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.

Chocolate Mint Puddles were introduced to me at a Christmas party a few years ago. I was hesitant to try one, since mint isn't one of my favorite flavors in desserts. After a bite or two, I was sold. Ryan's an even  bigger lover of these cookies, so I'm sure to make at least one batch of these every Winter so he can get his fix. I've run out of Andes mints before and also topped them with broken milk or dark chocolate pieces. This was good too, just not as good as the mint!

I used a cookie scoop to make the balls of dough and was pleasantly surprised to see how perfectly round they emerged from the oven. They were a picturesque batch of cookies, fitting because I took two dozen of them to a cookie exchange on Saturday. Hopefully everyone thought they tasted as good as they looked! ;)

I made these cookies with REAL Butter, sent to me via Foodbuzz and their Tastemaker program. Along with a pound of butter, I was also sent a holiday baking kit that included a cookie sheet, spatula, and a variety of fun wrapping supplies, like the box you see in the pictures here. I've been having a blast making Christmas goodies and sharing them with friends and family! Thanks Foodbuzz for hooking me up in time for my holiday baking! (To see other Christmas treats from this month, check out my La Cuisine Chocolate Cookies, Gingerbread Truffles, and Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. Keep coming back to The Sweets Life this month, there are plenty more tempting sweets headed your way!)


One Year Ago: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas


Chocolate Mint Puddles
from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
-3/4 cup butter
-1 1/2 cups brown sugar
-2 tbsp water
-2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
-2 eggs
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 1/4 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-3 (4.5 oz) packages Andes mints

Directions:
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with sugar and water, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, mixing until melted. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before pouring chocolate into a bowl and beating in eggs, one at a time.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll cookie dough into walnut-sized balls and place on cookie sheets, approximately 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. After removing cookie sheet from oven, press a mint into each cookie and allow to sit for one minute, melting slightly. Using a toothpick, swirl melted mint to make a pattern. Allow to cool before serving.

This post is linked to Merry Monday's!