Pixelated Crumb

Ingredients

• 3 cups (15 ounces) of all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) Nutella spread
• 4 tablespoon (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups (9 1/3 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed, and chopped fine, divided
• 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the Nutella, butter and sugar until light and fluffy at medium-high speed, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, instant coffee and mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low and alternate additions of flour mixture and milk, mixing until just combined after each addition. Fold in 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
3. Adjust the oven racks to the upper middle and lower middle positions and preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with either parchment paper or silicone mats. Place remaining chopped hazelnuts and 1 cup of powdered sugar in 2 separate bowls. Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls, roll in hazelnuts, then roll in confectioners' sugar.
4. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake until set, 8-10 minutes, switching and rotating the pans halfway through baking. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.