Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookie Cups

     Everybody loves chocolate!  It seems that the new chocolate craze is chocolate-hazelnut spread.  All you really need to do is open the lid and dip.  You could choose apple slices, strawberries, French Toast, or just a spoon :)  This recipe combines an ooey-gooey cookie with this new found heaven dip.  It's very easy and stores well for parties, midnight snacks throughout the week (or in my house...eat them all before someone sees!!!!).  This recipe was originally found on Daisy Chubb's Tea and Treats. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookie Cups

Ingredients: (this recipes yields about a 12 cookies)
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
Jar of chocolate-hazelnut spread (each cookie will take about 1 teaspoon filling)

Special equipment:
Shot glass
Regular sized muffin tin

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tin with non stick spray.

Using a hand or stand mixer, cream softened butter, white and brown sugar.  It should be light and fluffy when done.  Beat in egg and vanilla until everything is incorporated well.  Finally add the dry ingredients.  Break this up into batches....first add baking soda, salt, and 1/2 cup of flour.  Mix thoroughly.  Stop the mixer and add another 1/2 cup of flour.  Mix and repeat one more time so that the 1 1/2 cup of flour is mixed into the batter.

Use your hands to roll the dough into golf ball sized balls.  If the batter gets a little sticky, dip your hands in a little bit of tap water.  Place each ball in a muffin tin hole.  Do not press them down, just sit them in there.


Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes.  Using the shot glass, press pockets into each cookie.  This should be easy since the cookie is still a little warm.  Twist the glass if it feels like its sticking to the dough.  Fill each pocket with 1 teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread.

Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes.  This will allow the spread to harden a little bit.  Use a butter knife to gently pop each cookie out and onto a plate or storage container.