Flaky, buttery cookies, swirled with rich Nutella – perfect for cookie swaps, holiday parties, or just coffee with a good friend
Helllloooo! Who is ready for the holiday parties, the lights, cookie swaps, and colorful tins full of holiday treats? Me!!! I think we all know how much I live for summer, but the holiday season on the east coast, with the coziness, the snow, the warm layers? It’s just so good, and makes the cold weather infinitely more bearable.
One of my closest friends brought these cookies over a couple of months ago. I took one look at them, and I recognized them immediately as this back-pocket cookie that everyone in Israel mysteriously knows how to whip up. NBD. But they are a big deal. They are such a perfect holiday tin cookie, or for a tea party, lattes with a good friend…basically, all the scenarios. HUGE crowd pleaser. I begged her for the recipe, and she sent me to one of her favorite Israeli food blogs. Side note: being bilingual/trilingual is actually very handy because it opens up a whole new world of food cultures through blogs. It may take me twice as long to read the post and the recipe, but it’s always worth it.
I honestly didn’t know exactly what to call these cookies because they are SO much more than the dry ‘pinwheel’ cookie you typically see during the holidays. These Nutella Swirl Cookies have this super flaky, buttery dough that is made up of 3 staple ingredients, and couldn’t be easier to throw together. And the filling? Well, it’s Nutella [Chocolate Hazelnut nirvana]. As if that weren’t enough, when they’re still hot from the oven, you generously dust with powdered sugar, which the warm pastry then absorbs, and it’s almost like a snowball cookie/Mexican wedding cookie phenomenon that just melts in your mouth.
HERE ARE A FEW NOTES:
Chill the dough for about 25 minutes right after you mix it up. This makes it less sticky, and easier to roll out.
Don’t be shy with the flour when you’re rolling out the dough. You want the dough to be about 1/4″ thick, and flouring the surface of the rolling pin and the board with ensure it doesn’t stick.
Before baking, score (make shallow slits) the top of the rolled cookie dough with a sharp knife. This makes cutting them after they’re baked so much easier.
You’re going for a light golden brown color on top of the dough to make sure that center of the cookies are done, and not too doughy.
This recipe makes 3 ‘rolls’ of cookie dough, so if you’re feeling creative, try other fillings as well! Any sweet spread would work. Some of my favorites are date paste + roasted walnut, dulce de leche, fruit jam, and honey tahini with coconut + white chocolate chips.
Did you make this recipe? I love to see what you’re making, so be sure to tag your photos on Instagram with #lionsbread 🙂
Nutella Swirl Cookies
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 2½ cups unbleached AP flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- 1¾ sticks, 7 oz., butter, room temperature
- 1 c sour cream
- For the filling:
- 1½ c Nutella or any sweet spread such as dulce de leche, halva, date paste, etc.
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2 In the bowl of an electric mixer, or a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, combine the Sour cream and butter, and beat until well combined. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix just until a smooth dough is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Step 3 Divide the dough evenly into 3 pieces. Roll each out on a floured surface to an 8 x 10-inch rectangle.
- Step 4 On each dough rectangle, use an offset spatula to spread the Nutella in one layer and then roll lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, score (make shallow slits) every 1-inch, so that it will be easier to slice after baking.
- Step 5 Bake for 28-30 minutes, until golden. Dust generously with powdered sugar while they’re still warm, then slice. Enjoy! .