Heart-Shaped Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies

 I have a thing for hearts. Vintage heart hankies, heart-shaped measuring cups, heart pillows, heart spatulas, heart dishtowels, heart scarves, HEART ART...if it has a heart on it, I want it. ♥

So, it goes without saying that this time of year is my FAVORITE! My love of heart-shaped baked goods can come out in full force.


Not only are these cookies cute, they are SO delicious! You'll get a double dose of chocolate and hazelnut, both in the cookie and the filling.

For the cookies, I used hazelnut flavoring. My grocery store carries it with the extracts.
(If you can't find hazelnut, substitute with vanilla. They'll still be delicious, just not quite as hazelnutty.)

You can find hazelnut flavoring on Amazon, but if you're trying to cut back on Amazon purchases like I am, buy it direct. 

Bake the cookies, let them cool, then sandwich with Nutella. I love you, Nutella!

The recipe makes about 42 sandwich cookies. I brought a batch to a meeting last week, and they seemed to go over really, really well.

Tip: cookies make meetings better.

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies

YIELD: 42 sandwich cookies

PREP/ASSEMBLE TIME: 45 minutes

INACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

BAKE TIME: 7 minutes/batch

These heart-shaped cookies pack a double chocolate hazelnut punch, with the flavors in both the cookies and the filling. 

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling surface

1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa, plus more for rolling surface

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 egg

1 teaspoon hazelnut flavoring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

chocolate hazelnut spread, like Nutella

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together. With an electric mixer, cream the sugar with the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, flavoring, and extract. In low speed, add flour/cocoa mixture in three additions. Mix until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. 

Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.

Mix together the additional flour and cocoa to coat rolling surface, rolling pin, and cookie cutter. Working with one disc at a time, roll the dough to 1/8” thickness. Cut with a 2” heart-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll scraps and continue to cut shapes. Recoat surface and rolling pin with flour/cocoa mixture as needed. 

Place cut-outs on prepared sheets. Freeze on the sheets for 5 minutes before baking. 

Bake for 7 minutes. Let sit on the sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

When completely cooled, spread 1 level teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread onto the bottom of half of the cookies. Place another cookie on top to form a “sandwich.” 

Cookies may be refrigerated to let the filling set up to a firmer consistency. 

[Note: Look for hazelnut flavoring with the extracts. May substitute with vanilla extract.]

I think I'll be baking these for Valentine's Day this year!

*post updated for 2025