Kitchen · Recipes

Brutti ma Buoni

Small, chewy Italian cookies with toasted hazelnuts, restrained sweetness, and just enough fennel to make you wonder what that wonderful flavor is.

Brutti ma Buoni

Rustic by design, deeply nutty, and deliberately small. This version is inspired by the Brutti ma Buoni we remember from Che Fico in San Francisco.

Prep 20 min
Bake 20–30 min
Total 50 min–1 hr
Yield 30–40
Oven 300°F

Approximate Nutrition

150 calories
3g protein
17g carbs
8g fat
2g fiber
14g sugars

Approximate values per cookie, based on 35 cookies and the midpoint of the listed sugar range. Actual values will vary with ingredient brands, egg size, portion size, and the final yield.

Every kitchen behaves differently—use your own judgment with ingredients, allergens, and doneness cues.

Overview

These cookies are rustic by design — irregular, craggy, and deeply nutty. Toasted hazelnuts provide the foundation, while a small amount of crushed fennel seed adds the subtle aromatic lift that defines this version.

The stovetop step is what helps keep them dense and chewy rather than puffy and meringue-like. It takes a little patience, but that's part of the character of these cookies.

Ingredients

Hazelnuts

  • 3½ cups hazelnuts, toasted and skinned

Sugar

  • 1¾–2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1¾ cups → more nut-forward
    • 2 cups → slightly sweeter, more caramelized

Egg whites

  • 3–4 egg whites
    • 3 whites → densest, chewiest
    • 4 whites → slightly lighter

Seasoning

  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon lightly crushed fennel seed
    • Enough to add warmth
    • Not enough to taste like pizzelles
  • Optional: ¼ teaspoon fennel pollen for a refined aromatic note

Method

1. Prepare the Hazelnuts

  1. Toast the hazelnuts until fragrant and golden.
  2. Rub off as much of the skins as possible.
  3. Pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Irregular pieces are ideal.

2. Make the Base

  1. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
  2. Gradually add the sugar until thickened, but not fully glossy.
  3. Stir in the lightly crushed fennel seed.

3. Cook the Mixture

  1. Transfer the mixture to a wide saucepan.
  2. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens, loses its shine, and holds its shape when dropped from a spoon.
  3. This step prevents puffing and helps keep the cookies small and chewy.

4. Shape and Bake

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  3. Drop teaspoon-sized mounds onto the sheet.
  4. Bake for 20–30 minutes, until lightly golden and dry on the surface.

5. Cool and Store

  1. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet.
  2. Store airtight for several days.
  3. These freeze beautifully — baked or unbaked.

6. Keep Them Small

Resist the temptation to make them bigger. These are meant to be tiny, confident bites — the kind of cookie that makes you reach for another one before you've quite finished the first.

Notes

  • Fennel restraint is key. ½ teaspoon is enough to add depth without drifting into pizzelle territory.
  • Toast the nuts well. A deeper roast balances the fennel beautifully.
  • Fennel pollen is potent. If using it, keep it to ¼ teaspoon for a refined aromatic note.
  • Choose your texture. Three egg whites give you a denser, chewier cookie; four produce a slightly lighter result.
  • Keep them small. Use about a teaspoon of mixture per cookie.

Want the story behind the cookie?

These little cookies sent us down a delicious rabbit hole of Italian baking traditions, regional variations, and the question of how much a recipe can change before it becomes something of your own.

Read the story behind the Brutti ma Buoni →
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