Baci di Alassio, Italian Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Kisses. Made with ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, egg whites, sugar, and honey, these cookies are a traditional regional specialty of Alassio, in the Ligurian Riviera di Ponente. The name translates as 'kisses of Alassio'.
Song of the day: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Miley Cyrus
Baci, Kisses, of Alassio
Alassio is the town in Liguria, northwest of Italy, where they were invented and patented by the pastry chef Rinaldo Balzola, owner of the "Pasticceria Balzola", in 1919.
These cookies are gluten-free, and not overly sweet. Made with hazelnuts ground with sugar, then added cocoa, honey, and whipped egg whites folded in. The outer part of the shell has a slight crunch while the inside is soft and chewy. The texture is coarse due to the little bits of the hazelnuts. Sandwiched in the cookies, there is a velvety soft chocolate ganache that brings the two cookies together as in a delicious 'kiss'.
This recipe is my contribution to The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie exchange co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.
Again, this year, we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids' Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer. Since 2008, Cookies for Kids' Cancer has granted nearly $18 million to pediatric cancer research. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.
Help us raise money for this important cause! Donate through our fundraising page.
Also, OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2022, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on the fundraising page!
Cookies from previous seasons:
- Christmas Double Chocolate Star Cookies
- Ciambelline Sarde (Sardinian Sandwich Cookies)
- Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies
- Abbracci, Italian "Hugs" Cookies
Ingredients for the "kisses"
Very few and simple, thus, choose great quality ingredients:
- hazelnuts, toasted, then ground (or hazelnut flour)
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- light, liquid honey
- egg whites
- a pinch of salt
How to make Baci di Alassio
- Toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 350F (180C) for 5-7 minutes. Take the nuts out of the oven and let them cool down. Rub the nuts between your palms or in a towel to remove most of the skins.
- Pulse the hazelnuts with the sugar in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Place in a bowl.
- Sift the cocoa powder on the hazelnut mixture and mix in.
- Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
- Add the hazelnut cocoa mixture to the whipped egg whites in 2-3 batches. Blend in with a spatula.
- Add the honey, and mix to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium/large star nozzle and pipe small rounds (about 1 to1.5" in diameter) onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space in between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
Piping suggestions
Although this is an easy cookie recipe, there is one tricky part and that is the piping of the cookies. Since the dough is very sticky and dense, you need a lot of arm work to pipe it onto the baking sheet.
My suggestion is to use a large star nozzle. Better yet, one that is large and wide.
In case you do not want to pipe the cookies, make small balls, bake them, then sandwich them with the ganache.
Making a softer batter does not work because when they bake they spread out too much.
Ingredients for the chocolate ganache
For the chocolate ganache you will need:
- semisweet or dark chocolate (I used a mix of semi sweet chocolate chips and a dark chocolate bar 70% cocoa)
- whipping (heavy) cream
How to make the chocolate ganache
- In a bowl, break the chocolate in pieces if you are using a block of chocolate, or add the chips.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to boil. As soon as it reaches the boiling point, take off heat and pour onto the chocolate. Leave it for a minute, then stir or whisk to mix until smooth.
- Let cool at room temperature, then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a handheld mixer, and whip for 2 minutes on high speed until smooth and thick.
Assemble the cookies
- Fill a clean piping bag fitted with a round tip with the chocolate ganache and pipe small dollops on the base of half the baked rounds.
- Sandwich together with the remaining rounds, as for a macaron.
- Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Serving and storing suggestions
Chewy, soft, and decadent, Baci di Alassio have a texture similar to the French macarons.
Wonderful on their own, they pair beautifully with coffee or tea. They make great hostess gifts and would look amazing on any holiday dessert table.
Store them in an airtight container for 5 days in a cool place. I stored mine in a plastic cookie bag in the fridge. As days pass they get softer and chewier.
Happy baking and happy holidays!
PrintBaci di Alassio, Italian Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Kisses
Baci di Alassio, Italian Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Kisses. Made with ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, egg whites, sugar, and honey, these cookies are a traditional regional specialty of Alassio, in the Ligurian Riviera di Ponente. The name translates as 'kisses of Alassio'.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 40-45 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 250 g hazelnuts, toasted, then ground (or hazelnut flour)
- 200 g fine granulated sugar
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 25 g light honey
- 2 egg whites
- a pinch of salt
Chocolate ganache
- 80 g semisweet dark chocolate
- 70 g heavy (whipping) cream
Instructions
- Toast the hazelnuts in the oven on a lined baking sheet at 350F (180C) for 5-7 minutes. Take the nuts out of the oven and let them cool down. Rub the hazelnuts between your palms to remove the skins.
- Place a clean parchment paper on the baking sheet or use a silicone mat. Leave the oven on.
- Pulse the hazelnuts with the sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
- Sift the cocoa powder on the hazelnut mixture and mix in.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a handheld mixer, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
- Gradually fold in the hazelnut/cocoa mixture to the whipped egg whites. Do it in 2-3 batches.
