Nutella Valentine Cookie

It wasn't until this weekend that I recalled why I have, for years now, abandoned purchasing and housing Nutella, the famous European (yes, started in Italy in 1963 to be exact) chocolate-hazelnut spread that is deadly good and deadly addictive. And curse: it now resides next to our large tub of PB to torment me further. Since making this Nutella cookie recipe just a few days ago, I've been guilty of all sorts of Nutella transgressions: slathering the wicked stuff on toast in the AM, into my oatmeal, apple slices dunked into it, and worse ever, pretzel rods dipped.

I tell you: if you are trying to watch your sugar intake, don't even think about making Nutella your friend.

Except then, for cookies like these, especially a dainty little heart-shaped one around LOVE day, Nutella becomes so wonderfully welcome. One reason why I really like these cookies is because you can make them as large or as small as you wish (depending on what heart-shaped size cookie cutter you own) AND the chocolate hazelnut spread pairs oh so well with the oatmeal brown sugar cookie that is fragile yet flavorful. Ooh yes. It's good. Okay, Nutella, you may stick around.

Happy Love to you on Monday.

Nutella-Oat Sandwich Cookies

{Martha Stewart Jan/Feb 2010}

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread or jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in flours and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium until fluffy. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Scrape down bowl. Add oat mixture; beat until blended. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours (*Kate note: If your dough seems dry, add another 1 Tbsp of softened butter to it—that’s what I had to do!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick, dusting lightly with flour as needed. Cut out cookies with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter; place 1/2 inch apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden around edges, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling if too soft (reroll and cut scraps). Spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; top with remaining cookies. (To store, cover and keep at room temperature, up to 2 days.)