Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

Another Nutella recipe, this one for Thumbprint cookies. Thumbprint cookies are easy to make, and every family has a favorite recipe. I figured why not Nutella Thumbprints? Once I had decided to make them, the rest came together quickly. Instead of the usual walnuts, I rolled the unbaked cookies in chopped and toasted hazelnuts. Then I piped a dollop of Nutella in the center of the baked cookies instead of the traditional jam. Finito. Make these for the Nutella fans in your house. They will thank you. Remember – save the seal on the Nutella and redeem cool Nutella stuff!

Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

yield: about 2 ½ dozen

1 cup hazelnuts

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg, separated

Nutella

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place hazelnuts on rimmed baking sheet and toast 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant, stirring twice. Remove nuts from oven, place in a kitchen towel, and rub nuts together to remove skins. Chop finely and set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place flour and salt in bowl of KitchenAid mixer fitted with paddle. Combine briefly. Add brown sugar, butter, vanilla and egg yolk. Beat one minute to combine.

In a small bowl lightly beat egg white. Place chopped hazelnuts on a sheet of parchment paper or in a pie plate. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Dip balls into egg whites and then roll in nuts to cover. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 1 inch apart. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb.

Bake 15 minutes, until golden. Check cookies at halfway point, and if center depression has risen, press down again. Be careful! Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool. When cookies have cooled, pipe a dollop of Nutella in the center of each cookie. The Nutella will remain soft, so store these cookies in one layer.

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