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Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate hazelnut thumbprint cookies have a cocoa-rich dough rolled in chopped hazelnuts and filled with chocolate hazelnut spread. Chill the dough before shaping, then bake until the edges are set for a tender cookie with a creamy center.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.67 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, separated
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.33 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
  • 0.75 cup hazelnuts finely chopped
For the filling
  • 0.5 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

Equipment

  • 2 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line two 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.
  5. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms.
  7. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Shape and bake
  1. Beat the egg white with a fork until foamy.
  2. Roll the dough into 24 balls, about 1 tablespoon each.
  3. Dip each ball in the egg white.
  4. Roll each ball in the chopped hazelnuts.
  5. Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  6. Press a deep indentation into each ball with your thumb.
  7. Bake both sheets for 11–13 minutes, switching and rotating the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set at the edges.
  8. Press the indentations again while the cookies are warm.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes.
  10. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Fill the cookies
  1. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread into each cookie indentation.

Notes

For neat centers, press the indentations again while the cookies are warm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free variation, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.