Chile Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Prep Time:
1 hour, 45 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Servings:
24 cookies
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup hazelnuts, divided
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely
  • 2 ounces heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • ¹⁄₁₆ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Toast ¾ cup hazelnuts in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
  3. Let nuts cool for 5 minutes, then pulse ½ cup of them in a food processor until finely ground and flour-like.
  4. Add remaining ¼ cup hazelnuts to a plastic bag and crush into course pieces using a pestle or the end of a rolling pin.
  5. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
  6. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine.
  7. Add all-purpose flour and hazelnut flour from step 3.
  8. Mix until a dough forms.
  9. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and pat into a disc shape. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
  10. Separate cookie dough into tablespoon-sized portions (weighing about 20 grams each).
  11. Roll dough pieces into balls.
  12. Coat dough balls in coarsely crushed hazelnuts, arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes at 350 F.
  13. Remove cookies from the oven and make a thumbprint-shaped indent in each using a ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon.
  14. Bake for another 8-10 minutes.
  15. Remove from the oven. If the indents have filled back in, use the same measuring spoon to redefine the thumbprint shape.
  16. Let cookies rest on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  17. To make the ganache, chop chocolate into fine shards and set aside in a heat-proof bowl.
  18. Add heavy cream to a small saucepan and place on the stovetop over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
  19. Pour hot cream in the bowl over the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes to allow chocolate to melt.
  20. Add cayenne, chipotle chile powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, and stir the mixture until smooth. Taste and add more cayenne for extra heat, if desired.
  21. Using a piping bag or a spoon, pipe or dollop the ganache into the "thumbprints" while the ganache is still warm.
  22. Serve cookies right away, or keep in a sealed container for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge.