Nutella Sandwich Cookies

First bake the cookies.

In the largest bowl you have or, preferably, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until creamy.

Add the egg, baking powder, and salt. Blend. Add the almond extract. Mixture may look curdled. That’s okay.

Add the flour gradually, making sure it’s blended before spooning in the next batch. If you’re using a stand mixer, you may need to stop the machine to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl using a sturdy spatula. As you add flour, the batter may stick to the paddle, climbing it. Push it out with the spatula.

Divide the dough into thirds or fourths; mine divided itself easily into thirds. Form into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill thoroughly in the fridge. I made these in a cold kitchen on a chilly day, and the dough needed 35 minutes chilling time.

While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Either butter or line three baking sheets with parchment or Silpats.

This is a good time to clean up your kitchen.

Once the dough is cool enough, roll it out to about 1/4 thickness. Cut out cookies using a 2-inch cutter. I rolled these out on my concrete countertop. A few wanted to stick. Pry up gently with offset spatula, if you’ve got one. If yours has mysteriously vanished (ahem), a thin-bladed knife or cheese knife (cough) works well. Dough is easily re-rolled and cut, though the high butter content means you’ll need to stash it back in the fridge, or even better, tuck it in the freezer to firm up. I found myself alternating between the three disks of dough: when one or another became too warm, one had cooled off enough in the freezer to re-roll into cookies. Take care to roll dough to equal thickness so cookies bake evenly.

Place cookies on trays about 1 inch apart and bake 10-12 minutes.

They are ready when tops are just baked and edges are faintly browned. Remove tray from oven and allow to set a few minutes before moving cookies to cooling rack.

To fill cookies:

For ease, you can soften the Nutella  by spooning some into a measuring cup and microwaving for 30 seconds. Me, I think this makes a worse mess and don’t bother. But maybe you aren’t as lazy as I am. Or have a dishwasher. Or both.

Using a 1/4 teaspoon measure, dollop Nutella on the flat side of cookie. Do the same with a second cookie. If you wish to add marzipan, place a dime-sized piece atop one cookie. Now stick them together and try your damnedest not to shove the entire cookie into your face.

Repeat until cookies are filled.

Store in airtight tin.

Notes:

You can, of course, use more filling, or other fillings, like a favorite fruit jam or melted chocolate. Or you could go minimalist and not fill the cookies at all.Shake powdered sugar over them and call it a day. It’s unlikely you’ll use all the Nutella here, but I’m sure you’ll something to do with it.

If you made chocolate marzipan ice cream, you can use up the marzipan now.