Oct 19
2009

Nutella Pocket Cookies

in Chocolate, Dessert, Recipes by Type

One of the fun things that comes from being a mom and a food blogger is having the two roles cross.  As Squirrel gets older (she’ll be 3 in December, can you believe it?), her involvement in the kitchen increases.  I’m surprised at how many things I can find for her little hands to help me with.  Squirrel is also one of my official taste testers.  When she sees that I’m finishing up something in the kitchen she comes running in with an expectant look on her face and asks, “Can I have a taste?”

The other day I was photographing the cookies for this post.  I had an open jar of Nutella with a butter knife dripping with the gooey spread propped on top of the jar as a prop.  I had told Squirrel that she could have a cookie and so she came over to cash in on my promise.  As I was making some adjustments to my tripod, she spotted the Nutella jar, and went straight for it.  I told her not to touch, so she got creative and got a taste of Nutella without touching.  What an obedient little girl.

Do you think she likes Nutella?  My mom pointed out that this was inevitable since squirrels love nuts…

These little cookies hide a little pocket of Nutella in the center.  Cream cheese makes the cookie melt in your mouth.  If the cookie dough is getting too soft and sticky while you are working with it, put it back into the refrigerator to chill and firm up for a few minutes.  Colder dough is easier to work with because it is firmer and less sticky.


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Nutella Pocket Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth, light, and fluffy.  Add the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon and mix until well combined.  Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide the dough into four portions; cover and refrigerate until the dough is firm and easy to handle.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator.  On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick.  Using a circle cookie cutter (or biscuit cutter) that is approximately 3 inches in diameter, cut circles out of the dough and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Place approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of Nutella on each circle, slightly off-center, then fold each circle in half so that the edges meet and lightly press the edges to seal.  Repeat this process for each portion of dough.

3. Bake the cookies for 12 – 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.  Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for 2 – 3 minutes before removing them to wire racks to cool.

{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }

RecipeGirl October 19, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Absolutely darling. Great commercial idea for Nutella, don't you think? You should send them that pic!

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The Duo Dishes October 19, 2009 at 12:14 pm

We made these last year, and they are indeed hard to resist. No one says not to Nutella.

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La Pastry Chef October 19, 2009 at 12:17 pm

Okay, any tweet mentioning Nutella automatically gets my attention. But the photos of Squirrel are the cutest…seriously the CUTEST!

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Fuji Mama October 19, 2009 at 12:22 pm

RecipeGirl–My family said the same thing!!

The Duo Dishes–Hmmm, must have been a different recipe! This is my original recipe!

La Pastry Chef–I'm with you on Nutella tweets and I have to agree with you about Squirrel! Thanks! :D

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Anonymous October 19, 2009 at 1:01 pm

They look great but I think we're missing an ingrediant. How much flour did you use?

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t. December 18, 2010 at 1:56 pm

@Anonymous,

i was wondering the same thing.

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Eric October 19, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Yummers! Funny- I totally remember the post Duo Dishes is talking about. I think I commented on it!

I love how simple this recipe looks. Delish!

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The Woman October 19, 2009 at 1:06 pm

Nutella on it's own is awesome so I can only imagine how seriously addictive these cookies must be. And btw Squirrel is ADORABLE!

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Barbara Bakes October 19, 2009 at 1:12 pm

What a cutie! I can't resist licking the knife either! The cookies sound heavenly!

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MeetaK October 19, 2009 at 1:33 pm

oh how adorable. i am loving the pics of your little sweetie! and those pockets are yummy too!

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Jenn October 19, 2009 at 2:18 pm

They're like little empanada cookies with delicious nutella inside.

Your daughter is such a little cutie. I love her expression in the second photo. Also the sneaky little taste from the butter knife. lol. Adorable!!!

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Aaron & Susan October 19, 2009 at 2:27 pm

Oh YUM! Keep the Nutella posts coming :) These look amazing!!!

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Jane October 19, 2009 at 2:37 pm

Adorable photos, and scrumptious looking cookies. I have never, ever tried Nutella, but I can see I will have to remedy that, and soon! Love your blog!

Jane :)

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Fuji Mama October 19, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Thanks anonymous for catching that! I've fixed it! The perils of copying and pasting notes… :D

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Mary October 19, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Your model knows how to enjoy life :-). She could sell anything. I love your recipe and will try to make the cookies very soon. Have a great day.

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Andrea@WellnessNotes October 19, 2009 at 5:09 pm

Beautiful squirrel
Wonderful Nutella
Awesome cookies
:)

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Helene October 19, 2009 at 5:51 pm

These look crazy good :)

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Melanie Gray Augustin October 19, 2009 at 8:33 pm

Yummy looking cookies, but Oh My! Those photos of squirrel are just adorable! I'm with the others that said that would make a fabulous commercial!

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Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction October 19, 2009 at 9:05 pm

Your cookies look absolutely delicious. Such cute pictures of Squirrel, too!

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Daydreamer Desserts October 19, 2009 at 9:07 pm

I love this post! That little squirrel of yours is too too cute, and those cookies… can you bring some with you to SF? :0)

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Anonymous October 19, 2009 at 10:21 pm

Forget the Nutella. I love my squirrel! Isn't she adorable! Fuji Papa

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Amanda October 20, 2009 at 5:15 am

She is the cutest thing on the planet! I just love her! The cookies look pretty awesome too :-D

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sunita October 20, 2009 at 5:25 am

Aww, such a cutie, though I wouldn't mind licking the knife either. Adore nutella amd your cookies look awesome :-)

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Fearless Kitchen October 20, 2009 at 9:02 am

Your daughter is too smart for your own good! These cookies look delicious!

