Amaranth-Walnut Cookies with Brandy

From the kitchen of Carly

Nutty, sophisticated cookies with toasted walnuts ground fine and amaranth flour adding subtle earthiness. A hit of brandy deepens the flavor while keeping things elegant. Roll them in amaranth seeds for crunch, or keep them simple. Either way, you'll want more.

Amaranth-Walnut Cookies with Brandy

Ground walnuts and amaranth flour fold into a tender, nutty base that gets spiked with brandy for a sophisticated edge. These are barely-sweet, deeply flavored cookies with a slight nubby crust from the amaranth seeds and a soft center that melts. The brandy rounds out the nut flavor without tasting boozy, and a walnut pressed into each thumb indent makes them look like you know what you're doing.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 4 oztoasted walnut pieces
  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 3/4 cupwhite whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cupamaranth flour
  • 1/4 tspfine sea salt
  • 7 tbspunsalted butter , softened
  • 1 largeegg yolk, at room temperature
  • 1 tbspbrandy
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 1About 6 tablespoons amaranth seeds, for rolling
  • 1About 32 toasted walnut halves or pieces

Instructions

  1. Fit a food processor with the metal blade. Drop in the 4 ounces of walnuts along with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, then pulse and run until the nuts grind down into a fine, sandy meal, about 15 seconds.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the white whole wheat flour, amaranth flour, and salt with a whisk; set this aside. Move to a separate large bowl with an electric mixer and beat the butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until completely smooth. Add the remaining sugar gradually, beating until the mixture turns fluffy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Drop in the egg yolk, brandy, and vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds, until evenly blended. Lower the speed to its slowest setting and incorporate the nut mixture first, followed by gradual additions of the dry flour mixture, beating only until everything just comes together. Wrap the bowl in plastic and refrigerate until the dough firms up, at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

  3. Slide a rack into position one notch below the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Cover 2 large rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Tip the amaranth seeds into a small bowl, ready for rolling.

  4. From the chilled dough, pinch off walnut-size chunks and roll each between your palms into smooth 1 inch balls. Coat each ball by rolling through the amaranth seeds, pressing gently if needed so the seeds stick. Arrange the coated balls on the parchment-lined sheet with 2 inches between each one. Press a thumbprint into the center of every ball, dipping down about a third of its height, and nestle a walnut half into the well you just created.

  5. Bake one sheet at a time for 17 to 18 minutes, until the edges turn just golden brown and the cookies hold their shape but still give a bit when pressed gently. Lift the sheet from the oven and carefully slide the parchment straight onto a wire rack. The cookies firm up and grow crisp as they finish cooling. Yield: about 5 dozen total.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Grind the walnuts with sugar first, not alone, so they release their oils gradually and stay flour-like rather than turning into walnut butter. This takes discipline but protects the texture.
  • Chill the dough solid. Three hours minimum. Cold dough rolls into clean balls without sticking, and firms up enough to hold the indentation and walnut half without deflating during baking.
  • Roll each ball gently in amaranth seeds only once and press them in with your palm as you go, not after. Overworking them causes them to fall off in the oven.

Variations

  • Swap the brandy for cognac or dark rum for a different spirit depth and a slightly richer flavor.
  • Skip the amaranth seed coating and brush the rolled balls lightly with egg white instead, then press chopped toasted hazelnuts or pistachios into the surface for a different textural finish.
  • Use half whole wheat pastry flour and half regular all-purpose flour if you don't have white whole wheat, though the flavor will be less assertive.

Make ahead and storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These don't freeze well because the amaranth seeds absorb moisture and soften. Reheat briefly in a 300°F oven if you want to restore crispness to the outside.