Description

These Chocolate Linzer Cookies combine a rich Dutch process cocoa dough with a creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread filling, finished with a dusting of sparkling sugar for a festive look. They are quick and easy to prepare, perfect for holiday gatherings or any special occasion where you want a refined yet approachable chocolate cookie with a delightful window of Nutella peeking through.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookie Dough:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 egg (room temperature)
1.5 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur all-purpose recommended)

For Assembly:

1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

For Toppings (Optional):

Sparkling sugar (for a festive sparkle and crunch)

Instructions

Prepare Mise en Place and Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, 1 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp baking powder in a medium bowl to ensure even distribution and remove clumps. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar Until Light and Fluffy: In a large bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add 1 room-temperature egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat for about 1 minute until fully combined and smooth, scraping the bowl to eliminate streaks.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients and Chill Dough: Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a spatula or wooden spoon just until the dough forms and no dry streaks remain. Divide dough in half, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 to 60 minutes until firm. For enhanced flavor, chill overnight if possible.
Roll Dough and Chill Again: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll one dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer rolled dough (still on parchment) to baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour to prevent spreading and maintain sharp edges.
Cut and Prepare Cookies for Baking: Remove dough from refrigerator and peel off top parchment. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut cookies and place about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. For half of these, use a smaller cutter (3/4 to 1 inch) to cut out center windows. Optionally, sprinkle sparkling sugar on window cookies. Repeat for the second dough portion. Chill cut cookies on baking sheets for an additional 15 minutes before baking.
Bake and Assemble Sandwich Cookies: Bake cookies for 7 to 10 minutes until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets for at least 15 minutes. Spread about 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread on the flat side of each whole cookie and sandwich with a cut-out cookie on top, window side up to show the filling. Best enjoyed within 1-2 days while crisp or stored airtight up to 4 days.

Notes

Do not roll dough thinner than 1/8 inch to avoid breakage when sandwiching.
Chill dough well before rolling and again after rolling to maintain shape and prevent spreading during baking.
Use cutters with appropriately sized centers to keep a sturdy border and prevent filling from oozing.
Let cookies cool fully before spreading Nutella to avoid melting and sliding filling.
Substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder if Dutch process is unavailable; flavor and color may vary slightly.
Salted butter can be used by reducing added salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
If sparkling sugar is unavailable, granulated or powdered sugar can be used for dusting.
Store sandwiches in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4-5 days; filled cookies are best within 2-3 days.
Unfilled baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months; thaw before filling.
Cookie dough can be refrigerated for 1-2 days or frozen up to 2 months before rolling.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate linzer cookies, Nutella cookies, holiday cookies, sandwich cookies, chocolate hazelnut cookies, festive cookies