Hazelnut Spread Cookie Bars

There’s no better time of year to bake than in winter. (Ok, fresh-baked goodies are amazing all year. I admit it, but there’s something about the warmth of the kitchen while you’re baking that shuts out the cold of winter.

This is a great recipe to add to your baking repertoire, too. The crunchy crust that makes its base is wonderfully buttery and yummy, and you can’t go wrong with hazelnut spread as your frosting. You can use the name brand, though I used our store brand and it was pretty amazing. I may or may not have sampled some straight out of the container just to make sure.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 small jars hazelnut spread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, drown sugar, egg yolk and vanilla.

3. Slowly add in flour and salt. Mix until combined.

4. Scrape mixture into baking dish and press firmly to create crust.

5. Bake 22-25 minutes, until crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

6. When cooled, frost cookie base with two jars of hazelnut spread. Cut into bars.