Nutella Shortbread Cookie Sandwich

Posted on February 16, 2009. Filed under: Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts |

Now that we have some leftover Nutella from valentine’s day, I have been trying to think of some out of the box recipes to use it all up. I absolutely love shortbread cookies. I have made them with crushed espresso beans, mini chocolate chips, pecans and chocolate dipped. Any way you prepare shortbread, I will love it. And, with Nutella in between 2 pieces of it, wow, fantastic! Easy, pretty, and delightful.

Makes about 60 1 1/2 inch round cookies

3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean
1 cup Nutella

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla extract and seeds from the vanilla bean. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt; then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and roll shape a log shape. about 1 1/2 – 2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Slice the dough into 1/4 – 1/2 inch slices. Place the rounds on an ungreased sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread 1 tsp Nutella on 1 cookie, then top with another cookie. Serve that day, or the next day. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.