There were many times over the summer when I wished for a few hours of uninterrupted silence and productivity. Two energetic boys, however, had other ideas. Between scooter races, trips to the pool, and backyard soccer games, there was rarely a moment of peace. Well, let me tell you, the grass is always greener on the other side. The boys headed back to school yesterday and the silence is palpable. Our youngest son started first grade this year, so my husband and I are going through a small bout of empty nest syndrome. At least five or six times today, I looked at the clock and wondered what the kids were doing at that moment. Were they having fun? Were they working hard? Were they happy?
With their first full day of school under their belts, I wanted them to come home to a special treat, something to let them know I had been thinking of them. I made a large batch of their favorite sugar cookies, which we usually fill with Heath Bar bits. This time, however, I made the cookies in miniature, swiped them with a dollop of Nutella, and sandwiched the cookies together. Within minutes of arriving home, there were nothing but cookie crumbs on their plates and smudges of Nutella on their chins and noses.
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
In a large bowl, beat 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer set on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture a few times to make sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. With slightly dampened hands, roll 1 teaspoon of the cookie dough between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in the sugar to coat it and place it on a prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheets.
Lightly coat the bottom of a glass or metal measuring cup with butter and dip into the sugar. Use this to gently flatten the cookies to 3/4-inch thickness.
Bake the cookies, one sheet a time, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. They are done when the edges are set and beginning to brown, 9 to 10 minutes. The centers of the cookies should still be soft and puffy. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on a rack.
Spread the bottom of one cookie with 1 teaspoon Nutella and sandwich with a second cookie. Serve or store in an airtight container.
Other cookies with Nutella:
My Baking Addiction’s Mocha Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
La Fuji Mama’s Nutella Pocket Cookies
Purple Foodie’s Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
Bell’alimento’s Peanut Butter & Nutella Thumbprint Cookies
Amanda’s Cookin’s Chocolate Nutella Thumbprints
Nutella Sandwich Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookie recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups granulated sugar, divided
14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tbsp Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer set on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract.
Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture a few times to make sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. With slightly dampened hands, roll 1 teaspoon of the cookie dough between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in the sugar to coat it and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheets. Lightly coat the bottom of a glass or metal measuring cup with butter and dip into the sugar. Use this to gently flatten the cookies to 3/4-inch thickness.
Bake the cookies, one sheet a time, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. They are done when the edges are set and beginning to brown, 9 to 10 minutes. The centers of the cookies should still be soft and puffy. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on a rack.
Spread the bottom of one cookie with 1 teaspoon Nutella and sandwich with a second cookie. Serve.
Makes about 50 sandwich cookies.
Jenny
Bet those boys gobbled your beautiful cookies right up! Handsome guys you've got 🙂
My Kitchen in the Rockies
Mine are back to school again, too. It is so quiet in the house.
We are BIG Nutella fans and I know they would love the cookies after school. Great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Marisa
These look so good–I love Nutella!What a nice after school snack 🙂
Elin
CC..those cookies look delish and you are a wonderful mom 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe with us. I am sure your boys love them nuts especially it is their favourite 🙂
Jessica @ How Sweet
Ahh these sound so amazing!
pegasuslegend
the boys are gorgeous, you are truly blessed as they are to have such a fabulous mom, I would have loved to make them to bring to school…the kids at school must be so envious of the boys foods you cook! these are fabulous!
Rachel (Two Healthy Plates)
Isn't it funny how nutella can make so many desserts extra special? These look great, I love how little and cute they are!
JodieMo
You are such a good Mom. I know exactly how you feel though about the silence. After weeks of three year old twins tearing through the house day in and day out, you would never believe that I can never wait to pick them up from pre-school just so I can ask them how their day was. Love the cookies!
Aliosn
These look terrific
Amanda
I love Nutella! These look really good, and thank you for the shout out 🙂
briarrose
Yum! Everything is better with Nutella in my humble opinion.
oneordinaryday
I know just how you feel. Mine were so excited to get to school but it's quiet around here. Even the dog is wandering around wondering what to do with all this silence. : )
Bet your boys loved coming home to find these sweet treats!
