Haselnusshalfmunde (Hazelnut Half-Moons)

Personal Note

“This is my grandmother’s recipe. My mom and I bake these every Christmas—but never in the classic shape. It’s chaotic, cozy, and delicious, just how we like it.” —Julia Zay

👩‍🎓 Submitted by Julia Zay, Class of 2028
📍 Home Country: United States (with German roots)
🍽 Yields: ~30 cookies (depending on size and shape chaos)
🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes + 1 hour chill
🔥 Cook Time: ~25 minutes
🌱 Dietary Info: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 100 g butter
• 1 egg
• 75 g sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 175 g ground hazelnuts (or substitute with almonds/walnuts)
• 200 g flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder

Glaze:

• 200 g powdered sugar
• Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions

• Cream together butter, egg, and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, ground hazelnuts, flour, and baking powder. Mix until combined.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
• Roll out on a floured surface to desired thickness. Use cookie cutters—traditional half-moons, or get creative with shapes.
• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for around 25 minutes, or until golden and slightly crisp.
• Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a smooth glaze. Brush over cooled cookies.

Cultural Context

Haselnusshalfmunde are part of traditional German Christmas baking, where a variety of spiced, nutty, and glazed cookies fill tins and trays for friends and family throughout the season.

Fun Fact

Despite their name (“half-moons”), Julia’s family embraces all cookie cutter chaos. The more creative, the better!