Gianduia puffball cookies

based on a combination of Wes's chocolate puffball cookies and these guys



1 c hazelnuts
6 oz dark chocolate (14 squares of a TJ's pound plus bar)
6 cubes crystallized ginger (or more, I couldn't really taste it)
1 t cinnamon
1/2 + 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c earth balance
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 t amaretto (frangelico if you have it)
2 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 T cocoa powder
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease two cookie sheets. Grind hazelnuts in food processor, then grind in chocolate, then ginger, cinnamon, and 1/2 c sugar. In a large bowl, cream together earth balance and 1/2 c sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla and liqueur. Mix in chocolate-hazelnut mixture thoroughly. Combine dry ingredients and mix into batter gently.

Put some powdered sugar on a little plate, and put some water on another little plate. Dip your palms in the water (and repeat after every few cookies just before the dough starts to stick irreparably). Grab a bit of dough with the fingers of one hand, roll it into a 1" ball between your palms, dip it in the powdered sugar and roll it around a little, brush off any excess powdered sugar with the fingers of the other hand if you're running low on powdered sugar like I was, and place powdered-sugar-side-up on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the other ~3 dozen cookies. Bake for 14 min, switching the pans between racks halfway through. Transfer to a cooling rack immediately.