Hazelnut and Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Hazelnut and Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut 

When my son Trevor got married he and his bride Meghan wanted an Italian theme open house for our side of the family.  The open house was held in the Napa Valley at my Mothers home in Yountville. Her home is surrounded by a vineyard, a beautiful setting for an the event in April.  My daughter Jennifer was in charge of the Italian Soda Bar, it was speculator. The bar base was made out of two wine barrels and the top was a rustic wooden board.  Jennifer made a chalk menu board with directions for the self serve Italian Sodas.  I was in charge of creating sweet morsels of Italian inspired deserts.  My daughter In-Law loves Nutella so this was a must have on the desert table.  

Ingredients:

3/4 pounds (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water (for egg wash)

1 cups hazelnuts chopped very fine

Hazelnut spread (Nutella)

In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until just combined then add the vanilla.   Sift together the dry ingredients and add to creamed butter and sugar.  Mix until the mixture starts to come together.  On a floured board dump the cookie mix and form into a disk.  Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Once chilled roll the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls, a scoop is perfect to make uniform size cookie balls.  Dip into the egg wash and roll in the chopped hazelnuts. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and press lightly with your finger/thumb in the center to create a well.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.  I stored the cookies in an air tight container for a few days. The morning of the open house I pipped the Hazelnut spread  into the center of the cookie using a pastry bag to create a  pretty swirl.

Thumbprint  with jam filling

Jam Thumbprint Cookie

Follow the recipe above replacing the nuts and Nutella with 7 oz of sweetened flaked coconut, apricot or seedless raspberry Jam .  Dip the cookie ball into the egg wash and roll into the coconut.   Create the well in the center and fill with 1/4 teaspoon jam.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the coconut is golden brown.  Unlike the Hazelnut filling the cookies is filled with the jam then baked.