Hazelnut Chewies

(from annie hall’s recipe box)

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread that can be found near the peanut butter in most grocery stores; you will need one 13-ounce jar for this recipe. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Instant espresso powder in this recipe for Hazelnut Chewies deepened the chocolate flavor without calling attention to itself. We used the creaming method to mix the dough—beating the fats and sugar together until light and fluffy before adding the liquid ingredients, and finally, the dry ingredients. Creaming ensured the best spread and rise. When we used cold butter, it didn’t mix nearly as well with the sugar as softened butter and, consequently, the cookies turned out flat.

Source: Cook's Country December/January 2009 (from RecipeThing user Bethany)

Categories: Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups Nutella spread
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped fine
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat Nutella, butter, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, espresso, and eggs and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and milk, and mix until just combined. Fold in ½ cup hazelnuts and refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour.

  2. Place remaining hazelnuts in bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar to another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in hazelnuts, then roll in confectioners’ sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until set, about 8 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

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