The holiday cookie-tray favorite gets an upgrade with roasted hazelnuts and chocolaty Nutella centers. Pop the Nutella in the fridge at least an hour or two before you start mixing the dough so it’s nice and cold—this helps to keep it in place during shaping and baking.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Nutella-Stuffed Hazelnut Snowball Cookies.
1. Info for Nutella-Stuffed Hazelnut Snowball Cookies
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Servings: 32
- Calories: 146.05 kcal
2. Ingredients for Nutella-Stuffed Hazelnut Snowball Cookies
- 4 oz. roasted hazelnuts
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt (scant)
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup Nutella spread (cold)
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3. Directions:
3.1 Prep
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Very finely chop the nuts. Set aside. (You should have about 1 cup.)
Place the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on low speed to blend, then beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the flour and continue beating on low speed until a stiff dough forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add chopped nuts and mix for a few seconds longer to incorporate them into the dough.
Divide the dough into 32 balls, using about 1 tablespoon for each, and arrange them on one of the prepared baking sheets.
To create the Nutella centers, flatten a ball in your palm into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Spoon a scant teaspoon of cold Nutella into the center of the disk and enclose the dough around it. Gently roll the dough back into a smooth ball. Return ball to the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough and Nutella.
Transfer baking sheet to the freezer for 15-20 minutes for dough to firm up.
3.2 Preheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3.3 Prep
Remove baking sheet from freezer. Transfer half the cookies to the second baking sheet and arrange them so they’re spaced about 1 inch apart.
3.4 Oven
Bake the cookies on racks in upper third and lower third of oven for 8 minutes. Switch pan positions, then continue to bake cookies until they are light golden at the bottom edges, 6-8 minutes.
3.5 Check
Check to see that cookies are done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.
3.6 Prep
Let cookies cool on pans for 5 minutes.
Place the powdered sugar in a large bowl. Roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar, then transfer to cooling racks. The sugar will appear to melt into the cookies.
Let cookies cool completely (at least 1 hour). Roll once more in powdered sugar. This time, the sugar will remain on the cookies’ surface.
3.7 Serve
Serve cookies immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.