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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Published: Jul 5, 2016 · Modified: Mar 28, 2020 by alexandra · This post may contain affiliate links

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies

    Jump to Recipe
    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies - Like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist. | www. brighteyedbaker.com

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies - Like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist. | www. brighteyedbaker.com this recipe

    To all the OG readers out there who've been around since day one: remember when I used to do confessions with every blog post?

    Because I confess that I have no memory of what these cookies taste like. Zero, zilch, NADA. The funny thing is (and I swear, it's a total coincidence), I made them exactly one year ago today, took pictures, and never got around to posting them. And since then, one year's worth of food has pretty much erased my taste memory of these cookies. I'm obviously really good at this food blogging thing.

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies - Like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist. | www. brighteyedbaker.com

    Anyhow, I know they were good because a) I took pictures of them (wouldn't do that if they weren't blog-worthy), b) I remember getting compliments on them, and c) I wrote notes for myself. According to my "extensive" and ever-so-helpful notes, they taste "like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon" - with nutella in the middle. Are you sold yet? Because that's pretty much all I've got.

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies - Like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist. | www. brighteyedbaker.com

    In all seriousness though, cookies are kinda my thing and I've never had any dessert filled with a big dollop of nutella that didn't taste pretty good, so I'm gonna go ahead and trust 22-year-old-me and say that you should make these. Besides, have you ever been steered wrong by flour, butter, sugar, toasted coconut, and sweet, creamy, nutella?

    Yep, that's what I thought.

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies - Like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist. | www. brighteyedbaker.com

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    Recipe Card

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies

    Nutella-Filled Coconut Thumbprint Cookies - Like a shortbread cookie-turned-macaroon, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist. | www. brighteyedbaker.com
    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Think shortbread cookies-turned-macaroons, with sweet, toasted coconut on the outside and a dollop of Nutella in the middle for a nutty chocolate twist.

    • Cook Time: 20 hours
    • Total Time: 20 hours
    • Yield: 32 cookies 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Dough

    • 14 ⅞ ounces (3 ½ cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 12 ounces (1 ½ cups or 3 sticks) salted butter
    • 3 ¾ ounces (½ cup, packed) brown sugar
    • 3 ½ ounces (½ cup) granulated sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

    Glazing and Rolling

    • 1 egg
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 6 ⅜ oz (1 ½ cups) sweetened shredded coconut

    Filling and Sprinkling

    • Nutella
    • sparkling sugar, for sprinkling

    Instructions

    1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
    2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Wipe down bowl and beater and beat in vanilla.
    3. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix in on lowest speed until mostly incorporated. Finish folding in by hand, just until all ingredients are evenly combined.
    4. Transfer dough to a large piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    5. Preheat oven to 350ºF with oven racks in the top and bottom-third positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    6. Whisk egg and water together for egg wash.
    7. Pull off chunks of dough and roll into 1-ounce (about 1 ¼”) balls. One by one, dip each ball into egg wash and then roll in coconut to coat. Transfer to baking sheet and press an indentation into the center with your thumb.
    8. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until coconut is golden-brown, flipping and rotating trays halfway through baking time. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes (more is fine) before adding Nutella. If thumbprint indentations have puffed up during baking, gently press down again while cookies are still warm.
    9. Spoon a small amount of Nutella into the center of each cookie and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.*

    Notes

    *If desired, you can store the cookies unfilled and add the Nutella and sprinkles just before serving. This will make them easier to store since you can then stack them.

    Recipe adapted from Ina Garten via Food Network

    Have you made this recipe?

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    1. Maria says

      February 08, 2017 at 4:41 am

      Can I use a milk wash instead of an egg wash ???

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        February 14, 2017 at 9:58 am

        Technically you can, but the results will be different. The egg gives more of a golden, shiny finish, while milk will help with browning but not shine.

        Reply
    2. Rosie says

      July 06, 2016 at 1:25 am

      Yes! I fondly remember and miss the confessions! Bring back the 'fessions, bring back the 'fessions, bring back the 'fessions.
      Oh, and the recipe sounds great too :)

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        July 11, 2016 at 8:29 am

        Hehehe wow I had no idea anyone missed them!

        Reply
    3. Sandra Azary says

      July 05, 2016 at 2:25 pm

      You are so funny. They are good. I remember them!

      Reply

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    Hey There! Thanks for stopping by! Here's what you can expect to find on Bright-Eyed Baker: lots of baked goods and other sweets made from scratch (many of which are gluten-free), plus the occasional savory recipe or mixed drink. My goal is to show you that from-scratch baking - gluten-free or not! - doesn't have to be intimidating. Learn more about me.

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