Baci di Dama (Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Baci di Dama are Italian hazelnut cookie sandwiches with a chocolate Nutella center. The outside cookies are perfectly buttery and crispy while the center is rich and chocolatey. Bake these for a cozy night in or share them with your friends and family for the holidays!

Baci di dama chocolate hazelnut cookie sandwiches in a basket with a jar of Nutella and a bowl of toasted hazelnuts.

These are our new go to holiday cookies! Our friends and family can't get enough of the hazelnut cookie and chocolate Nutella combination. If you make them for yourself, enjoy them (and dip them) in our Oat Milk Hot Chocolate or Baileys Hot Chocolate like we do!

These cookies have a shortbread-like exterior and a kiss of chocolate, or baci di cioccolato, in the center. They are delightful, indulgent, but not too sweet. It's impossible to eat just one!

Jump to:

What are Baci di Dama?
About Baci Di Dama Cookies
Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Instructions
Storage
Tips for the Best Cookies
Recipe FAQs
Related Recipes
Did You Like This Recipe?
📖 Recipe

What are Baci di Dama?

Baci di Dama are traditional Italian cookies and one of Kat's favorites growing up. In English, Baci di Dama translates to lady's kisses. The melted chocolate which joins the hazelnut cookies together is the kiss.

About Baci Di Dama Cookies

Flavor - The outside cookie is buttery and sweet while the nutella chocolate filling is rich.
Texture - The outside provides the light crispy bite while the while the center is soft and gooey.
Time - It takes about 20 minutes to prep the ingredients, about 20 minutes to chill the dough, then 12 minutes to bake.
Effort - Despite their fancy appearance, these cookies are surprisingly easy.

Ingredients

Hazelnut Cookies

Hazelnuts - We add ground hazelnuts to the flour to make it extra buttery with a light crunch. Learn how to How to Roast Hazelnuts (Filberts) for this recipe.
Unsalted butter - Room temperature butter is best for the cookie dough texture and adds a buttery flavor. We prefer European butter because it has a higher fat content resulting in a crisper, buttery cookie.
Sugar - Sugar adds sweetness to the cookies.
Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds complexity and sweetness to the cookie dough. For a stronger vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste.
All-purpose flour - All-purpose flour is the foundation for the hazelnut cookies.
Kosher salt - Salt accentuates the rich cookie flavors.

Chocolate Nutella Filling

Chocolate chips - We recommend semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips because they are the perfect combination of sweet and rich. You can also use milk chocolate chips if you want a sweeter chip.
Nutella - Nutella is a light and creamy chocolate hazelnut spread. We combine it with chocolate chips to make it extra chocolatey.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

Chocolate - Use high-quality melted dark chocolate instead of Nutella in the center.
Almonds - Use ground almonds instead of hazelnuts, or use a mix of almonds and hazelnuts.
No vanilla - Omit vanilla for a simpler, more rustic cookie.
Gluten free - Use gluten free all purpose flour to make these cookies gluten-free. We recommend this gluten free flour for the best results. Please note we have not tried this so let us know if you try it!
Brown sugar - Use brown sugar if you want to make a more caramel flavored cookie.

Variations

Pure Nutella or pure chocolate - If you prefer the taste of pure Nutella or chocolate, you can just use one or the other and don't need to combine them.
Vanilla bean paste - Replace vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste for flecks of vanilla.
Almond or hazelnut extract - Add a half teaspoon of almond or hazelnut extract for extra nutty flavor.
Caramel - Add a tiny dollop of caramel with the Nutella and chocolate for a caramel chocolate combination.
Sea salt - Add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on the Nutella or chocolate before adding the tops of the sandwich to add a hint of salt.
Milk - Enjoy the cookies dipped or beside your favorite milk.

Instructions

Steps to make baci di dama, including grinding the hazelnuts, whipping the butter and sugar, and adding the flour and hazelnuts.

Blend hazelnuts - Add hazelnuts to a food processor and pulse until ground into a sandy powder. Set aside. (Photo 1 and 3)
Mix ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add flour, hazelnuts, and kosher salt and mix on low until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and quickly mix again to ensure all ingredients and dough comes together. Do not overmix. (Photo 3 and 4)

Steps to make baci di dama, including rolling out the dough, freezing the dough, cutting it into small pieces, rolling the dough into balls, and placing them on a baking sheet.

Divide and chill dough - Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll into equal logs, ¾-inch thick. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or plate and freeze for 20 minutes. (Photo 5)
Prepare oven and baking sheet - Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut dough and bake - Cut each log into small equal-sized pieces, about a ½-inch wide, using a knife or bench scraper. The dough should yield about 48 pieces to make 24 cookies. Roll each piece into a ball, making them identical in size. Work quickly so the dough stays cold. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet with 1½ - 2 inches of space between them. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely and untouched.(Photo 6, 7, and 8)

Steps to make baci di dama, including baking the cookies, melting the dark chocolate chips with Nutella, spooning Nutella onto the cookies, and forming the cookies into sandwiches.

Bake cookies - Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely and untouched. (Photo 9)
Make chocolate - Add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments and stir in between until the chocolate is melted. Alternatively, heat chocolate in a double boiler. Add the Nutella to the chocolate and mix until completely combined. (Photo 10)
Assemble - Place half of the cookies flat side up and add a very small dollop of Nutella in each cookie center. Do not add too much or the Nutella will overflow. Add the cookie tops to each bottom and gently press to make sandwiches. Let the chocolate set then enjoy! (Photo 11 and 12)

Pro tip - Don't over mix ingredients to ensure the cookies spread evenly and have a light texture. Over mixing can make the cookies tough.

Storage

Store these Italian cookies in an air-tight container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 5-7 days.

You can also freeze these hazelnut chocolate chip cookies for the future. To freeze, let the baked cookies reach room temperature then place them in a storage bag, press out the air, and seal them. Place them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw them on the counter when you are ready to enjoy them.

Tips for the Best Cookies

Use room temperature butter for soft cookies. Room temperature butter is soft and pliable, but not melted.
Bake on the middle rack for even cooking. If baking more than one sheet of cookies, place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure the cookies bake evenly.
Cool down the cookies before storing to ensure the cookies maintain their texture. The steam from hot cookies will make the cookies soggy inside of the container.

Recipe FAQs

How do you pronounce baci di dama?

It is pronounced bahchee dee dahmah.

Where did Baci di Dama originate?

Baci di dama originated in Tortona in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont. They were first created in the 19th Century as a way to utilize hazelnuts which are local to the Piedmont region.

Where is nutella from?

Nutella is also from the Piedmont region in Italy. After World War 2, cocoa in Italy was scarce. But Pietro Ferrero, the inventor of Nutella, found a smart solution by creating a sweet spread from hazelnuts, sugar and just a little of the rare cocoa.

What happens if you put nutella in the oven?

Baking with Nutella can be tricky because it can easily burn and alter its flavor. However, this recipe does not bake for long so the texture and taste remain intact.

Will Nutella harden in the fridge?

Yes, that is why Nutella should be kept at room temperature both before and after baking. We want the center of the cookies to stay soft!

Hand holding a small Italian chocolate Nutella hazelnut cookie.

Did You Like This Recipe?

Love these Italian hazelnut cookies? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below & consider leaving a comment below. If you are looking for other tasty Nutella treats, try our puff pastry Nutella Twists.

Sign up for THP's newsletter and keep in touch on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. If you make this recipe, tag #theheirloompantry so we can see your creation!