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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Nutella Pocket Cookies

Nutella pocket cookies could also be called Nutella surprise cookies. When placed on a cookie tray amongst other, more flashy cookies, these might be overlooked. They're rather nondescript, even with the glaze I added to show people that they were cookies and not empanadas! All it takes is one little bite, however, to realize it's not a Mexican pastry filled with meat, nor is it just a cinnamon-spiked cream cheese sugar cookie. Rather, it's a cinnamon-spiked cream cheese sugar cookie filled with Nutella, aka chocolately-hazelnut goodness!

These require a few steps to make, but you can make the dough a night ahead of time. It rolls out easily and you can use a glass or cookie cutter to form your circles. The most difficult part is not licking your finger each time you spoon a little Nutella onto each cookie! Next time I'll up the Nutella inside. They tasted good as is, but they'd be dynamite with just a bit more chocolate filling. You could do a chocolate glaze on top if you prefer, or leave them plain. I went with a simple white glaze made of powdered sugar and half and half because I didn't want the flavor to compete with the Nutella inside. All in all, a unique and well-received cookie that stayed fresh for days in an air-tight container!


One Year Ago: Chicken Enchiladas


Nutella Pocket Cookies
from La Fuji Mama
*for 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
-1 cup butter
-1 package cream cheese, softened
-1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 cups Nutella

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar, until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and cinnamon. Gradually add the flour and mix well. Divide dough into four equal portions. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, until dough is firm and easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Remove one piece of the dough and roll it out on a floured surface, about 1/4-inch thick. Using a circle cookie cutter, or a drinking glass (about 3 inches in diameter), cut circles nad place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Place 1 1/2 tsp of Nutella on each circle, slightly off-center. Fold each circle in half and press the edges together to seal. Continue with remaining dough and Nutella.
4. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on a cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.