Italian Hazelnut Meringue Cookies (Brutti Ma Buoni)

Brutti ma buoni translates from Italian as “ugly but delicious” and it is one of the most honest names a biscuit has ever been given. These Italian hazelnut meringue cookies are knobbly, irregular, and completely unpretentious. They are also deeply good: crispy on the outside, slightly chewy within, and intensely nutty from toasted hazelnuts suspended in a light cocoa meringue. Four ingredients. No flour. Naturally gluten-free. Ready in 45 minutes.

I have a longstanding love affair with Italian baked things, and brutti ma buoni sit at the heart of what I love most about Italian baking. Unnecessary components are stripped away and the main ingredient, in this case the hazelnut, is allowed to be the whole point.

What are brutti ma buoni?

Brutti ma buoni are a traditional Italian cookie originating in Piedmont and Lombardy in northern Italy, where hazelnuts grow in abundance. The name refers to their distinctly rustic appearance: dropped by the spoonful onto a tray with no shaping, they emerge from the oven looking wonderfully imperfect. The flavour makes up for any lack of elegance.

The base is a simple meringue, egg whites beaten to stiff peaks with caster sugar, into which toasted hazelnuts and cocoa are folded. Baked low and slow, the result is a cookie that is firm and slightly crisp on the outside with a fudgier, chewier interior. They crisp up further as they cool, so resist eating them straight from the oven.

Across Italy, you will find regional variations. Some versions are made without cocoa for a purer hazelnut flavour. Others use almonds or a mix of almonds and hazelnuts. Some are baked until completely dry and crunchy, others are left slightly soft in the centre. This version uses cocoa, which deepens the flavour considerably and pairs beautifully with the hazelnuts’ nuttiness.

Why this hazelnut meringue cookie works

The toasting of the hazelnuts is not optional. Raw hazelnuts have a faint bitterness and a muted flavour that does not hold its own in a meringue. Toasted hazelnuts become sweeter, more aromatic, and significantly more flavourful. Toast them in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking regularly, until the skins start to crack and the nuts are golden. Tip onto a clean tea towel, wrap and rub to remove most of the skins, then roughly chop.

Using a combination of hazelnut flour and whole chopped hazelnuts gives you two textures in one cookie: the flour integrates into the meringue for a more cohesive base while the chopped pieces give you visible nuggets of toasted nut in every bite. If you cannot find hazelnut flour, simply use the full weight in hazelnuts and chop half of them very finely.

The cocoa is sifted over the meringue at the end and folded through gently. Do not stir vigorously or you will knock the air out of the meringue and lose the light texture that makes these worth making.

Tips for perfect brutti ma buoni

Beat the egg whites in a completely clean, dry bowl. Any trace of grease or water will prevent them from reaching stiff peaks. A metal or glass bowl works better than plastic for this reason.

Add the sugar slowly once the egg whites are at soft peak stage, beating continuously. Adding it too quickly can cause the meringue to weep.

Drop the mixture by heaped tablespoons onto the tray rather than trying to shape them. Embrace the irregular edges. They are part of the charm and the name.

Leave enough space between each cookie for slight spreading during baking.

Bake at a low temperature, 150°C, and do not rush this. The low heat dries the meringue without burning the hazelnuts. They should feel firm to the touch when done and will crisp further as they cool on the rack.

Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to a week. They keep well and are actually better after the first day once the texture has fully set.

Serving suggestions

Brutti ma buoni are a perfect afternoon biscuit with an espresso or a strong cup of tea. They also make a beautiful addition to a dessert spread, particularly alongside vanilla ice cream or a simple panna cotta where their crunch provides textural contrast. As a gift they travel well in a tin and feel considered without being fussy.

*notes ~ I used a combination of ground-up hazelnut flour, as I had this on hand and have been dying to use it. I buy various nut flours and store them in my freezer to prevent them from going rancid. I then used 45 g of toasted hazelnuts, which I roughly chopped. If you can’t get hold of hazelnut flour, just use the total weight in hazelnuts and chop about half to two-thirds very finely. 

I have seen recipes that use a combination of almond and hazelnut so either will work well.

The recipe makes about 20

Brutti Ma Buoni: Italian Hazelnut Meringue Cookies Recipe

Classic Italian hazelnut meringue cookies with cocoa. Crispy, naturally gluten-free, and made with just four ingredients. A traditional Italian biscuit from Piedmont that is far easier to make than it looks.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 150 grams ¾ cup caster sugar
• 80 grams hazelnut flour plus 45 grams ⅓ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped (or 125 grams / 1 cup toasted hazelnuts total, half finely chopped and half roughly chopped)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
• Beat the egg whites with an electric beater in a clean dry bowl until stiff peaks form. Add the caster sugar slowly, continuing to beat until the mixture is thick and glossy.
• Sift the cocoa powder over the meringue. Add the hazelnuts and fold everything through gently until just combined.
• Drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the lined tray, leaving space between each for slight spreading.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until firm and lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before eating. They will crisp up as they cool.
• Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

Toasting the hazelnuts makes a significant difference to the flavour. Toast in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, then rub in a tea towel to remove the skins before chopping.

If you cannot find hazelnut flour, use the full 125 grams in hazelnuts and chop half very finely to mimic the flour texture.

Almonds work well as a substitute or in combination with the hazelnuts for a slightly milder result.

Servings: 20

Author: Sam Linsell

A few of my other popular cookie/biscuit recipes:

Vanilla snap biscuits (a delicious little cookie)

Whipped vanilla shortbread

Espresso chocolate chip cookies

White chocolate, cranberry and macadamia cookies

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