Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Chocolate Hazelnut Kiss Cookies

Need a treat for Valentine's Day?






















I came across these a while ago. I don't actually remember what site I saw them on, but the recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis. I am a huge fan of Nutella. I can eat it straight from the jar or on top of anything. I loved the idea of Nutella in a cookie, so I was definitely intrigued by this recipe. I think Giada originally made these cookies for Halloween, but you can switch them up for any holiday or event by rolling them in different colored sugars or sprinkles. I happend to have a bag of Hershey Kisses from when I got the $0.29 bags of candy and thought this was the perfect time to use them. I did not taste these cookies because I am sill not eating dessert, but they went really quickly at work. My boyfriend thinks I should try to make them in my mini-muffin tins and skip rolling them in sugar like I do for my peanut butter cup cookies and I think I will.

Chocolate Hazelnut Kiss Cookies
from Giada de Laurentiis

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup orange sprinkles, or orange sugar
1 (9-ounce) package of chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped (recommended: Hershey's)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another medium bowl, place the chocolate hazelnut spread, butter, and both sugars. Using a hand mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and blend until incorporated. Stir in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Shape the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls. Rolls the balls in the sprinkles or colored sugar, pressing to adhere. Place the cookies on a heavy cookie sheet about 4 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven. Quickly place a chocolate kiss in the middle of each cookie. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.




9 comments:

finsmom said...

These are so pretty! I love the brown/pink combo!

Sara said...

Very cute and Valentine's Day-ish! :) Nutella is awesome. These sound great.

Elyse said...

These cookies are just precious! I love the colored sugar...great added touch. To top that all off, you've picked one of the best flavor combinations EVER.

The Sugar Duchess said...

So cute! I love the effect of the pink sprinkles on the chocolate. And Nutella would be awesome in a cookie. Yum!

Ingrid said...

While enjoy nutella in baked goods I can't eat it straight out of the jar. Too rich for me.

I like how you rolled them in the various sugars. They kinda simmer.

I think I agree with your BF I bet they would taste wonderful as a cookie shell.
~ingrid

Reeni♥ said...

These are perfect for Valentines! Nothing says love like Nutella, yum!!!

Grace said...

yeah, i need a treat for valentine's day...and every day for a week afterwards. :)
your cookies look lovely. :)

Ceres said...

Those cookies look so yummy after being dipped and baked in those glittery pink sprinkles.

Happy Valentine's Day!

zlamushka said...

these are adorable, love the purple touch, makes them very sci-fi friendly, which i like...