Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies
These deeply rich and chewy Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies melt in your mouth and are filled with your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread and packed with crispy hazelnuts!
I have a confession to make. These cookies are not indented using your thumb. I know that’s how they’re originally made but honestly, there are always better and easier ways to make recipes! I used a tablespoon to indent them before filling them with a puddle of hazelnut spread.
While we’re on the topic of hazelnut spread, I would strongly recommend using a good quality hazelnut filling. I used the Pana brand. Coles in Australia make a good one too that’s got less sugar. I would stay away from using Nutella there are better alternatives. You could even fill these with my chocolate sauce!
By the way, I have loads of delicious cookie recipes on the blog. I can’t go past my Chewy Brownie Cookies, Amaretti Cookies and my Nutella Stuffed Cookies!
Why you’ll love these thumbprint cookies!
- Chewy – Love a good chewy cookie. I tested out so many recipes and it was like eating crumbly soil. These are the real deal! Texture winner!
- Easy – These cookies are easy to make and are so much fun to put together too!
- SO Chocolatey! – The rich chocolate flavor comes from the combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate to give these the ultimate hit of choccy goodness!
- Nutty (in the best way!) – these cookies are coated in hazelnuts before being chilled and then filled with your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread!
- Make it your own – Fill these with any filling you like! My Chocolate sauce is a great option!
- They make an awesome gift! – these are the perfect holiday cookie gift and make a great addition to any cookie box.
How to toast Hazelnuts
The hazelnuts add such a unique flavor to these cookies. I bought my hazelnuts already skinned, but you can easily skin them at home yourself.
- Roast method: Roast them in an oven at 175C/350F for 15-20 minutes. Then place in a clean tea towel and close it up at each corner. Rub the towel with the nuts inside to remove skins. Continue doing this until skins are removed.
- Blanch method: Alternatively, you can blanch them in boiling water for 15-20 minutes, then drain in a sieve and allow to cool until warm. Use your hands to pop the hazelnuts out of their skins. Place in the oven at 175C/350F for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden.
Take out and allow to cool completely before chopping or adding to a food processor to chop.
Ingredients You Need To Make Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint cookies
Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.
- Unsalted butter – make sure your butter is soft.
- Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar is the best sugar to use for these cookies but you can use granulated sugar too.
- Vanilla Extract – Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!
- Egg yolks – I use the yolks from large eggs. The egg yolks help make these cookies chewy.
- Dark chocolate – use cooking chocolate for this recipe. I melted mine in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mixing each time until smooth.
- All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour.
- Cocoa powder – I used regular cocoa powder for these cookies. Make sure you sift it to get rid of lumps.
- Salt – I used fine salt.
- Hazelnuts – I bought my hazelnuts skinless. Toast them in the oven until slightly golden. More info on that at the top of my post.
- Hazelnut Spread – I would advise you guys to use a good quality alternative to Nutella. Something without palm oil. There are loads on the market. If you’re in Australia, Pana is a good brand (what I used) Coles also has reduced sugar version with no palm oil and in my opinion, taste better than Nutella.
How to make these delicious cookies!
- Mix dry ingredients together.
- Add butter and sugar to a bowl and beat for 3 minutes
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat in.
- Next, add melted chocolate and beat.
- Scrape down the bowl and add the dry ingredients. Mix using a spatula until a dough forms.
- Scoop out 22 cookie balls each measuring about 1 1/2 tbsp in volume.
- Coat in chopped toasted hazelnuts.
- Chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Super important!
- Bake for 8 minutes. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a tablespoon with rounded bottom to indent each cookie.
- Use a round cookie cutter to shuffle around the warm cookies.
- Add your hazelnut spread to a piping bag and fill each cookie.
Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!
- Measure your ingredients by weight using kitchen scales to get the best results. Cup measurements are not the best way to measure out ingredients.
- Chill time is important for these cookies. It helps them bake a little taller and retain a good shape when indented
- Getting round cookies is easy! Use a round cookie cutter to shuffle around the cookies while they’re still warm.
Frequently Asked Questions about Thumbprint Cookies
What do they taste like?
Intense chocolate and hazelnut flavor, all wrapped up in a chewy chocolate cookie with a puddle of hazelnut spread!
How do I store these cookies?
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months! Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Can I skip the chilling time?
No! The chilling time helps these cookies bake taller so that they keep their shape when you indent them!
Why did my thumbprint cookies go flat?
Oh dear, you skipped the chilling time! Either that or your measuring was off. Measure by weight using kitchen scales. And make sure you chill your rolled and coated cookies for at least 2 hours.
Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!
More cookie recipes!
Brownie Cookies
Amaretti Cookies
Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Cookies
S’mores Cookie Bars
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!
Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies
Serves 22
Ingredients
Thumbprint Cookies
- 2/3 cup / 165 g unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup / 140 g caster sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup / 133 g dark chocolate, melted
- 1 1/4 cups / 187 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/3 cup / 30 g cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup / 125 g hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped (see notes)
- 1/2 cup / 150 g chocolate hazelnut spread, (see notes)
Instructions
Thumbprint Cookies
- Add the flour and cocoa powder to a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, egg yolks and melted chocolate and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix until a dough forms.
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out cookies about 1 1/2 tbsp in volume. Roll into balls and coat in crushed hazelnuts. Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Preheat a fan forced oven to 160C/320F (170C/340F for no fan). Line two baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Spread the cookies across two baking trays. Bake one tray at a time in the middle rack for 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- Once baked, use a measuring tablespoon to indent the middle of each cookie, then use a round cookie cutter, slightly larger than the cookies to shuffle around them and shape them back into rounder shapes.
Assembly
- Add the hazelnut spread to the centre of each cookie using spoons or a piping bag to finish. Let them set completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
1 comment
These cookies are so easy and fun to make! N x