Best Chocolate Chestnut Cookies Recipes

CHOCOLATE-CHESTNUT TORTELLI (CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Blend the chestnuts, sugar and salt in a food processor until the chestnuts are finely ground. Add the rum, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Blend until the filling is almost smooth, scraping down the work bowl as necessary. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until combined. (Can be made 2 days in advance).
• Working with 1 pie crust at a time, unroll the pie crusts on a work surface and, using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 10 rounds from each crust. Brush the pastry rounds with the beaten egg to cover. Drop 1 generous teaspoon of the filling into the center of each round. Fold half of the dough over the filling and seal to make a half-circle shape. Brush the top of the tortelli with the beaten egg. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium until fluffy. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and salt; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour, and beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate. (Dough can be frozen, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 month; thaw before using.)
• Form dough into 1-inch balls; place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Using thumb or rounded end of a wooden spoon or dowel, make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each with about 1 teaspoon creme de marrons or Nutella. Place in freezer or refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake until edges are golden and cookies are firm, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

MINI CHESTNUT-FILLED CHOCOLATE COOKIES (BACI DI DAMA)

Steps:

• Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• In a food processor, pulse chestnuts until finely ground. Measure 1/2 cup tightly packed, then reserve remaining for filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons water (mixture will be clumpy).
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, confectioners' sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in 1/2 cup packed ground chestnuts and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.
• Place sanding sugar in a small shallow dish. Using a 1-teaspoon ice cream scoop, drop dough into one hand, then roll into a ball. Roll in sanding sugar to coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing 1 inch apart.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed with slight cracking on top, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Filling: Meanwhile, in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together confectioners' sugar, reserved 1/2 cup ground chestnuts, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Spread 1/2 teaspoon filling onto bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges. Filled cookies are best eaten the day they are made.