Milk Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Sandies

Milk Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Sandies

These crisp, buttery cookies are a riff on classic hazelnut sandies; the cookies are doctored with crunchy cocoa nibs and then dipped in luscious milk chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup hazelnuts
¾ cup cocoa nibs (2 1/2 ounces)
2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 

½ cup confectioners’ sugar 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract 

12 oz high-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped

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Directions:
In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts and cocoa nibs until coarsely ground. Scrape into a medium bowl and whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla bean paste at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until incorporated. Scrape the dough onto a work surface and form into a ball. 

Halve the dough, then shape each half into a 1 1/2 -inch square log and wrap in parchment paper. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Working in 2 batches, cut the cookie-dough logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on the prepared sheets at least 1 inch apart. 

Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. 

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a simmer. Place the milk chocolate in a heatproof small bowl and set it over the saucepan. Stir the chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat; leave the bowl of chocolate on top. Dip 1 corner of each cookie in the chocolate to coat halfway, letting the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Transfer the cookies to parchment paper-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 20 minutes.

MAKE AHEAD: The chocolate-dipped cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yield 6 1/2 dozen cookies.