Cream Cheese Nutella Pockets

Some of the best cookies are the ones that come together as a last-minute "I need some sugary, doughy, chocolately cookie dough" bliss. While I'm sure we've all had these late-night (or early morning, let's be honest) moments, I have a new appreciation for them since I entered this doctoral program. Late nights of paper-writing and study-guide-memorizing are only endured when I have a plate of cookies in the kitchen. 

But these came about as a bit of a surprise. I was going to a study session for what would end up being an "oh no, I'm going to fail out of grad school" post-midterm panic (but alas, I didn't...that's the benefit of writing these months after the fact) and needed to bring something tasty to share. Clearly, studying had gotten the best of me because my pantry was running low on virtually all necessary baking ingredients. No eggs, no brown sugar, no peanut butter, no shortening...but my will to bake persisted (and, if I'm being honest, my need for procrastination at that point in the evening was very strong). I found this recipe that combined a cream cheese dough AND Nutella...and while I can't be completely sure, I might be invited back to another study session. Contingent on more Nutella pockets!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, at room temperature + 2 tbsp., melted

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar + 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups Nutella

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl with a stand- or hand mixer, cream together 1 cup butter, cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

3. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour and mix until just combined.

4. Dump the dough onto plastic wrap or aluminum foil and cover completely. 

5. Refrigerate for one hour to make the dough easy to handle.

6. When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Return half to the refrigerator and roll out the over half on a floured surface.

*Note: the rolled dough should be approximately 1/4" thick.

8. Using a circle cutter (or, if you're like me and don't have one...the top of a drinking glass), cut the dough.

9. Place on a baking sheet and repeat until all of the dough is cut into circles.

10. Place 1 1/2 tsp. of Nutella in the center of each circle.

*Note: I love Nutella, so it figures that I over-stuffed my cookies. They were harder to fold, and Nutella oozed out while baking. So sue me.

 

11. Fold in half and press lightly to seal. Then, gently crimp the edges with the tines of a fork.

12. Brush with the 2 tbsp. melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

13. Bake 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.