Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  Make your special someone something sweet.  Better yet, give 'em a few chocolate-hazelnut smooches. 

Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches

by Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup red sprinkles, or red sugar**
1 (9-ounce) package of dark chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped (recommended: Hershey's)**

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2) In another medium bowl, place the chocolate hazelnut spread, butter, and both sugars. Using a hand mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 3 minutes. 

3) Add the egg and vanilla and blend until incorporated. Stir in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.

4) Shape the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls. Rolls the balls in the red sprinkles or red sugar, pressing to adhere. Place the cookies on a heavy cookie sheet about 4 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes (I always under-bake my cookies, so took mine out at 6 mins). Remove the cookies from the oven. Quickly place a chocolate kiss in the middle of each cookie.  Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

I've got a whole week of Valentine sweets going on over here.