Introduction
Indulge in the perfect combination of delicate butter cookies, creamy mascarpone, and rich Nutella with these show-stopping sandwich cookies! These elegant treats feature light, crisp cookies dusted with powdered sugar and filled with a luxurious combination of mascarpone cream and hazelnut chocolate spread. The bright notes of lemon zest and vanilla enhance the cookie’s flavor, while the contrasting textures of crisp cookie and silky filling create an irresistible bite. Whether served at afternoon tea, special celebrations, or as a decadent dessert, these Nutella-filled cookies deliver a truly memorable sweet experience that will delight family and friends alike!
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 200g (1⅔ cups) type 00 flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 50g (⅓ cup) potato starch
- 80g (⅔ cup) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
- Zest of half a lemon
- 140g (10 tablespoons) cold butter, cubed
- 2 egg yolks
For the Cream Filling:
- 250g (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 50g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200ml (¾ cup) heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
- Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) to taste
Instructions
Preparing the Cookie Dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the 00 flour, potato starch, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. Mix well.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Knead gently until the dough comes together and becomes smooth. Be careful not to overwork.
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes to firm up.
Baking the Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) using the conventional/static setting.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to approximately 5mm (¼ inch) thickness.
- Using a round cookie cutter (approximately 5-6cm/2-2.5 inches in diameter), cut out circles and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2cm (¾ inch) between each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Preparing the Cream Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream using a spatula, maintaining as much air as possible for a light, fluffy texture.
- Transfer the cream mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (optional, for neater assembly).
Assembling the Cookies:
- Once the cookies are completely cool, place half of them upside down on your work surface.
- Spread or pipe a layer of the mascarpone cream mixture onto each upside-down cookie.
- Add a small dollop of Nutella in the center of the cream (about 1 teaspoon per cookie).
- Top with the remaining cookies to form sandwiches, pressing gently to adhere.
- Dust the assembled cookies with powdered sugar just before serving.
Nutritional Information and Timing
Prep Time: 30 minutes Chilling Time: 40 minutes Bake Time: 12 minutes Assembly Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 37 minutes Yield: Approximately 12-15 sandwich cookies
Nutritional Information (per sandwich cookie):
- Calories: 320
- Protein: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fat: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 80mg
Cooking Tips and Tricks
- Cold butter: Make sure your butter is properly chilled before incorporating it into the flour mixture. This creates the perfect sandy texture.
- Dough resting: Don’t skip the refrigeration time. It allows the gluten to relax and makes the dough easier to roll out without sticking.
- Even thickness: Roll the dough to an even thickness to ensure all cookies bake at the same rate.
- Cooling completely: Ensure cookies are completely cool before filling, as warm cookies will melt the cream filling.
- Room temperature mascarpone: Let your mascarpone come to room temperature before mixing to avoid lumps in the cream filling.
- Assembly timing: For best results, assemble these cookies shortly before serving. If made too far in advance, the cookies may soften from the moisture in the filling.
- Piping tip: Using a piping bag with a round tip creates a neater filling and helps control the amount of cream in each cookie.
Variations and Substitutions
- Flour substitution: If 00 flour is unavailable, substitute with all-purpose flour. For potato starch, cornstarch works as an alternative.
- Flavor variations: Try orange zest instead of lemon, or add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the cookie dough for a warm spiced flavor.
- Filling alternatives: Replace Nutella with other spreads like dulce de leche, jam, or peanut butter.
- Dairy-free option: Use plant-based butter, coconut cream (whipped), and dairy-free cream cheese for a dairy-free version.
- Chocolate cookies: Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the cookie dough for chocolate cookies that pair wonderfully with the filling.
- Mini version: Make bite-sized cookies using a smaller cookie cutter for elegant petit fours.
- Alcohol infusion: Add 1 tablespoon of coffee liqueur or amaretto to the mascarpone mixture for an adult version.
Common FAQs
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes! The cookie dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
Why did my cookies spread during baking?
If your cookies spread too much, the dough was likely too warm. Next time, refrigerate the cut cookie shapes for 15 minutes before baking.
How do I store these sandwich cookies?
Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The unfilled cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Can I freeze the assembled cookies?
While you can freeze the baked unfilled cookies, it’s not recommended to freeze the assembled cookies as the texture of the filling may change upon thawing.
My mascarpone mixture is too runny. What happened?
This usually happens if the heavy cream wasn’t whipped to stiff peaks before folding in, or if the mascarpone was overmixed. Chill the mixture for 30 minutes to help it firm up.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Cookie storage: Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Filling storage: The mascarpone cream filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Assembled cookies: For best texture, assemble these cookies no more than 2-3 hours before serving. Once assembled, store in the refrigerator.
- Make-ahead strategy: Bake the cookies and prepare components separately, then assemble just before serving for the optimal texture combination.
- Freezing cookies: Unfilled baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers for up to 3 months.
- Powdered sugar tip: Apply powdered sugar just before serving, as it will absorb into the cookies if done too far in advance.
These heavenly Nutella and cream sandwich cookies are the perfect balance of textures and flavors – crisp, buttery cookies with a rich, creamy filling. The contrast between the light cookie and the indulgent filling creates a dessert that’s impressive enough for special occasions yet simple enough to make when you’re craving something truly special. Your friends and family will be amazed by these elegant treats that taste like they came straight from a high-end pastry shop!
