Thumbprint Cookies with Nutella®

Ingredients

• 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
• Flour, butter and egg called for on cookie mix pouch for cutout cookies
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts (filberts), toasted, skinned
• 1/2 cup Nutella® hazelnut spread
• Multicolored nonpareils, if desired

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms.
2. Shape into 50 (3/4-inch) balls. In small bowl, beat egg whites lightly with fork. Place nuts in another small bowl. Dip each ball into egg white, then roll in nuts. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets. Using end of wooden spoon, make indentation in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
4. When ready to serve, spoon hazelnut chocolate spread into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off small corner of bag; insert cut corner of bag into indentation in each cookie. Squeeze bag to fill opening, about 1/2 teaspoon per cookie. Sprinkle with nonpareils.
5. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature in single layer.

• Use completely cooled cookie sheets. Cookies will spread too much if put on a hot or warm cookie sheet.
• To skin hazelnuts, toast nuts at 375°F 10 to 12 minutes, stirring twice. Let stand 5 minutes. Pour nuts into clean kitchen towel, and gather tightly in a bundle; rub vigorously with towel to remove skins.
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