What is it about Nutella…the creamy chocolatey rich hazelnut spread?

It’s delicious and feeds every person’s inner child. The Italian equivalent of American peanut butter, Nutella is so versatile and satisfying. Spread it on a slice of toast or eat it with a spoon. For the sake of the holidays, let us bake!

Nutella Linzer Cookies (adapted from Martha Stewart
)
makes 2 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup nutella

Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse hazelnuts, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to a bowl. Add butter and granulated sugar; mix until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out circles with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the circles with a 1/2-inch cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake circles until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Spread nutella onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones.