Contest Winner Announced: Congratulations to Kelsey, winner of the JIF Tasting Giveaway Package. Kelsey wrote, “Wow! What a great giveaway, Nikki! I would love to win this. I think the first thing I would do would be to make cheesecake bars swirled with the mocha cappuccino spread. YUM!” Check your email, Kelsey, to claim your prize!
When it comes to spreads, I’m a picky mom — and I always reach for JIF. Now JIF has introduced chocolate hazelnut spreads, and I was eager to try them. The new flavors deliver a rich, nutty profile with a smooth, spreadable texture that works equally well straight from the spoon or incorporated into baked goods.
I opened the jars and tasted them plain (using a cookie for dipping, naturally) and immediately knew these spreads would become a staple in our kitchen. The box I received also included homemade vanilla bean marshmallows and graham crackers, so we kicked things off by making S’mores. We tried one with the chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread and another with the mocha cappuccino flavor. Both were fantastic — rich, decadent, and perfect for a quick treat.
I’ve been baking a lot of cookies lately, so I wanted to use the hazelnut spreads in a cookie recipe. After a few test batches I settled on a chocolate chip cookie base designed to hold a hidden center of JIF chocolate hazelnut spread. The aim was a cookie with crisp edges, a chewy center, and a gooey surprise inside — reminiscent of the chocolate-filled cookies many of us enjoyed growing up, but elevated with real hazelnut flavor.
JIF Hazelnut Spread Tasting Kit Giveaway (ARV $100)
The giveaway package included:
- JIF Chocolate Flavored Hazelnut Spread
- JIF Mocha Cappuccino Flavored Hazelnut Spread
- Homemade vanilla bean marshmallows
- Graham crackers
- Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
- Folgers Black Silk Coffee
- Silver spoon
- Recipes and tips
- $50 AMEX gift card
Contest details were included originally on the post. The giveaway was sponsored by JIF; all opinions expressed here are my own based on genuine enjoyment of the product.
Chocolate Hazelnut Surprise Cookies
These cookies combine a classic chocolate chip dough with a hidden center of JIF chocolate hazelnut spread. The texture is intentionally crisp at the edges and chewy toward the center, with a creamy chocolate-hazelnut core that melts when baked. The recipe below yields about 2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (or 1 cup standard chips)
- JIF chocolate hazelnut spread (for filling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop six 1-tablespoon-sized dough balls onto each prepared baking sheet (12 total on two sheets). Using your thumb, press a shallow dent in the center of each dough ball and place about 1 teaspoon of JIF chocolate hazelnut spread into the dent.
- Carefully top each filled dent with another tablespoon of dough, pinching the seams to seal the hazelnut spread inside. Be sure the spread is fully enclosed so it won’t ooze out during baking.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges begin to crisp and the centers are set but still soft. Allow cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
You can use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and simply enclose the hazelnut spread in the centers. This particular dough spreads while baking, so limit each baking sheet to 6–8 cookies to prevent overcrowding. If the hazelnut filling feels too soft to encase, chill small spoonfuls of the spread briefly before sealing them into the dough.
The method of sealing the dough over the filling is important to prevent leakage. Gently press and pinch the edges, then roll lightly between your palms to smooth the surface before baking.
Nutrition
Serving size: 1 cookie (nutrition will vary depending on exact portion size and ingredients used).
If you try this recipe, share a photo and tag the original author on social media to be featured. These cookies make a wonderful treat for family, bake sales, and casual entertaining, and using a hazelnut spread like JIF adds a rich, nutty twist to a familiar favorite.