Coffee & Hazelnut Chocolate-Dipped Christmas Cookies

French

Coffee and hazelnut mini logs cookies bring the magic of Christmas to your table.

Easy to make, they’re delicately crumbly with a refined flavour.

Serve them with coffee or hot chocolate for cosy moments shared with family and friends.

Coffee & Hazelnut Mini Logs (Christmas Bredeles Recipe)

Here’s a go-to recipe for coffee and hazelnut mini logs, the kind of Christmas bredeles that feel both elegant and comforting.

Each biscuit is tender and melt-in-the-mouth, with a bold coffee flavour balanced by the warm nuttiness of lightly toasted hazelnuts.

A dip of dark chocolate adds just the right finish, rich, slightly bitter, and perfect against the sweet crumb.

These mini logs are ideal for serving after dinner with espresso, or alongside a mug of hot chocolate on a winter afternoon.

They also look beautiful on a festive cookie platter and make a lovely homemade gift when packed in a tin.

Simple to shape, quick to bake, and always a crowd-pleaser, they’re a little taste of Christmas in every bite.

Ingredients for Coffee & Hazelnut Christmas Bredeles

• 275 g plain flour
• 100 g ground hazelnuts (hazelnut meal)
• 75 g caster sugar (or fine granulated sugar)
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 2 tsp vanilla sugar / 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp instant coffee granules
• 1 tbsp hot water (to dissolve the coffee)
• 200 g unsalted butter, diced and cold/softened (either works, see method)
• A pinch of baking powder
• 200 g dark couverture chocolate (or good-quality dark chocolate for dipping)

How to Make Coffee & Hazelnut Mini Logs (Bredeles)

• Dissolve the coffee: Stir the instant coffee into 1 tbsp hot water until smooth.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ground hazelnuts, caster sugar, and vanilla sugar.
• Rub in the butter: Add the butter in small pieces and rub it in with your fingertips (or between your palms) until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• Form the dough: Add the egg yolks and the dissolved coffee. Knead briefly until you get a smooth, even dough.
• Chill: Shape into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven: 190°C (conventional) or 170°C (fan).
• Shape the mini logs: Divide the dough, roll into ropes about 1.5 cm thick, then cut into 5-6 cm mini logs.
• Bake: Arrange on a lined tray and bake for 12-13 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate: Gently melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie.
• Dip & set: Dip both ends of each biscuit in chocolate, place on baking paper, and let set completely.

How to Store Coffee & Hazelnut Christmas Cookies

– Use an airtight container (best texture)

• Store the cookies in a sealed tin or airtight box to keep them crisp.
• Layer with baking paper so the chocolate-dipped ends don’t stick or smudge.
• Let the chocolate set fully before boxing them up.

– Choose the right spot

• Keep the container in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight or radiators (heat can soften the chocolate).
• If your kitchen is warm, you can refrigerate them, just bring them out 10-15 minutes before serving so the texture isn’t too firm.

– How long they keep : Stored properly, they stay at their best for about 7–10 days.

– Freezing instructions

• Freeze in a single layer on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.
• They keep well for up to 3 months.
• Defrost at room temperature (still in the container if possible) before serving.

Tips for Truly Melt-in-the-Mouth Coffee & Hazelnut Bredeles

– Use flavourful hazelnuts: Whole hazelnuts taste best. Lightly toast them, rub off the skins, then grind for a deeper, warmer flavour.

– Grind with a light touch: Stop as soon as they look like fine meal, over-blending can turn them oily and pasty. If your hazelnut meal looks greasy, you may need to tweak the butter slightly for the right dough texture.

– Get the “sandy” texture right: When rubbing in the butter, aim for fine breadcrumbs. If you’re using a food processor, start with part of the butter (around 150 g), then add the rest only if the dough needs it.

– Chill the dough properly: A good fridge rest firms it up and makes shaping neat mini logs much easier.

– Bake, then leave them alone: Line the tray to prevent sticking, and let the biscuits cool completely before moving them, they’re fragile when warm.

– Finish with chocolate neatly: Dip just the ends to keep the balance between biscuit and chocolate, then let them set on baking paper.

– Avoid humidity: After dipping, don’t leave them in a steamy kitchen, moisture can dull the chocolate and affect the finish.

More Recipes to try for Christmass

• Chocolate Yule Log with Ganache
• Easy Cake Pops : No-bake, No-Mold
• Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies
• Mince Pies : British Christmas Tartlets
• Strawberry Jam Shortbread Cookies : sablé sandwich
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies