Are you planning to bake something sweet for Valentine’s Day? Consider these Raspberry Hazelnut Hearts — a crisp, nutty butter cookie filled with tangy raspberry jam. They’re simple to make, festive, and just as lovely for an everyday fika as they are for a holiday treat.
This version is inspired by heart-shaped thumbprint cookies that appeared on the cover of Martha Stewart Living (Jan/Feb 2020). I wanted to add a jam thumbprint cookie to the blog — a classic Scandinavian fika treat — and adapted techniques from Scandinavian and American sources to create a cookie with hazelnut flavor and a delicate heart-shaped center.
Swedish jam thumbprints, or syltgrottor (“jam caves”), are traditionally softer and baked in paper liners. I followed that idea while leaning on a more American-style hazelnut thumbprint cookie for structure. Toasted hazelnuts are ground with flour and salt, then folded into creamed butter, sugar, and an egg yolk. The result is an aromatic, crisp hazelnut butter cookie that pairs perfectly with a spoonful of raspberry jam.
The heart shape is easier to make than it looks. Use the flat end of a utensil or the inside edge of a rubber spatula to press a deep “V” into each dough ball. During baking the V opens slightly to form a heart. If you prefer a classic thumbprint, press a rounded teaspoon or your thumb to make a round well for the jam.
These cookies are quick to prepare and make a charming, thoughtful gift for anyone who loves homemade baked goods. Make them as hearts for February, or press round indentations and call them classic thumbprints any time of year. Either way, they stay crisp and fragrant and are perfect alongside coffee or tea.
I hope you try these Raspberry Hazelnut Hearts — they come together easily and are a sweet, creative way to show you care. Happy baking and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Recipe
Raspberry Hazelnut Hearts
30 minutes
18 minutes
50 minutes
24 -26 cookies
119kcal
Kristi
Ingredients
- ¾ cup hazelnuts
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup raspberry jam or preserves
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling optional
Instructions
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Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment and toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel, wrap briefly to steam, then rub to remove skins (it’s okay if some skins remain).
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Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a food processor with the flour and salt. Process until finely ground.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until combined. Gradually add the flour-hazelnut mixture and mix on low just until incorporated.
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Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Drop tablespoons of dough (about 12 per sheet) and roll each into a ball, leaving at least 1½ inches between cookies. Use the flat edge of a utensil or the inside edge of a spatula to press a deep “V” in the center of each cookie for heart shapes, or press the back of a teaspoon for traditional thumbprints.
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Bake 16–18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Warm the raspberry jam over medium-low heat until bubbling, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Spoon or pipe the jam into the centers of the cooled cookies and allow it to set slightly. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 15 g
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Protein: 1 g
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Fat: 6 g
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Saturated Fat: 3 g
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Dessert, Fika
Nordic, Scandinavian, Swedish