Brutti Buoni (Ugly but Good Cookies)
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
They may not win beauty contests, but these traditional Italian Brutti Buoni cookies will win your heart. Crispy, nutty, and impossibly light, these “ugly but good” cookies taste like they’re fresh from an Italian bakery case! Just 5 ingredients stand between you and these old-world cookie shop favorites.
Why Make These?
- Naturally gluten-free
- Simple ingredients
- Crispy outside, cloud-like inside
- Intense toasted hazelnut flavor and irresistible praline-like taste
- Look rustic, so there’s no pressure for perfection
- Perfect for using leftover egg whites
- Classic Italian cookie made in under an hour
Ingredient Notes
- Hazelnuts: If you’re roasting your own, keep an eye on them—they can burn quickly. If you prefer convenience, pre-roasted hazelnuts work just as well.
- Egg Whites: Make sure the bowl and whisk are completely clean and free of grease. Even a little fat can prevent the whites from whipping properly.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar for this recipe; superfine sugar can change the texture of the cookies, making them denser than intended.
- Cinnamon: This adds warmth and depth to the flavor, but feel free to adjust the amount to suit your taste or substitute with nutmeg or cardamom for a twist.
Flavor variations
Try some of these fantastic flavor combinations, but eliminate the cinnamon and vanilla from the base recipe and change the nuts where applicable.
- Chocolate Hazelnut – Add cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
- Almond Orange – Use almonds and add orange zest and almond extract.
- Pistachio Lemon – Use pistachios, and add lemon zest.
- Coffee Walnut – Incorporate ground coffee and use walnuts.
- Cinnamon Pecan – Mix in cinnamon and chopped pecans.
- Coconut Almond – Add shredded coconut and almonds, with coconut extract.
- Hazelnut Mocha – Combine a teaspoon of ground coffee with hazelnuts.
- Honey Walnut – Sweeten with honey, use walnuts.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate – Use roasted unsalted peanuts and chocolate chips.
- Pumpkin Spice Pecan – Add pumpkin spice seasoning, use pecans.
- Salted Caramel Almond – Drizzle with salted caramel, use almonds.
- Dark Chocolate Sea Salt – Incorporate dark chocolate chunks, sprinkle with sea salt.
Method Overview
To start, if you’re using raw hazelnuts, you’ll want to roast them for 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F until their skins crack. Once roasted, rub them in a towel to remove the skins, but don’t worry if a little bit sticks. Chop the nuts coarsely, either by hand or in a food processor, and set them aside to cool.
Next, prepare your dry ingredients by mixing the chopped hazelnuts, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, using either a hand whisk or an electric mixer. Gently fold the nut mixture into the whipped egg whites to create a light meringue.
Heat the meringue mixture in a pot over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until it thickens and darkens slightly, stirring constantly. Drop heaping teaspoons of the mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each.
Bake at 300°F for 25 to 30 minutes, depending on whether you prefer them chewy or crisp. Cool the cookies completely before serving or storing.
Tips & Techniques
- Maximize flavor with freshly toasted hazelnuts: Even if you buy roasted hazelnuts, a quick toast in the oven can intensify their natural nutty flavor. Try it for an extra depth of taste.
- Pulse, don’t grind: Keep the texture interesting by pulsing hazelnuts in short bursts instead of over-processing. You want a mix of fine crumbs and tiny chunks for a perfect balance.
- Egg whites at room temperature: If your egg whites sit at room temperature for a bit, they’ll whip up faster and give your cookies a lighter texture.
- Customize with spices: Love cinnamon? Try adding a bit more, or swap it for cardamom or nutmeg to give the cookies a unique spin without changing their essence.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
📖 Recipe
Brutti Buoni (Italian Meringue Cookies)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) skin-on hazelnuts Raw (see step 1 to roast) or buy roasted skinless
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
- 4 large (125 g) egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Roast the Nuts (Skip This Step if Yours are Roasted):
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread the nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skins darken and begin to crack.
- Immediately transfer the hot nuts to a dish towel, fold the towel over them, and rub vigorously to remove the skins. A small amount of skin left on the nuts is fine; discard any skins that don’t come off easily.
- Transfer the skinned nuts to a food processor and pulse to achieve coarsely ground nuts, or chop them by hand using a chef's knife. Allow the nuts to cool slightly before using. The finer the grind, the less rustic the cookie, and vice versa.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients and Whip the Egg Whites:
- Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, chopped nuts, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well with a wooden spoon.
- In a separate clean bowl, pour in the egg whites. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. If using a whisk by hand, it will require more effort but can be done.
Heat the Meringue Mixture:
- Gently fold the nut and sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a pot, add the vanilla, and heat over medium heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens and darkens slightly.
Form the Cookies:
- To form the cookies, use two spoons or a two-tablespoon to scoop up the batter and drop it onto the prepared parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. You should get about 28 cookies.
Bake the Cookies:
- Reduce the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake each sheet one at a time for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cookies have formed firm meringues. The less you bake, the chewier they'll be, and the more you bake them, the harder they will be.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing.
We LOVE these cookies and will be making them often!!!