Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (with Nutella)
These Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies are buttery cocoa shortbread-style cookies rolled in chopped hazelnuts, baked to tender-chewy perfection, then filled with a silky Nutella ganache. They’re festive, reliable, and ideal for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, gifting, or a make-ahead Christmas dessert tray.
Servings 25 cookies
Calories 154kcal
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¾ cup finely chopped hazelnuts
For the Nutella Ganache
- ½ cup Nutella
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make chocolate thumbprints:
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, then whisk together. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and milk, then beat again until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on its lowest speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing until only just combined. The dough will look quite crumbly, in which case, use your hands to press it together into a smooth ball.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight if you prefer.
- When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften slightly. Scoop 1 tablespoon portions (about 20g each). Roll the cookie dough into smooth balls, then roll each ball in the chopped hazelnuts.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press an indentation into the center of each cookie using your thumb or the handle end of a wooden spoon.
- Refrigerate the shaped cookies for another 30 minutes prior to baking. This will ensure they hold their shape.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft. If the indentations puff up, gently press them down again while the cookies are still warm. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Nutella Ganache:
- The Nutella Ganache is a little softer than a classic chocolate one. It is much easier to make since you don’t have to worry about your chocolate splitting! It will thicken as it cools. You will need only 2 ingredients: Nutella and cream.
- Add the Nutella to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it is just simmering but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the Nutella, let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir together to create a silky, smooth, creamy Nutella Ganache.
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag, then snip off the tip with scissors. Fill the centers of the hazelnut cookies with the ganache. Allow to set at room temperature.
Notes
- Nut options: I used finely chopped hazelnuts. You can also use chopped toasted almonds, pistachios, or pecans.
- Nuts that stick: Keep dough slightly tacky - don’t flour your hands. Roll dough balls in finely chopped hazelnuts, then press them on firmly for even coverage (roll–press–roll).
- Indent again while warm out of the oven (if needed): If the centers puff, re-press the indentation immediately out of the oven using the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Avoid ganache separation: Warm cream should be hot but not boiling. Let it sit on the Nutella for 5 minutes, then stir until glossy to avoid oily separation.
- Set before stacking: Let ganache set at room temp (or chill briefly) before boxing up; this keeps cookie boxes neat for gifting and cookie exchanges.
- Why did my cookies crack? Over-creaming butter/sugar, or adding too much cocoa/flour, can cause cracks. Measure by weight or spoon-and-level, and stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.
Storage, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store filled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources to maintain the ganache’s glossy finish.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving so the centers soften slightly and the chocolate flavor shines.
- Freezer: Unfilled cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then fill with ganache just before serving. Avoid freezing filled cookies, as the ganache can lose its smooth texture once defrosted.
- Make ahead: Unfilled cookies can be baked, cooled, and frozen for up to 2 months, meaning this is a great make-ahead cookies recipe, perfect for the holiday season!
Nutrition
Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg