Espresso, Hazelnut & Nutella Thumbprint Cookies
These Espresso, Hazelnut & Nutella Thumbprint Cookies are well dressed cookies that exquisitely combine Nutella, coffee, extra hazelnut & white chocolate.
Servings: 50
Ingredients
- 180 g/ 61/2oz Unsalted butter (soft)
- 180 g/ 61/2oz Caster sugar
- 75 g/ 3oz Ground hazelnuts
- 250 g/ 9oz Plain (all purpose) flour
- 4 teaspoon Espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg
- Nutella (about 3 tbsp)
Optional:75g/ 3oz white chocolate - chopped small
Instructions
- Begin by grinding the hazelnuts, if necessary
- Grease & line several baking sheets with baking parchment
- Next, put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and mix with electric beaters until pale and fluffy
- Add the espresso powder, vanilla extract, ground hazelnuts and the egg. Using the beaters mix until everything is incorporated
- Sift the flour into the bowl. Using a large, metal spoon, fold in the flour in until thoroughly combined
- Form around 50 balls from the dough (each ball should weigh approx. 15g). Place the balls onto the baking sheets, leaving around 4cm between each ball (they spread a little during cooking)
- Using your little finger, the end of a wooden spoon or the thumb of a small child :) make a deep hole in the centre of each ball. You may need to dip the utensil into some flour to prevent it sticking to the dough
- Put the baking sheets into the fridge to chill for 11/2-2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/ GM 4
- At the end of the chill time, bake the cookies for around 12 minutes until beginning to turn golden
- Allow to cool on the tray for a moment, then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely
- Fill the hole with Nutella. You can either carefully spoon the Nutella in, using a very small spoon, or, like me, pipe it in for a neater finish.
- (optional) Gently melt the white chocolate then drizzle it over the filled cookies. Allow the chocolate to set
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week
Notes
Ground hazelnuts are difficult to come by in the shops. You can make your own by blitzing them in a food processor or a coffee grinder. Go steady as it is easy to overdo it and end up with a clumpy, moist mass of ground nuts. If your processor has a pulse setting, then pulse for a second, then stop, assess the progress and pulse again if necessary. I had the best results when I processed the nuts in three batches of 25g in my coffee grinder. Aim for the consistency of ground almonds.