Baci di Dama are Italian hazelnut cookie sandwiches with a chocolate Nutella center. The outside cookies are perfectly buttery and crisp 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!
Blend hazelnuts - Add hazelnuts to a food processor and pulse until ground into a sandy powder. Set aside.
1½ cups whole toasted hazelnuts
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 and smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and quickly mix again to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.
8 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
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.
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 small 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.
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.
⅓ cup chocolate chips, ¼ cup Nutella
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!
Video
Notes
Top Tips
Don't over mix ingredients so the cookies spread evenly and have a light texture.
Use room temperature butter for soft cookies.
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. Then rotate them from top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure the cookies bake evenly.
Cool down the cookies before storing to ensure the cookies don't get soggy maintain their texture.
Let the chocolate set before serving or storing to ensure the sandwiches stay in place.
Storage
Store cookies in an air-tight container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 5-7 days. You can also freeze them in an air-tight container for up to 1 month. Thaw them on the counter when you are ready to enjoy them.