Enjoy whole wheat shortbread cookies plain as a sweet snack or serve them with your favorite frozen yogurt or ice cream. Toasted hazelnuts or almonds make these homemade cookies almost irresistible. But don’t take my words for it. Bake them at least once and experience the taste for yourself.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread hazelnuts in a shallow rimmed baking pan and toast in a 350 degrees F. oven from 10 to 15 minutes or until golden beneath skins; shake pan occasionally. (If using almonds, toast for only 8 to 10 minutes.)
Pour hazelnuts into a clean dish cloth, and rub briskly to remove skins. (Omit this step if using almonds.) Whirl nuts in a blender or food processor until finely ground.
Beat softened butter and sugar until creamy, beat in ground nuts. Gradually add flour, blending thoroughly.
Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a straight edged rectangle about 1¼-inch thick. Cut rectangle lengthwise into thirds; then cut each third into triangles.
Alternatively, roll dough out free form, keeping it an even ¼-inch thick, and cut out with cookie cutters (about 2-inch in diameter). Place cut-outs on prepared baking sheets.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transfer to wire racks to cool completely. This whole wheat shortbread recipe make about 2 dozen.
