Toasted Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies Recipe

It's hard not to be in a good mood when faced with a freshly baked batch of cookies, whether it's a simple recipe or something more elaborate. Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Case shares these toasted hazelnut Nutella sandwich cookies, which she describes as being "just as good as they look." Creamy Nutella is layered between two delicate hazelnut cookies that are dipped in chocolate, making every bite "even more scrumptious and heavenly" than the last, per Case.

Case guarantees zero disappointment if you make this delicious recipe. While the process is a bit more convoluted than a basic chocolate chip cookie, these are definitely worth the extra effort. Case adds, "You can do these cookies in two days to save time; bake the cookies one day and fill them the next day." Aside from the hazelnut and chocolate flavors, a bit of espresso powder takes this recipe to the next level. "I never knew that hazelnut and espresso paired well together before these cookies," Case comments and describes, "It's like enjoying an espresso drink in the afternoon." If you're looking for a truly special dessert recipe, you can't go wrong with these toasted hazelnut Nutella sandwich cookies.

For this recipe, you'll need toasted and skinned hazelnuts. Case recommends buying skinless hazelnuts and toasting them yourself by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, then roasting them in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until they become golden brown. Be sure to move them around the pan about halfway through the roasting process, then save some extra toasted hazelnuts to chop and garnish the cookies.

Next, you'll need standard baking ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter (softened at room temperature), granulated sugar, a whole egg and an extra yolk, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Case recommends using King Arthur brand espresso powder but notes that "if you can't have caffeine, you can totally eliminate the espresso powder." Don't forget a jar of Nutella and some semi-sweet chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar.

Dump the toasted skinned hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor and grind them for about 30 seconds until they reach a fine consistency. Transfer the ground hazelnuts to a medium-sized bowl and whisk them with flour, salt, and baking powder. 

Next, in the bowl of a mixer or in a separate bowl with a handheld mixer, beat 2 sticks of butter with the sugar on medium-high speed. Keep mixing for 3 minutes or so until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the whole egg and mix, then add in the single yolk and continue to mix. Next, add the espresso powder and vanilla, beating until the batter is fully combined.

Dump the dry ingredients into the bowl and beat everything together at a medium-low speed. Split the dough into 2 evenly sized pieces and shape them into round disks. Wrap each one with plastic and transfer them to the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour — or longer if you want to finish the process the next day.

When the dough is sufficiently chilled, preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and let the dough sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes so it's easier to roll. Sprinkle a bit of flour on your counter and roll out the first disk until it's about ⅛ inch thick. Take a 2- to 2 ½-inch cookie cutter and cut out circles in the dough. Transfer the circles to the lined baking sheet, then roll out the second disk of dough and repeat. Once all the cookies are cut and placed on the sheet, bake them for about 10 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

When the cookies are done, let them sit on the baking sheet to fully cool before transferring them to a wire rack. For the Nutella layer, Case suggests spreading it with a knife or filling a piping bag and piping it onto the cookies. Add a layer of Nutella to half of the cookies, then top them with a second cookie to make a sandwich.

Once all the sandwiches are made, add the chocolate and 6 tablespoons of butter to a small saucepan over the lowest heat setting. Whisk the mixture until the ingredients are melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate sauce into a medium-sized bowl and let it cool slightly for 5 minutes.

One by one, take the cookie sandwiches and dip them halfway into the chocolate. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the wet chocolate and let the cookies sit on the wire rack for 30 minutes or until the chocolate hardens. Finally, per Case's suggestion, enjoy these cookies with some "freshly brewed coffee, a latte, or a glass of milk."

As for leftovers, she recommends storing them in a sealed container with wax paper between layers. They'll keep for up to a week on the counter (if you don't eat them all!) or up to 1 month in the freezer.