Delishhh
If i have a jar of Nutella in my house it last for about 2 days. I end up dipping EVERYTHING in there. So i never buy it 🙂 But that said this recipe looks fabulous.
I have a giveaway going on, don’t miss out, it ends 8/27 and it's for all the wine enthusiasts.
http://delishhh.com/?p=1972
Ewa
Paula - bell'alimento
Ah, doesn't Nutella make everything better ; ) Your boys are adorable! I can't wait to add these to our snack rotation! Thanks a bunch for including me in your roundup xoxo
Belinda @zomppa
They look so excited! What a great mom to have such a great treat!!
Island Vittles
I know a grown-up who would consider this to be the best after-work snack ever!
ravienomnoms
deeeeelish!
bistrogerard
These look delicious – perfect after-school treat, which I am sure your adorable kids really enjoyed after their first day back to school. Thank you for sharing
Sprinkled with Flour
I love Nutella, this sounds like a great way to use it!
Cookin' Canuck
Thanks for the comments! It looks as though we have plenty of devout Nutella fans in our midst.
Pacheco Patty
Sweet photo of your 'back to school' boys! Very fun idea for special after school cookies and thanks for sharing all the other links;-)
Viviane Bauquet Farre / Food and Style
Great photos of your boys… and the cookies! I can think of a few adults who wouldn't mind getting their hands on your delicious sandwich cookies!
Squeaky Gourmet
aww poor mama, I will be in the same boat next week–I am still wishing for a moment peace. next week…perhaps making cookies! 😀
marla
You are such a great mom! I can't think of anyone who would not want to come home to these nutella cookies. I'll never forget the treats my mom made for me.
Such a sweet post & your boys are adorable 🙂 xo
Evan @swEEts
When I saw your tweet about cookies with nutella I knew it was going to be something good and looky here.. I'm going to have to give those sugar cookies a whirl!
Claudia
Wow. I'd leave some Nutella and two spoons on the kitchen table and be done. Lucky boys. They won't be playing at anyone else's home anytime soon. The sweet photos remind me of the years of "first day of school" photos I took. Nice.
TheChocolatePriestess
I know some guys in my household who'd like these. I wish it would cool down so I could bake without feeling like I'm over working the air conditioner.
sara @ CaffeIna
Did I read nutella! Yuhuu! I bet your boys were happy! I need to try these ones. I'm a nutellaholic!
Devaki
Dara – What a great way to use nutella. My boys have a nutella sandwich everyday but I never would have thought to use it sandwiched betwen sugar cookies….kinda like macarons.
This is a lovely idea for us moms!
Thanks
Devaki @ weavethousandlfavors
Lynn @ I'll Have What She's Having
I just bought a HUGE jar of Nutella because it was 50 cents off. Some of it is now destined to be sandwiched between cookies!
Bromography
These look simple, quick and absolutely yummy! Great idea!
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE
Cute little guys you've got there!
What a perfect after school snack!
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Oh man, you're killing me! I want one for breakfast right now! So dangerous and so tasty looking…
bellini valli
Anything with Nutella sandwiched inbetween has to be good!
Kim @ Two Good Cookies
Oh my goodness gracious. These look incredible! I can't wait to make them!
Magic of Spice
Those boys are just adorable…and so are these wonderful cookies 🙂
penny aka jeroxie
Trying to go on a diet but now it seems quite impossible 😛
Carol Egbert
I'm sure the cookies made the first day of school even sweeter.
Tracy
What a wonderful treat! Yum!
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These look so good! I am a huge nutella fan, so will have to give them a try. And also, your boys are adorable 🙂
Michelle
Love stuffed sugar cookies and these look so good!
Jessica
Kids always seem to be hungry right after school don't they? I know I always was!
Delicious cookies. I'm sure they were quite excited when the got home and saw them waiting for them!
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Maria
What handsome boys! Great after school treat. I would go back to school for these:)
Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker
YUM! Sugar cookies stuffed with Nutella sound insanely good!
Ingrid
Cute pic of the boys! Nice afterschool snack too!
Lauren
You had me at Nutella…
With Style and Grace
I made these cookie sandwiches, oh dear, they were amazing! Photo's on my blog – taken before they were devoured!
Laura
I love these and make them for parties. Can they be made ahead and frozen?