- Add the honey, and mix to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium/large star nozzle and pipe small rounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space in between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
The chocolate ganache
- In a bowl, break the chocolate in pieces if you are using a block of chocolate, or add the chips.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to boil. As soon as it reaches the boiling point, take off heat and pour onto the chocolate. Leave it for a minute, then stir or whisk to mix until smooth.
- Let cool at room temperature, then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a handheld mixer, and whip for 2 minutes on high speed until smooth and thick.
Assemble the cookies
- Fill a clean piping bag fitted with a round tip with the chocolate ganache and pipe small dollops on the base of half the baked rounds.
- Sandwich together with the remaining rounds, as for a macaron.
- Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Store them in an airtight container for 5 days in a cool place. I stored mine in a plastic cookie bag in the fridge. As days pass they get softer and chewier.
Since the dough is very sticky and dense, you need a lot of arm work to pipe it onto the baking sheet. My suggestion is to use a large star nozzle. Better yet, one that is large and wide. In case you do not want to pipe the cookies, make small balls, bake them, then sandwich them with the ganache.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Liz Marino says
Yum! These look so good!! Adding to my christmas baking list 🙂
Thank you very much!
Patricia says
These sound absolutely dreamy! I love the soft, airy quality. I'm going to make and take these for Christmas to share with my Italian family! I've never had anything like these. Can't wait!
Thanks! The Italian family will love them and probably know about them.
Debi says
These are amazing! A must bake & so pretty! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thank you! So great for the holidays!
Marta says
I'm so sad I didn't make a double-batch of these baci di alassio cookies. My husband and son ate the entire batch while I was out Christmas shopping! I knew they were good (I was able to taste one), but dang!
Wow! They're quite good, I know 🙂 ...
Bernice says
YUM! You definitely can't buy these in a store. This year I'm doing food gifts for the holidays and I know a few people that would love some of these cookies in their Christmas stockings.
Unless the store, pasticceria, is in Alassio, Italy ;).
Colleen says
You can never go wrong with a combination of hazelnuts and chocolate! These cookies look so delicious and easy to make. They're on my holiday baking list. Thank you and Happy Holidays,
Thank you! They're not that hard to make and very delicious.
Sheila says
What a perfectly decadent little cookie — yum!
Thank you! Decadent is the word! 😉
Jami says
I'm so intrigued by this recipe! They sound completely delicious - I'm going to give them a try this year.
Hope you do, they're quite unique, and awesome!
Gaila Perez says
These are just perfect, they look so good! I love this recipe.
Thank you!
Erin says
My son and I made these kisses for Christmas goodie bags and everyone said they loved them! They were really fun to make as well. Thank you!
Happy to hear! Thank you!
Jacqueline Debono says
I actually have some wonderful ground hazelnuts from Piemonte that I'm sure would be perfect for these baci di Alassio. Going to try them out. My hubby loves chocolate and hazelnut together!
Nocciole piemontesi would be perfect for these baci!
Elaine says
I have to say, this is one of those recipes that I have never tried before. And that does not happen often lol Definitely the recipe to try over the holidays!
Thank you! It's a regional specialty so hard to find even in other regions of Italy. But so good!!
Kathryn says
I would love to try these over the weekend! I love how these are flourless and have my favorite hazelnut flavor!
The hazelnuts are the stars in these cookies! And that ganache, yum!
Shashi says
This is my first time hearing of these cookies - they sound absolutely decadent!
Thank you! Truly decadent and amazing!
Kathleen says
Was looking for a delicious gluten-free cookie recipe for some friends coming to visit and these are perfect! You do need some arm muscles to pipe that dough, but it's so worth it!
Thanks! Yes, some arm strength required, but so worth it 😉 .
Veronika says
These look so delicious! I'm having a big cookie baking gathering and going to include this recipe to the list 😉
Thank you! And being gluten free makes them perfect for gatherings.
Katie Crenshaw says
I loved how these turned out! They were easy to make and turned out so delicious. They are perfect for Christmas treats.
Thanks! Definitely capture the Christmas spirit.
Tammy says
Ooh these look so yummy! What a fun holiday cookie! The fact that they're flourless adds such a nice fudginess to them ^_^
They are sooo yummy! And yes, being flourless makes them even more special.
Erin says
What gorgeous cookies! I am in love with the sound of them and sharing them with all my friends! I've never heard of these before and cannot wait to give them a try.
Thank you so much for participating in this year's Sweetest Season! I am always blown away with the recipes shared and the generosity of its participants. Thank you for making this event such a success. I hope you and yours have a happy holiday season and a happy new year!
Thank you, Erin! I am always happy and grateful to be part of The Sweetest Season cookie exchange! Happy holidays to you!
Nikki says
I was so excited to try these and they were wonderful. We love hazelnut and chocolate together. A delightful and delicious cookie!
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed them!
Megan says
These are amazing! I love the combination of hazelnut and chocolate, and the texture is lovely. Your tips were so helpful in making them.
Sam says
Everything about these are incredible! Can never go wrong with pairing hazelnuts and chocolate especially with the chocolate ganache filling!
Susannah says
Oh, these are so gorgeous and they look so rich yet delicate! I cannot wait to try making them.
Cheryl | Pook's Pantry says
I can't wait to try these cookies! They look absolutely amazing!