Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

I am a firm believer that the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts was a gift from the gods. There are few things in this world that are better. These little cookies are to DIE for! Almost a brownie-like texture, with the truffle-y Nutella on top toasted hazelnuts, warm from the oven.... Are you drooling yet? Years ago I came across this recipe and it has been sitting in my recipe book ever since. I keep forgetting to try it! Of course I had to do it a little differently, so here is what I came up with. Enjoy!

TIPS: 

-Always toast nuts before using them. They taste so much better! If you buy hazelnuts with the skins still on, you should be able to get the papery skins right off after toasting them. No worries if you can't get it all off, just do what you can!

-Nutella is NOT easy to spread because it is so thick and sticky. When you are filling your cookies, lift the cooling rack that they are sitting on off the counter and lightly tap it on the counter. This will help the Nutella settle into the indentations. 

-Also, spoon the Nutella into a small plastic baggie and cut one corner off. Use the baggy like a piping bag to make filling the cookies much easier.

Don't forget to share these cookies if you don't eat them all!

INGREDIENTS

(Approx. 2 dozen cookies)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts

1/3 cup Nutella or similar (chocolate-hazelnut spread)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until nice and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add one egg yolk at a time while continuing to beat. Beat in vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on medium speed until combined. Turn dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper and knead 6-8 times until smooth. Shape dough into 24 one-inch balls and roll balls in chopped nuts, using light pressure. Arrange on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes. Immediate remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. If the centers rise while bake, use your thumb after baking is complete to gently press down the center of each cookie again. Once the cookies have cooled but are just slightly still warm, fill the indentations with a scant 1/2 tsp of chocolate-hazelnut spread. Sprinkle any remaining chopped hazelnuts on top.