What…Nutella in cookies?!?!?!

I have become the expert in chocolate chip cookie varieties.  I know exactly what my basic dough should look like just by sight and from there I can create tons of variations.  Last week, Keith had suggested adding Nutella into the mix.  At first, I dismissed him because I wasn’t really sure how that would work.  I pondered it for a while and just decided it was time to try it.  How else would I know if it would work?  Well, I can tell you that emphatically, these have got to be the best cookie I’ve created yet.  They were thick, perfectly baked and had the exact right amount of Nutella.  Not to mention the fact that they looked gorgeous!  That’s the first rule in cooking…you have to visually enjoy what you see way before you put it in your mouth.   These definitely did not disappoint and I will definitely make these for years to come!

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies w/Nutella

makes 12 good sized cookies

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ c. flour (I mix white & wheat flour)
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• Chocolate chips (I throw in 2-ish handfuls)
• ¼ -ish c. Chopped Hazelnuts (your preference)
• 2 tblsp. Nutella

Mix first 5 ingredients for 30 seconds in stand up mixer on level 2.  Stir mixture away from sides of bowl.  Mix again for another 30 seconds on level 4.  Stir mixture away from sides again.  Set on stir mode and toss in salt & baking powder…then SLOWLY add flour ¼ c. at a time.  Once all flour is in, let mixer run a little longer on level 2 (until dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl).    Bring back down to stir level and then slowly add in chocolate chips and hazelnuts until incorporated into the mixture.  The final step is to add in the Nutella, but do NOT over stir.  You want the Nutella to mix in a little, but more to create that marbled effect in your cookies.  Bake at 375* for 11-13 minutes (depending on your oven).  Enjoy!