Hazelnut Ganache Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
• Stir together toasted hazelnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; dip balls in egg white, then in hazelnut-sugar mixture. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes.Remove from oven; press down centers again with the end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven. Bake cookies until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly on sheets on wire racks. Fill each center with jam.

GANACHE FOR THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Pour gently simmered cream over chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let stand until mixture is spoonable, about 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE, CINNAMON, AND HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet on upper rack, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins (don't worry about skins that don't come off) and let cool.
• Grind 1/2 cup nuts in spice mill until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat granulated sugar and 1 cup butter in another large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients, and beat until just combined.
• Combine sanding sugar and remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll heaping 1-Tbsp. rounds of dough into balls, then roll in sanding sugar. Arrange balls on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets at least 2" apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until puffed and set but still moist, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove baking sheets from oven and immediately make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a rounded 1-tsp. measuring spoon. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Finely chop remaining 2 Tbsp. nuts and set aside. Heat chocolate and remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a small bowl in 10-second intervals in microwave, stirring often, until melted. Transfer chocolate mixture to a small resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4" hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. Immediately sprinkle chocolate with reserved nuts. Let cookies stand until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Cookies can be made up to 1 week ahead; keep in an airtight container at room temperature.