Chewy German Hazelnut Macaroons

These chewy and sweet hazelnut macaroons, or Nussmakronen, are typical German cookies made with only 4 ingredients.

german macaroons with hazelnuts and christmas candles and decoration behind it.

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🌲Nussmakronen Recipe
📋Recipe ingredients
👩🏻‍🍳How to make hazelnut macaroons?
🔊Expert Tips
❓Recipe FAQ
🍪More German cookies
📖Recipe
Chewy German Hazelnut Macaroons - Nussmakronen

🌲Nussmakronen Recipe

If you would like to make some cookies but don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen, these hazelnut macaroons are the solution. They taste incredible, sweet and chewy and “hazelnutty”, and are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside; they are made in no time and, at least for me, a happy way of using the egg whites that I keep gathering in the freezer.

I find that I need only egg yolks more often than I need egg whites; that is why you will find at least 3 or 4 plastic bags containing egg whites in my freezer at any given time.

I am not a fan of egg white omelets (pfui!!!), and I really can't think of many ways of using those darn egg whites, so each December, all those frozen bags get thawed, and I am making lots and lots of hazelnut or almond macaroons.

Luckily, these cookies happen to be my husband's favorite cookies; he devours at least 4 times this recipe every winter (and he still doesn't have one gram of unnecessary fat on his body...).

📋Recipe ingredients

ground hazelnuts, sugar and egg whites in bowls, all labeled ingredients for macaroons.

You will only need four ingredients to make these traditional German macaroons: egg whites, sugar, ground hazelnuts, and some whole hazelnuts.

Egg whites: Use either fresh or leftover frozen ones. If you still have too many egg whites in your freezer bag, why not try some other egg white recipe, something like this Egg White Cake, the German Coconut Macaroons, or the Stacked Pavlova with Raspberries?
Ground hazelnuts. Alternatively, you can make these macaroons with ground almonds (almond meal, not almond flour).
Whole hazelnut: You'll require an equal quantity of hazelnuts to match the number of macaroons you have.
Granulated sugar

Equipment:

A large bowl and an electric mixer.
I use a piping bag with a large nozzle for making regular nice cookies, but if you don't have one or don't feel like cleaning it afterward, just use two teaspoons to form small heaps on the baking tray.
Two baking sheets and parchment paper.

👩🏻‍🍳How to make hazelnut macaroons?

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

beaten egg whites and sugar in a large bowl.

Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is glossy and stiff again.

folding ground hazelnuts into egg whites with a rubber spatula.

Carefully fold in the ground hazelnuts.

many piped, unbaked hazelnut macaroons on a baking sheet.

Pipe about 24-26 macaroons on the baking sheets. Place a whole hazelnut in the center of each cookie.

Bake the hazelnut macaroons for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they start to get golden around the edges. Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.

🔊Expert Tips

Freeze egg whites by placing them in a labeled freezer bag; usually, 2 or 3 whites fit in one bag since you don't often need more at once. A large egg white weighs about 1 oz/30 g. If unlabeled, use 2 oz/60 g for a German coconut macaroon recipe.

For beating egg whites: Make sure the bowl and beaters are clean, without any fat traces like egg yolk or other sources, as these can affect proper beating.

Piping: Instead of a piping bag, you can use two teaspoons to make small heaps on the cookie sheets. They will not be so regular, but they will taste just as good.

❓Recipe FAQ

Can I double or halve the recipe?

Absolutely, when making German hazelnut macaroons, you can adjust the recipe to suit the number of egg whites you have—whether it's 1, 3, 4, or any quantity. Just make sure to adjust the proportions of other ingredients accordingly, keeping the ratios consistent to achieve the desired texture and sweetness in the mixture.

How long can I store the macaroons?

Owing to their high sugar content, belong to the group of long-lasting baked treats. They remain fresh and moist for approximately two weeks before gradually becoming slightly dry and firm.
Store them in airtight containers such as cookie tins. These containers help prevent them from drying out or becoming too moist, safeguarding them against mold growth.

German Hazelnut Macaroons - Nussmakronen

🍪More German cookies

Check out more delicious recipes for traditional German cookies.

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