Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

These Nutella Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect combination of rich chocolate cookies and creamy Nutella filling. They have a tender, brownie-like texture and taste enhanced by cream cheese in the dough, these cookies are decadent and delicious! They are perfect for all of your holiday baking!

❤️Why We Love This Recipe

• Perfect chocolate cookie base. The combination of Dutch-process cocoa powder and optional espresso powder creates an intensely chocolatey cookie that pairs perfectly with the Nutella filling.
• Lovely texture. The addition of cream cheese helps these cookies maintain their shape and creates an incredibly tender, almost brownie-like texture.
• Make-ahead friendly. The dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen until you're ready to bake, perfect for the busy holiday season.
• Made with simple ingredients. Everything you need to make these can be found at your local grocery store, making these cookies very straightforward!
• Easy-to-follow steps with no special techniques or tools. These cookies are super simple to make, and you don't need anything special to make them, perfect for beginner bakers or to make with kids!

🥚Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

• Cream cheese. This really helps the cookies keep their shape and give them a delicious texture and flavor, making them more brownie-like! Make sure it's very soft so you can incorporate it easily into the cookie dough.
• Cocoa powder. We tend to opt for Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which we recommend using if possible. It gets treated with alkaline to lessen its acidity, which results in a darker color and a smooth-tasting, less bitter flavor. With that said, any cocoa powder will work for this recipe!
• Espresso powder. Optional, but will really deepen the chocolate flavor and enhance the overall flavor of this cookie!
• Butter. We recommend using unsalted butter so you have full control over the salt level of the cookies. Also, be sure to let the butter get nice and soft.
• Egg yolks. Room temperature. Our recipe uses egg yolks only which makes them extra rich and delicious! Save your egg whites for a scramble!
• Kosher salt. We always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt in our kitchen, and they recently released a fine-grain baking salt that's perfect for this recipe! If using table salt or Morton's use less salt, as they are saltier than Diamond Crystal.
• Hazelnuts. These are optional but add a nice contrast to the color of the cookie and great texture.

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions & Variations

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

• No Dutch-process cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder can be used in place of Dutch-process, though the cookies will be slightly less rich in color and flavor.
• No dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar can be substituted for dark brown sugar, or you can also add a touch of molasses (about a teaspoon!)
• No espresso powder. You can skip the espresso powder if you prefer, though it won't make the cookies taste like coffee, don't worry about that!
• No Nutella. Use any chocolate hazelnut spread of your choice!
• Different fillings. Try adding different fillings like cookie butter, dulce de leche, salted caramel, jam, or your favorite chocolate spread.
• Salty crunch. Add flaky sea salt on top for a sweet-and-salty combination that would complement these cookies deliciously. We do this on many of our sweet treats, like these loaded brownies, these chocolate chip pecan cookies, and these white chocolate and chocolate chip cookies!
• Extra festive. Make them festive by rolling the cookie dough in holiday sprinkles before baking, or adding them on top of the Nutella!
• Gluten-free. This cookie should work really well with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour, though we haven't tried it ourselves.
• Dairy-free. Use dairy-free cream cheese, butter, and a dairy-free chocolate hazelnut spread for this recipe.

This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!

🔪Prep Work

• Allow butter, cream cheese, and egg yolks to come to room temperature.
• Measure out all ingredients using a food scale for accuracy.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Chop hazelnuts if using.

Make the cookie dough

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and optional espresso powder. Set aside. (Image 1)

In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the cream cheese, followed by the egg yolks and vanilla. (Image 2)

Mix until well combined and smooth, and scraping down the bowl as needed. (Image 3)

Reduce the mixer speed to low and sift in the flour mixture, switching to a rubber spatula about halfway through to avoid overmixing. (Image 4)

⭑Pro tip: Be careful not to overmix the flour! This can result in tough cookies! This is why we recommend switching to a rubber spatula about halfway through.

Make the thumbprint cookie shapes

Scoop the dough into 22-24 portions using a medium-sized (2 tablespoon) cookie scoop, (Image 5) then, using your hands, roll the cookie dough into smooth balls.

Using your thumb or a ¼-teaspoon size measuring spoon, make a small indentation in the center of each dough ball, pressing about three-quarters of the way down (do not press all the way to the baking sheet).(Image 6)

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or, freeze for even quicker and more reliable results! (Image 7)

⭑Pro tip: Make sure the dough is well-chilled before baking, or the cookies will spread in the oven.

Bake the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until the centers have puffed up slightly and the edges are set, 15 to 17 minutes. (Image 8)

Using the back of a small measuring spoon, gently press the centers of the cookies to indent them again when they come out of the oven. (Image 9)

Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then move the cookies to a rack to cool completely. (Image 10)

Add the fillings

Using a piping bag, a Ziploc bag, or just a spoon, fill the center of each cookie with about ½ a tablespoon of Nutella. (Image 11)

Use a spoon to smooth the top or create swirls of Nutella if desired.(Image 12)

⭑Pro tip: Make sure the cookies have cooled completely or the Nutella will melt.

Sprinkle the filling with crushed hazelnuts if desired. Enjoy!

✨Top Tips

• Use a kitchen scale for best results. Using a kitchen scale makes all the difference for accurate measurements, so you don't end up with too much flour in the cookie dough!
• Don't skip the cream cheese. It's crucial for maintaining the cookies' shape, and giving them a fudgy texture!
• Make sure your butter and cream cheese are properly softened so that the cream together properly.
• Avoid overmixing the dough once you add the dry ingredients, or your cookies can become dense and tough.
• Freeze the shaped cookies for more reliable results and better shape retention when they bake. At the very least, be sure to give them ample time to chill in the fridge. We like freezing because it gives us more reliable results.
• Re-indent the cookies while they're still warm for perfect Nutella wells!
• Let the cookies cool completely before filling to prevent the Nutella from melting.
• Use an oven thermometer. Some ovens run hotter or cooler than the temperature dial states. We love using an oven thermometer to verify the actual temperature.