These delightful Italian cookies, known as Baci di Dama or Lady’s Kisses, are two small hazelnut-and-almond cookies sandwiched together with a chocolate-hazelnut filling. Lightly sweet and irresistibly nutty, they are perfect with coffee and make a charming gift.
I saw these cookies everywhere in Italy — stacked in bakeries alongside flaky pastries, custard-filled doughnuts and simple rustic cakes. What I love most is how they avoid cloying sweetness: the combination of crushed hazelnuts and ground almonds (almond flour) gives them a warm, nutty flavor and a delicate, crumbly texture.
The filling is intentionally modest — a small spoonful of chocolate-hazelnut spread keeps the balance so they pair perfectly with a cup of coffee. They are also easy to make and store well, so you can enjoy them over several days.
How To Make Lady’s Kisses (Baci di Dama) – Step By Step
Start by spreading the hazelnuts on a tray and toasting them in a preheated oven at 320°F (160°C) for about 5 minutes (photo 1).
Allow the nuts to cool briefly, then pulse them in a food processor until they resemble very fine breadcrumbs. Transfer the ground hazelnuts to a bowl and combine with the ground almonds, demerara sugar and plain flour (photos 2 & 3).
Add the softened butter to the dry mix and work it together with your hands until a cohesive dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up (photos 4–6).
When the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge. Pinch off a small piece, press it lightly between your fingers so it holds together, and roll it gently between your palms to form a ball about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across (photo 7).
Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment and bake at 320°F (160°C) for about 20 minutes. You may need to bake in two batches, depending on the size of your oven (photo 8).
To assemble, put approximately 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread on the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich it with a matching cookie. Press gently so the filling spreads evenly between them (photos 9–11).
Top Tips For Making These Cookies
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours so it firms up and is easier to roll.
- When shaping, pick up only a small amount of dough and gently squash it between your fingers before rolling.
- Roll very lightly in your palms — excessive pressure will make the dough crumble.
- Allow the baked cookies to cool completely before handling; they are soft when hot and need to harden before filling.
- If you prefer, fill them with melted dark or milk chocolate instead of a spread.
- Store finished cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (100g) hazelnuts
- 1 cup (100g) ground almonds (almond flour)
- 1/2 cup (100g) demerara sugar
- 2/3 cup (100g) plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1 cup (100g) butter, softened
- 10 tsp chocolate-hazelnut spread (about 1/2 tsp per cookie)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Toast hazelnuts for 5 minutes, then cool briefly.
- Pulse the hazelnuts to a fine crumb in a food processor. Combine with ground almonds, sugar and flour in a bowl.
- Add softened butter and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Shape into a ball, wrap and chill for 2 hours.
- Remove chilled dough. Pinch off small pieces, form 1-inch balls by rolling gently between your palms.
- Place balls on a lined baking tray and bake at 320°F (160°C) for about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Sandwich pairs of cookies with about 1/2 tsp chocolate-hazelnut spread and press gently to distribute the filling.
Nutrition (per cookie, approximate)
Calories: 266 kcal | Carbohydrates: 17 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 21 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Sugar: 7 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
More Italian Cookies You Might Like
- Orange Chocolate Cantucci
- White Chocolate and Pistachio Cantucci
If you try these Lady’s Kisses (Baci di Dama), please share how they turned out. I enjoy reading feedback and hearing about your variations.