Cooking with Care

I’m not a huge sweets person. Give me a bag of chips or a cupcake and I’ll take the carbs all day long. But there are a few sugary snacks that I do crave. While growing up my sister and I had the pleasure of a few family vacations to Europe. While our grandparents were hoping we would fall in love with French Impressionism, we instead discovered Nutella.

If you haven’t had it, leave your computer right now and go to the store. Its a chocolate hazelnut spread that kicks peanut butter’s butt any day. My favorite use is on a warm flaky croissant, or a toasted English muffin. Last fall I discovered the recipe below and probably made 20 batches over the course of a few months. It started as a Halloween treat with orange sprinkles, and became a New Years surprise with candies on top. Try variations like mini peanut butter cups on top, or skip any toppings and just make them plain. Any way you decide they will be an instant hit with friends and family and likely to become your go to cookie recipe. 

Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches

Ingredients

• 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)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another medium bowl, place the chocolate hazelnut spread, butter, and both sugars.
4. Using a hand mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the egg and vanilla and blend until incorporated.
6. Stir in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.
7. Shape the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls.
8. Rolls the balls in the orange sprinkles or orange sugar, pressing to adhere.
9. Place the cookies on a heavy cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
10. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven.
11. Quickly place a chocolate kiss in the middle of each cookie.
12. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes.
13. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.