Combining beaten egg whites with a nut-and-sugar mix helps give these cookies their airy texture.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 1/2 dozen

　　1 1/3 cups (about 6 ounces) hazelnuts

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　2 large egg whites

　　1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

　　3/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until skins crack, 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and roll up. Let steam 5 minutes. Rub the nuts in the towel until most of the skin has come off. Let cool.

　　

Step 2

Process hazelnuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until ground to a fine powder.

　　

Step 3

Put egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and mix until egg whites form stiff (but not dry) peaks. Add hazelnut mixture, flour, and vanilla; mix on medium-low speed until just combined. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

　　

Step 4

Preheat oven to 375°F. With cool, dampened hands, mold heaping tablespoons of dough into pyramids, each about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 1/4 inches high. Space about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until edges and bottoms begin to brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

　　Martha Stewart's Cookies