By: Mary John Resch
I found this recipe in a magazine in 2014 and finally tried it a few weeks ago. The cookies are very good and are a soft cookie. The only problem with the cookies is that hazelnuts are expensive so this is a cookie that you might want to make for a special occasion.
I used a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to measure the dough but only had 28 cookies. When I make these again I think I will scoop and shape all the cookies before rolling them in hazelnuts and powdered sugar. By doing this if some of my balls of dough are larger than others I can even them and perhaps come up with 36 cookies.
NUTELLA HAZELNUT COOKIES
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups Nutella
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/3 cup milk
2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat Nutella, butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla and espresso powder, and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and alternate additions of flour mixture and milk, starting and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined after each addition. Fold in 1/2 cup hazelnuts. Refrigerate the dough until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the remaining hazelnuts and the powdered sugar in two separate bowls. Using a medium cookie scoop for about 2 tablespoonfuls, roll the dough into balls, roll in the hazelnuts, then roll in the powdered sugar.
Place balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until the edges are set and the middle still looks a tad soft, about 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Yield: 36 cookies.