My mom worked full-time as a physical therapist, yet prepared dinner each night for our family of five. By necessity, she was the queen of the shortcut. Mom served these quick and simple hazelnut cookies when we had company. The dough freezes well, so the recipe can easily be doubled to keep on hand for entertaining.

　　Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 hr (includes chilling)

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 40 cookies

　　1/2 cup hazelnuts (2 oz)

　　1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

　　3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　

Step 1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant and skins begin to loosen, about 6 minutes. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove any loose skins (some skins may not come off) and cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 3

Pulse nuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground, then add flour and a pinch of salt, pulsing until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough just forms a ball. Divide dough in half, then roll dough on a work surface lightly dusted with sugar and flour into 2 (11-inch-long) logs (each about 1 inch wide). Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour.

　　

Step 4

Cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and arrange rounds 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets.

　　

Step 5

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until bottom edges just begin to turn pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet 2 minutes. Place remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a small dish and dip tops of cookies in it, then cool sugared cookies on a rack.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　• Dough can be chilled up to 12 hours or frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap, up to 1 month. (Thaw before cutting and baking.) • Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 2 weeks.