Use firm quince paste rather than pourable quince jelly; it keeps a compact red-orange center during baking.
Rye-hazelnut shortbread thumbprints baked with red-orange quince paste in the wells.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Rye Hazelnut Shortbread with Quince Centers Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- mixing bowl
- mixer
- kitchen scale
- two 13 x 18-inch half sheets
- parchment
- fork
- wide spatula
- cooling rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Mix the dough: Stir butter and sugar smooth. Add flours, hazelnut meal and salt; mix until clumpy, then press together. Mash quince paste in a small bowl until smooth enough to portion, without adding water.
Shape and chill
- Shape and chill: Divide dough into 24 portions about 14 g each. Roll and flatten into 1 3/4-inch rounds, 3/8 inch thick. Press a 1/2-inch-wide well into each, repair cracks and divide quince paste among wells, about 4 g each. Chill 30 minutes.
Bake the whole batch
- Bake the whole batch: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Use two parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch half sheets, 12 cookies per sheet, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 18–22 minutes, turning front to back halfway; keep the waiting tray refrigerated. Edges and bases should be pale gold and the centers dry. Whole-batch oven time is 44 minutes for both trays.
Cool the cookies
- Cool the cookies: Rest 10 minutes on each tray, then cool 20 minutes on a rack before packing; the 30-minute cooling allowance includes the tray rest.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: 25 min hands-on + 30 min required chill/rest + 44 min whole-batch oven baking + 30 min cooling/setting = 129 min. Cooling includes tray/pan rests and runs from the final tray; earlier-tray cooling may overlap later baking. Ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra; preheat during shaping/chilling. Scale ingredients and US equivalents, not oven temperature, piece sizes or per-tray bake time; extra trays extend the whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Rye and hazelnut meal reduce the wheat matrix and supply a tender nut crumb around a low-water fruit paste.
Technique & texture
Use firm quince paste rather than pourable quince jelly; it keeps a compact red-orange center during baking.
Finishing & serving
Cool the quince centers completely before packing; their warm stickiness can pull cookies apart.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 2 days | Up to 2 days. Seal fully cooled filled cookies airtight in a cool dry room. Separate layers with parchment; the filling gradually softens the crumb. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for this formula; use only if the room is warm. Seal airtight to prevent condensation and odors. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze the unfilled dough tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then shape and complete the stated chill. Prepare the filling fresh. Thawing time is additional. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze completely cooled cookies airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw sealed at room temperature for 1–2 hours. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing. Do not oven-refresh the assembled or coated cookies. Serve once thawed; reseal unused portions. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these shells different from standard thumbprints?
Rye and hazelnut meal reduce the wheat matrix and supply a tender nut crumb around a low-water fruit paste.
Can I use quince jelly?
Use firm quince paste rather than pourable quince jelly; it keeps a compact red-orange center during baking.
Why are warm centers sticky?
Cool the quince centers completely before packing; their warm stickiness can pull cookies apart.
