Nutella Thumbprint Cookies
These simple soft and chewy Nutella Thumbprint Cookies are a Nutella lover's dream! A buttery soft cookie with a big dollop of chocolatey Nutella. Top these off with a drizzle of chocolate or some sprinkles to add some fun. Perfect for any occasion, from the holiday cookie exchange, treats for a special friend of just because!
Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 c unsalted butter, softened 228 g (2 sticks)
- ¾ c white sugar 166 g
- ¼ c brown sugar 53 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 2¾ c flour, spooned and leveled 343 g
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3/4 c Nutella or your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread
Instructions
- Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add in the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat until fully incorporated.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture slowly, about 1/3 at a time and then beat just until incorporated. Once all the flour is mixed into to the cookie dough, pull the dough together if needed.
- For best results, and to keep the cookies from cracking, form balls with the cookie dough (each cookie is about 1 1/2 Tablespoon or 22g), roll into sugar to coat and then use the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon to press a "thumbprint" like indentation. You can use your thumb as well!
- Chill these formed cookie dough balls for about 30 minutes.Line chilled cookie dough on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes in oven preheated to 350°F or until edges are set. The bottom of the cookie will be a light golden brown, but the edges will likely not have too much difference in color.
- Allow the cookies to cool for about 5-7 minutes before spooning about 1 teaspoon of Nutella into the center of each cookie. You can add sprinkles or a white or dark chocolate drizzle over top as well if desired. Cool the cookies for the remaining time on a wire rack.
Notes
- To keep the cookies from cracking around the edges, roll and press the "thumbprint" before chilling. If you chill the cookie dough just in formed balls, pressing the thumbprint indentation will crack the edges a bit and the cookies will not be quite as pretty. This will keep it from happening.
- Feel free to vary the filling. The filling doesn't have to be Nutella. You could allow the cookies to fully cool and then pipe or spoon some buttercream frosting for more of a bakery tea cookie treat. Another spread like chocolate peanut butter, vanilla almond butter, etc. will work. Or you could make some of these more classic with a jam center.
- Ingredient temperature matters. Letting your butter sit out too long or not enough can make a difference when making not just these Nutella cookies, but any cookies. You want your butter especially to be softened so that a slight indentation can be made with your finger when pressing on top, but you don't want it to be overly soft and push much farther into the butter. Eggs are also much better at room temperature in cookies as they will blend in much smoother and make for the optimal cookie texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg