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 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
In a large bowl, beat 14 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened, and 1 ½ 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 ½ 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 ¾-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 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar, divided
14 tablespoon (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon 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 ½ 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 ½ 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 ¾-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.
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!
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
sara @ CaffeIna
Did I read nutella! Yuhuu! I bet your boys were happy! I need to try these ones. I'm a nutellaholic!
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.
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.
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!
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
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! 😀
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!
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;-)