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Deeba @Passionate About Baking October 20, 2009 at 9:27 am

She is an absolute doll. Brilliant that you caught it so beautifully on cam Rachael! WOW!! These cookies look gorgeous!!

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Rane October 20, 2009 at 10:02 am

squirrel's face is priceless….
how many of us can say that we have enjoyed ourselves to that amount today!beautiful baby…cookies… and post!
The photo of her with her eyes
closed shows she is already a foodie! and a lover of life…
have a wonderful day sweetie… and thank you for once a agian a great recipe!
*((hugs))*

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Food, she thought. October 20, 2009 at 10:46 am

Your daughter could not BE more adorable. Between this and the last tomato incident? She will be a woman who finds a way in life.

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Bob October 20, 2009 at 11:06 am

Awesome. That first pic is priceless too. :)

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Paula - bell'alimento October 20, 2009 at 11:53 am

Okay could Squirrel be any cuter? NO! & those cookies don't look so bad either ;) Great job as always Rachael!

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Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite October 20, 2009 at 6:12 pm

Squirrel IS the Nutella poster child, you do realise that, right?

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Shanda October 20, 2009 at 7:07 pm

That is a sweet picture!

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Anonymous October 21, 2009 at 1:04 am

The second picture of Squirrel enjoying her Nutella is just PERFECT ! She is so cute and so smart for not touching it !!! Kids can be so creative ! And she knows who Julia Child is !!! Awesome kid you have !

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LollyChops October 21, 2009 at 10:46 am

That pic of Squirrel is totally adorable! You totally should send that to nutella! It's amazing!

The cookies look good too!

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Julia @ Mélanger October 26, 2009 at 6:06 am

So cute. LOVE nutella.

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Jess October 28, 2009 at 3:44 am

Squirrel steals the show! So adorable. We keep Nutella stocked around here. My husband enjoys nutella croissants. Similar idea, just using croissant dough :) I'll have to show him your nutella cookies.

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Val in the Rose Garden October 28, 2009 at 8:21 pm

I have never given my children nuttella… I just can't do it. Why? Because I know we would be hooked for life! lol! Hazelnuts and chocolate? What could be better, really? But other ingredients keep me away. I am a mean and horrible mom. Your daughter looks SOOO happy! :)

Val

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TabzChewy November 1, 2009 at 8:43 pm

these look evilly amazing…

I had nutella for the first time today and my friend recommended your nutella cookie recipe.

Looks like another addiction! 8D

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Brochures Printing November 5, 2009 at 2:04 am

Oh, who doesn't love Nutella?! (except dogs, LOL!) And the pocket cookies is such an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing this to us. :)

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Damaris November 9, 2009 at 5:59 am

S- is the cutest, holy cow!
Nutella yum….

It's 4:00am and I'm feeding the babe and I'm hungry (and not thinking all that well)

xoxo
loved seeing you this weekend

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molly December 14, 2009 at 2:07 pm

this was the first thing i made from your blog!  I made them a couple weeks back –i was looking for a new cookie recipe to suprise an overworked boyfriend….trust me…these didn't last long!

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sugar plum January 31, 2010 at 10:10 pm

Wowowowowow,these are some amazing cookies really….sugar plum fairy for ya here and yeah ur blog rocks so so much …..infact am so so thrilled to have to as my inpiration and mentor for 3 months…..delightfully excited…yeah have been adopted by u at dine and dish and am taking a good stroll all over ur world….
And am i love with the adorable cute ,very precious squirrel….shes a doll…..

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Janis February 6, 2010 at 1:42 am

aw… she’s so cute!
thanks for sharing this recipe! love Nutella! will try this someday :D

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SKE February 6, 2010 at 11:35 am

Oh, these look so good, but I have a dilemma. We are SNOWED in here. I managed to get Nutella before the storm hit, but I find am out of white sugar! Do you think I could sub brown sugar in this dough or would the texture be compromised?

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Fuji Mama (Rachael) February 6, 2010 at 1:57 pm

@SKE — Hmmmm, brown sugar is definitely going to make a difference in the dough, and since I’ve never done it, I can’t be sure what it will do for sure. My best hypothesis is that the cookies will be darker in color and chewier, and you will definitely get more of that brown sugar flavor come through (yum!). I’m guessing that they will work, they’ll just be different. Try it out and let me know!

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MzMelanie February 9, 2010 at 7:26 pm

OMG these look heavenly I must try to make them. If only I knew how to bake.

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Liren February 10, 2010 at 9:49 pm

This is my kind of cookie! I can’t wait to try it. Nutella and I are like BFFs :)

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Som February 22, 2010 at 11:26 pm

That pic of Squirrel is P r i c e l e s s!!

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Sheskis March 1, 2010 at 9:34 pm

You may not believe this, I’m in my 50s and have NEVER tried Nutella. I’ve read everyone else’s ravings about it, so bought a jar tonight at the store. Curious, I opened it in the car on the way home and tried a couple fingers full. I had to toss the jar into the back seat where I couldn’t reach it to keep from eating most of it before I got home. Thanks for the cookie recipe, I’ll definitely be trying this :)

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Sheskis March 5, 2010 at 5:54 pm

Now I’m thinking of turning these green for St. Patrick’s day. Hope it works!!

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