¼cupcream cheesesoftened (light cream cheese is okay)
½cupconfectioners’ sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
about 3 tablespoons cream or milk or as neededadjust to desired filling consistency
Instructions
Cookies:
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and electric hand mixer), beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the remaining cookie ingredients. Mix on low speed until incorporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Dough will progress from very crumbly and sandy, to soft and combined. After dough has combined; don’t overmix. Dough will be soft, and on the sticky and tacky side.
Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form 2-tablespoon mounds (I made 12). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten slightly with the tines of fork to create a criss-cross pattern (or use your palm or a flat drinking glass bottom if you don’t want a pattern). Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter (there are no leaveners or eggs to help them stay thicker; you’re relying on chilled dough).
Preheat oven to 350F, line baking sheets with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet).
Bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. They should not be ‘browned’ and should stay a pale white/cream shade. Do not overbake because cookies will firm up as they cool.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooking.
Nutella-Cream Cheese Filling:
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and electric hand mixer), combine first four ingredients (through vanilla), and beat on medium-high speed to incorporate.
With the mixer running, slowly add the cream 1 tablespoon at a time, until filling combines and desired consistency is achieved. Note that Nutella seems to vary and some jars are dry and some are very runny; this significantly effects how much cream to add.
Spread a generous 2+ tablespoons of filling on 6 cooled cookies, and match them up with the 6 unfrosted halves, and join together to create sandwiches.
Notes
Storage: Unfilled cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days. Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.You’ll likely have leftover filling. It will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Eat with a spoon or use for a future baking project. Once frosted, sandwich cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days. I personally am comfortable storing the cookies at room temp, but if you prefer to store cookies in the fridge, that’s fine, but note the fridge will dry them out much more quickly.