Dame Kisses Italian Cookies
Classic Italian sandwich cookies from Piedmont, featuring two delicate hazelnut shortbread halves joined together with rich chocolate ganache. These elegant ‘Lady’s Kisses’ are perfect for special occasions or as gourmet gifts.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour (plus cooling)
- Yield: 30 sandwich cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (140g) hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flourSubstitution: For a gluten-free version, try almond flour.
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons (100g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3.5 oz (100g) dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Process hazelnuts in food processor until finely ground (but not oily).
- In a bowl, mix ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Mix in vanilla.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to form a soft dough.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls (about 7g each) and place on baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Melt chocolate with cream over double boiler or in microwave (30-second intervals).
- Pair similar-sized cookies and sandwich with about 1/2 tsp chocolate ganache.
- Let set before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- For gluten-free version, use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months – bake directly from frozen.
- For authentic flavor, use Piedmont hazelnuts if available.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Find it online: https://us.recipesfood.org/dame-kisses-italian-cookies/
