Hazelnut Latte Thumbprints

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Separate eggs. Reserve the whites, then add the yolks, milk and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat well.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and salt. Stir the cooled coffee into the wet mixture, then add the two mixtures together. Mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape into 1 – inch balls. Reserve 1/2 cup of the finely chopped toasted hazelnuts and place the remaining 1 1/2 cups in a shallow bowl. Dip each ball in the reserved egg white, then roll in the hazelnuts. Place on greased baking sheets. Using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon, make a deep indentation in the center of each ball. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until set. If necessary, reform the indentation with the end of a clean wooden spoon once the cookies come out of the oven. Let cool for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack.

Place the Chocolate Hazelnut spread into a disposable plastic bag or pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Squeeze approximately 1 Tbsp. of the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread into the center of each cookie. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat the Dulce de Leche milk caramel for 20 - 30 seconds or until easily stirred. Pour into a disposable plastic or pastry bag and snip off a small corner. Squeeze caramel over the edges of each cookie in a thin zig-zag pattern, leaving the center of the cookie plain. Top the center of each cookie with a sprinkling of the reserved finely chopped hazelnuts. Let sit for 30 minutes or until caramel sets. Enjoy!