Salty Chocolate Nutella Thumbprints

Salty Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

I made these in our kitchen last week. In the course of wielding the hand mixer, forming the balls, and spooning the Nutella, I involved (unintentionally) no fewer than half a dozen hallmates. Everyone loves cookie-making, apparently!  Thus, I have no pretty picture of these cookies arranged on a plate, because they were gone before I could get to it.

These cookies, from this year's Washington Post Holiday Guide, are definitely a crowd pleaser. Who doesn't like soft, chewy, chocolate cookies with Nutella? The only change I made to the recipe was reducing the salt to 1 teaspoon and reducing the sugar to about 1 cup.  They were plenty sweet enough and you could definitely appreciate the salty undertones.

From the Washington Post: 

Salty Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

These salty, sweet cookies are a go-to party recipe for Jenna Huntsberger and Stephanie Willis of Whisked! Guests find the Nutella centers irresistible. To get the butter to the right consistency, Huntsberger leaves it on the counter the night before she makes these cookies.

MAKE AHEAD: Unbaked, scooped cookies stored in an airtight container will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer. Baked and filled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 30 to 35 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) flour
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3.2 ounces) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (reduced to 1 teaspoon)
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at a very soft room temperature (see headnote)
• 1 1/3 cups (9.3 ounces) sugar (reduced to 1 cup), plus 1 cup for finishing the cookies (you need less than 1 cup)
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a small bowl.

Combine the butter and 1 1/3 cups of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat for about 2 minutes on low speed, until fluffy, then add the egg yolks, cream and vanilla extract; beat on low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.

Place the remaining cup of sugar in a shallow bowl.

Scoop 30 to 35 heaping tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets. Shape each mound of dough into a ball, then roll it in the remaining sugar to coat evenly. Space the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets, then use your thumb to make an indentation in the top of each cookie, gently flattening the cookies a bit as you work.

Bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes or until the edges are just set; the tops of the cookies will be soft. (If the indentations have lost definition, press the centers again immediately after you remove the cookies from the oven.) Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool. 

Pipe or spoon the Nutella into the center of each cookie while the cookies are still slightly warm. 

Serve or store once the Nutella centers have slightly set.