These Raspberry Hazelnut Mascarpone Cookies are something truly special — soft, rich, and full of flavor. I wanted a cookie that felt a little extra without being difficult. Between the creamy mascarpone, tart bursts of raspberry, crunchy hazelnuts, and smooth white chocolate chips, every bite has something going on. Whether you're baking for a celebration or just want to treat yourself, these cookies fit the mood.
I went with white chocolate chips this time instead of the regular chocolate chip because I love how they play off the tart raspberries — but you really can’t go wrong either way.
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Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Mascarpone gives them a soft, rich texture that’s just a little different from your usual cookie.
- Oven-dried raspberries sneak in bursts of tangy fruit without making the dough soggy.
- Hazelnuts bring that satisfying crunch (and toast them if you want to really turn up the flavor).
- You can go white chocolate, semi-sweet, or mix both — it all works.
- And yes, they do look beautiful on a tray.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Butter unsalted
- Sugar white
- Eggs
- Mascarpone
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher Salt
- Baking powder
- Raspberries
- Hazelnuts chopped
- White chocolate chips
Ingredient Notes
- Dried raspberries hold up better than fresh
- Mascarpone adds richness and creaminess
- Hazelnuts should be chopped and can be toasted for more intense flavor
- Use white chocolate for sweetness or semi-sweet for balance
How to Make Raspberry Cookies
I love raspberries, but fresh ones in cookies? Let’s just say they’re more trouble than they’re worth. Too much juice = soggy cookies. But I wasn’t about to settle for those crunchy sugar-coated dried ones you buy on-line. I wanted something that still tasted like fruit. So I played around and found a sweet spot — semi-drying them in the oven so they’re soft but not full of juice.
How to Make Oven-Dried Raspberries
My oven's lowest setting is 170°F (75°C or 80°C) which is what I used. I bought 2 packs of 6 oz each but some of them were mushy, so use as many as you can that stand up on a parchment lined sheet pan.
Bake at 170°F (75°C or 80°C) for 3-½ hours. Pull the pan out of the oven and move the raspberries to a clean spot on the parchment paper. Then return the pan to the oven for another hour. They should still be a semi-soft and look a little dried out.
Set them aside to cool.
Fresh Raspberry Tip!
Here is where the difference comes in between fresh and oven-dried raspberries:
- Fresh will make your whole cookie dough pink
- Fresh will add more moisture and can cause soggy cookies in a day or two
- Oven-dried will break up and streak through the cookie dough
- Oven-dried will give a burst of flavor when you bite into a piece of raspberry
Making Raspberry Cookies
Once I’ve got all my ingredients ready and prepped (because let’s be honest — I will forget something if I don’t), it’s time to make the dough.
Prepping
1. Weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside. In another bowl, weigh or measure the flour. Add to the flour the baking powder and the salt. I run a whisk through to blend.
Using a cutting board, cut off the ends of the lemon. This makes it easier to zest the lemon. Start by zesting the lemon, then cut it in half and juice both halves. Set both of them aside.
Time to Mix the Cookie Dough
2. I start by cubing my room-temperature butter. It helps me check how soft it really is — and it also speeds up the creaming process.
3. Cream the butter on a medium mixer speed for a minute or two.
4. Add the sugar and beat for 3 more minutes. It’ll look a little grainy, but that’s totally fine — there’s more sugar than butter in this recipe, so that texture is expected.
5. Now break one egg into a small bowl. This way you can fish out any egg shells before you add it to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on a medium mixer speed. Then repeat with the second egg.
6. Then in goes the mascarpone, lemon zest and juice, and a splash of vanilla.
7. Mix on a medium mixer speed for a minute or two. The mixture will be soft.
8. I add the chopped hazelnuts and the white chocolate chip and mix for 20 seconds. The dough is already looking and smelling amazing at this point.
9. Finally, the raspberries — I mix those in gently with a spatula so they don’t get smashed. They’ll streak a little through the dough, which looks pretty and gives you flavor in every bite.
10. Using the spatula, fold in the flour mixture about ⅓ at a time. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Scoop and Bake
Time to bake! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C), and line two cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Trust me, it makes cleanup a breeze.
11. I use a medium cookie scoop so the cookies all bake evenly. You should get about 12 cookies on a sheet pan.
12. Once they’re on the pan, pop them in the oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, just until the edges are set and lightly golden.
Let them cool on the pan for a minute, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. The aroma at this stage is unreal — fruity, buttery, and a little nutty. You’ll want to sneak a bite, but give them a few minutes to settle.
Enjoy!
FAQ's
You can if that’s what you have on hand, but the cookies will come out tangier and denser. Mascarpone is creamier and gives the dough a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you’re after that rich creamy bite, stick with mascarpone.
I keep mine on the counter in a container with a loose-fitting lid — nothing airtight. The oven-dried raspberries still hold a bit of moisture, but I find that leaving just a little airflow keeps the cookies from getting soggy. They’re good for about 5 to 6 days (if they last that long!).
I wouldn’t. They’re just too juicy for cookie dough and will turn the whole batch mushy fast. The oven-dried ones give you that raspberry flavor without the mess.
I’ve looked! Most of what I’ve found are either rock-hard or coated in sugar — better for granola than cookies. If you come across a brand that sells soft, unsweetened dried raspberries, please let me know because I haven’t had much luck.
Yes, you can. I also love semi-sweet chocolate with hazelnuts and raspberries. So I say experiment and have fun.
I haven’t tested freezing this dough yet, so I can’t say for sure how it would hold up. If you give it a try, let me know — I’d love to hear how it works out!
More Mascarpone Cookies to Try
Creamy, rich, and totally worth a spot in your cookie recipe box.
Recipe
Raspberry Hazelnut Mascarpone Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
- 2 Eggs
- 8 ounces Mascarpone
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ Tablespoon Lemon juice
- ½ Tablespoon Lemon zest
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 12 ounces Raspberries
- ½ cup (60 g) Hazelnuts chopped
- ½ cup (90 g) White chocolate chips
Instructions
OVEN-DRIED RASPBERRIES
- Wash and dry the raspberries, and set aside any that are too mushy. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, stand them up cut-side down — they can be close together, no problem. Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (mine is 170°F / 75º–80°C). If your oven runs hotter or cooler, you may need to adjust the drying time.
- Bake for 3-½ hours. Then I take the pan out and move the raspberries to a clean spot on the parchment paper. Put the pan back in the oven for another hour. They should be soft, but most of the juice should be gone. Set them aside to cool.
MAKING THE RASPBERRY COOKIES
- Weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside. In a separate bowl, weigh or measure the flour, then add the baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend. Zest and juice the lemon into separate bowls and set them aside.
- In a mixer, cream the butter for 1–2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix on medium speed for 3 more minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and mascarpone cheese. Mix until combined. Add the chopped hazelnuts and white chocolate chips and mix briefly. Remove the bowl from the stand, scrape the sides, and gently fold in the oven-dried raspberries with a spatula. Fold in the flour mixture, about ⅓ at a time, until fully incorporated. Chill for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175º–180°C) and line two cookie sheet pans with parchment. Using a medium cookie scoop, place 12 mounds of dough on each sheet. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool for a minute on the pan, then move to a wire rack.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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