Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 325°F.

While the hazelnuts are still hot, rub them in a dish towel to remove most of their skin (some skin will remain). Cool completely.

Place the hazelnuts and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture almost forms into a ball. Transfer the dough to a work surface and work it to a smooth ball.

Place level teaspoonfuls of dough between the palms of your hands and roll into smooth balls. Place the balls on 2 ungreased baking sheets with a little space between them. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Remove the baking sheets from the refrigerator, place in the oven, and bake one at a time for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden.

Remove from the oven, place the baking sheet on a wire rack, and let cool briefly (otherwise the cookies will crack), then place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.

To freeze the cookies, place them side by side in a foil pan lined with wax paper, cover with foil, and place in a zip-top bag.