These hedgehog cookies are perfectly soft on the inside and coated in chocolate and crispy wafers on the outside. They’re charming and almost too cute to eat!
What Are Hedgehog Cookies?
Hedgehog cookies, or ezhiki, are Eastern European cookies decorated to look like hedgehogs. They are moist and tender, thanks to the sour cream and hard-boiled egg yolks in the dough. The chocolate and wafer coating adds sweetness, crunch, and an amusing resemblance to the spiky back of hedgehogs. Ezhiki are perfect for holidays and parties, as they’re an irresistible treat guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s faces. If you want more kid-friendly Eastern European desserts, plombir ice cream cones are always a hit!
How To Make Hedgehog Cookies
Not only are these hedgehog cookies easy to make, but they come together so quickly. Make, bake, and decorate the cookies in one short hour!
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream together the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Press the cooked egg yolks through a fine mesh sieve and add them to the butter, along with the sour cream. Mix until well combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add it gradually to the butter mixture, beating until well incorporated.
- Roll the cookie dough into balls: Portion out the dough with a tablespoon or small cookie scoop. Roll each cookie into a ball and place on the baking sheet about half an inch apart.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies for 30-35 minutes. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the chocolate glaze: In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the chocolate glaze. Whisk over medium-low heat together until melted and smooth. Set the glaze aside to cool slightly.
- Crush the wafers: Using a food processor or rolling pin, crush the wafers into crumbs.
- Coat the cookies: Dip each cookie into the chocolate glaze to fully coat, then dredge in the crushed wafers. Repeat until all the cookies are coated. Let the glaze fully set, then enjoy!
Hot tip: Double the amount of your hedgehog cookies by rolling them into 1/2 tablespoon balls. Take note that smaller cookies bake faster — they’ll only need about 15-20 minutes in the oven.
Tips for the Best Hedgehog Cookies
We won’t hog any secrets from you on how to make the tastiest ezhiki. Follow these tips to perfect the flavor, texture, and appearance of your hedgehog cookies.
- Use hard-boiled egg yolks. Adding hard-boiled egg yolks to the cookie dough makes it more moist, tender, and flavorful. Make sure to press the cooked yolks finely through a sieve for inconspicuous distribution in the dough.
- Add a filling. For a flavorful surprise, fill the cookies with raisins, frozen halved cherries, nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips. Simply flatten out each dough ball, place the filling inside, and roll it back into a ball.
- Roll the cookies uniformly. Not only does consistency matter for aesthetic pleasure, it ensures that all the cookies bake evenly. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to make perfectly uniform cookie dough balls.
- Coat the cookies with wafers. The wafer coating is essential for creating the ‘hedgehog’ appearance. Plus, it adds a fun crunch! Use round vafli wafers in assorted colors (found in European grocery stores) for bright and colorful cookies perfect for themed parties or holidays. But if you can’t get your hands on European wafers, any wafers will work!
Make Ahead
Whether you’re making hedgehog cookies for a special festivity or everyday enjoyment, save time by prepping certain components in advance. First, make air-fryer hard boiled eggs and save the yolks for these cookies. Prepare the chocolate glaze and crush the wafers, then store them separately in airtight containers at room temperature. When you’re ready to decorate, simply re-melt the glaze and you’re good to go!
Storage
Consider yourself lucky if you have leftover hedgehog cookies — that’s how good they are! Get the most out of your extras by tuning in to these storage tips.
- Room temperature: To store for up to five days, place the cookies in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry place at room temperature.
- Freezer: To store for up to three months, transfer the cookies to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze. It’s best to freeze the cookies before decorating them, as the texture of the chocolate and wafer coating may be ruined by the cold. Thaw the cookies in the refrigerator overnight, then decorate and enjoy!
More Cookie Recipes
- Nutella Cookies — Chocolate cookies filled with Nutella and crunchy hazelnuts
- Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies — Shortbread cookies stuffed with dulce de leche
- European Peach Cookies — Cookies filled with caramel and nuts, sandwiched together, and decorated to look like peaches
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies — Healthy and delicious cookies made with bananas, oats, and chocolate chips
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 hard boiled egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Chocolate Glaze
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Crumb
- 10 oz wafers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, press the cooked egg yolks through a fine mesh sieve to create a powder-like consistency.
- Add the egg yolks and sour cream to the butter and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add it gradually to the creamed butter, mixing until well incorporated.
- Portion out the dough with a tablespoon or small cookie scoop. Roll each cookie into a ball and place on the baking sheet about half an inch apart.
- Bake the cookies for 30-35 minutes. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the chocolate glaze. Whisk over medium-low heat together until melted and smooth. Set the glaze aside to cool slightly.
- In a food processor, pulse the wafers into crumbs.
- Dip each cookie into the chocolate glaze to fully coat, then dredge in the crushed wafers. Repeat until all the cookies are coated. Let the glaze fully set, then enjoy!
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