Okay, so I HAVE to share this recipe for Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies. I made them last weekend for a get-together, and they completely vanished. I mean, gone. The cookie part itself is super buttery and crumbles just right, and then you get that little pool of soft chocolate ganache in the middle. They look way more complicated to make than they actually are, which is honestly the best kind of recipe.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to grab for these Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies.
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, left out on the counter for a bit
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup finely chopped hazelnuts
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Don’t worry, this is pretty straightforward. Here’s how to put together these Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies.
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugars
First, beat your soft butter with both sugars. Just use a mixer and go for a couple of minutes until the mixture gets lighter in color and looks kinda fluffy. This step helps make the cookies less dense.
Step 2: Add the Wet Stuff
Add the egg and vanilla and mix again until they’re just worked in. You’ll probably need to scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula to get everything mixed well.
Step 3: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a different bowl, give the flour, baking soda, and salt a quick whisk. It just helps everything get distributed evenly later.
Step 4: Bring It All Together
Now, dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed, and stop right when the flour disappears. If you mix too much now, the cookies can get tough.
Step 5: Roll in the Nuts
Put the chopped hazelnuts in a shallow bowl. Roll the dough into little balls, maybe an inch or so, then just dip the sides in the nuts. They don’t have to be perfect, just try to get them coated.
Step 6: Make the “Thumbprint”
Place the dough balls on a baking sheet. Use your thumb to gently press a dent into the middle of each one. That’s where the chocolate will go.
Step 7: Time to Bake
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set and maybe a tiny bit golden. Pull them out even if the centers look a little underdone.
Step 8: Let Them Cool
Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes before you try to move them to a wire rack. They need to cool down all the way before you can fill them.
Step 9: Make That Ganache
While they cool, make the filling. Just put the chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream in a small pot on the stove until it starts to steam, but don’t let it boil over.
Step 10: The Ganache Trick
Pour the hot cream directly over the chocolate chips. Now, walk away for three minutes. Seriously, don’t touch it. When you come back, give it a slow whisk. It’ll turn into a smooth, dark chocolate sauce.
Step 11: Fill ‘Em Up
Once the cookies are no longer warm, spoon a little ganache into each thumbprint. You don’t need to overfill them.
Step 12: Let It Set
Just leave the cookies on the counter for twenty minutes or so. The ganache will firm up a little but stay soft. Now you can finally eat one.
Seriously, Make These Cookies
Look, the reason these Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies work so well is the mix of textures. You get the crunchy nuts, the soft cookie, and the gooey chocolate all at once. They’re not painfully sweet, either. They’re just a really, really solid cookie that, in my experience, everyone goes crazy for.
If you end up making them, let me know how it goes in the comments. I’m curious to see if you liked them as much as we did. Catch you later!
