Or rather, these should be called dangerously buttery buckwheat nibby cookies. I’ve made this cookie recipe a few times ever since my friend Kishi sent me a bag of Valrhona cacao nibs and they’ve been a hit every single time. These buckwheat cookies definitely won’t win a beauty pagent, but that’s hardly going to be a point of contention when you bite into the crumbly cookie and your mouth is filled with buttery richness and nibby nuttiness.
So, what are cacao nibs? Cacao nibs are shelled and roasted cacao beans. They have a crunchy texture with a bitter chocolatey flavour. If you’re a fan of dark chocolate, falling in love with cacao nibs is a no-brainer. Had on their own, nibs seem like a distant cousin of the coffee bean, but only nuttier and more flavourful (note: opinion may be biased because I don’t care much about coffee). And if you really need another reason to buy these then beat this – cacao nibs is one of the top brain health foods.
Ever since I first had cacao nibs in a bar of Scharffen Berger dark chocolate nibby, I’m a fan. I even put some of it in amolten chocolate cake, and my, did the nuttiness of the nibs shine through the silky-smooth texture! You can use them in baked goods just like you use nuts, chocolate chips or poppy seeds! I even used them as a garnish for the lusciouscaramel chocolate tartlets!
But now, back to the cookie – go make it soon! And if you don’t have cacao nibs, dried and ground whole vanilla beans might be fun and supremely flavourful too!
“Buttery Buckwheat Nibby Cookies
Yield: 40 cookies
Adapted From: Pure Dessert, Alice Medrich
1 1/4th cup (5.6 oz) flour
3/4th cup (3oz) buckwheat flour
1 cup (8 oz/2 sticks) butter (unsalted is preferable)
2/3rd cup sugar
1/3rd cup caco nibs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 175C/350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour as well as buckwheat flour in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a larger mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar and salt (if using) until smooth and creamy, but not fluffy.
- Mix in the beans and the vanilla.
- Stir in the flour and gently knead until it forms a small dough.
- Form a 12*2 inches log and then refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight.
- Now cut pieces from a log, just like you would for refrigerator cookies.
- Lay them out on the cookie sheet and bake them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Note: The cookies are quite delicate and will be relatively soft when they’ve just emerged from the oven so make sure to let the cookies cool on the parchment before you pick them up! Yep, this is the hardest part!
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Still craving for more Cookie Recipes?!
Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
Black Forest Cookies
Valentine Linzer Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Milan Cookies
Cheddar Cheese Biscuits
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
oh yum!! two of my favourite ingredients: buckwheat and cacao nibs. I will def try these. Thanks for sharing!
Ohh..they look so buttery! Can I substitute buckwheat flour with whole wheat though??
Wow, these cookies look so delicious! I've never tried these before.
I'm so happy to see these on your blog.I baked with buckwheat for the first time only a couple of weeks ago and loved it. (cake recipe on my blog) I'm glad to have something else to try – especially these yummy cookies.
These cookies look fab! I havent baked with buckwheat flour as yet and you are tempting me to try!
Hey Chait! Alice mentions in her book that buckwheat acts like cornflour in butter cookies to give it that light, delicate texture, but only with much more flavour. Buckwheat doesn't work up gluten whereas whole wheat does; so I'm not sure if the texture would be as delicate. If you do give it a shot, let me know please! :)
This is funny because yours is the second blog with buckwheat something. And I just made my grandpa's buckwheat pancakes for a future blog. We are definitely on to something here…I have the flour, so will make your cookies next!
Wow! the pics are so tempting!!.. btw, buckwheat flour is something new to me.. i tried googling & even read across the wiki page on it!. Dint get a clue thou, what is it called in south india & how do the grains look like?.. would be enlightening if you can post the pics of the grains or the commercial brand of the flour. Thanks in advance..!
Looks delish. What's the hindi word for buckwheat? btw this is your reader from Bangalore in a new avatar :) look forward to reading yr blog and interacting with you more.
oh, and to jog your memory, I am the one who wrote asking about the Kitchen Aid :)
Where can I find buckwheat flour in Mumbai? The recipe looks great!!!
Hey! I have never seen them whole but always bought them as flour. You could check locally for kuttu/kutti ka atta.
Sorry I thought I replied! It's called kuttu or kutti ka atta. I think you'll need to job my memory a bit more because I've had a bunch of people writing in to me for the KitchenAid.
I'm half Japanese and grew up eating buckwheat in soba but also love it in sweets – great recipe!
Hi! Where can i find cacao nibs in Mumbai?
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