in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
3. Mix in the vanilla and egg. Add the salt and then the flour. Mix on medium-high until all ingredients are combined into a cookie dough. Place the bowl with the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
4. Spread the finely chopped hazelnuts on a plate and stir in the granulated sugar. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and roll into 12 balls, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball. Roll each ball in the hazelnuts and sugar. Place the cookies on the baking sheet. Press a hazelnut half in the top of each.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the centers are firm. Let cool on the pan for 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.