World Nutella Day

Okay, I know I’m a day late, but through the miracle of back-dating, this post still appears on time. Hey, it’s not cheating, it’s using my resources.

Anyway, I wanted to make these yesterday but ran out of time. I wanted to make them yesterday because February 5th was World Nutella Day! Yes, a day devoted to the … well … devotion of Nutella (who needs Valentine’s Day when you have a day devoted to the delicious chocolate hazelnut spread?).

A few years ago, Michelle, over at Bleeding Espresso, and Sara over at Ms. Adventures in Italy started this “affair” and it’s been going strong ever since.
So without further delay – let me present you with my contribution to the worship of Nutella!

Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints

Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella; I used Gianduioso in a tube that I bought at Eataly – made filling the cookies so much easier)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans. My cookies lost their indent during baking so when I first took them out, and they were still soft, I thumbed them again. Cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.

These come in at 2 weight watcher points each which is a bit high for a cookie but totally doable, especially if you spent an hour shoveling in the morning. Though, I want to figure out that number again b/c I didn’t use anywhere near the 2/3 cup of chopped hazelnuts the recipe calls for – doubt it will make much of a difference but you never know.