Indulgent Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

Delight in the decadence of these thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies infused with the rich flavor of Nutella.

Ingredients

2 1⁄8	cups all-purpose flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1⁄2	teaspoon salt
1⁄2	teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2	cup butter, melted and cooled until warm
3⁄4	cup brown sugar
1⁄2	cup granulated sugar
1⁄2	cup Nutella
1	large egg
1	egg yolk
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1⁄2	cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1	cup chopped walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)

Instructions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet measuring 20 x 14 inches without sides with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Set the mixture aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, blend the melted butter and sugars until well combined. Incorporate the Nutella, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract into the mixture. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  4. Take 1/4 cup of dough and shape it into a ball. Using the fingertips of both hands, divide the ball into two equal halves. Rotate the halves by 90 degrees and with the jagged surfaces exposed, connect them at the base to form a single cookie. Be cautious not to smooth the uneven surface of the dough. Place the formed dough on the baking sheet, spacing about nine balls per sheet. If using smaller sheets, adjust the number of cookies accordingly, taking into consideration the baking time.
  5. Bake the cookies until they turn a light golden brown and the outer edges begin to harden, while the centers remain soft and puffy, for about 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). Frozen dough may require an additional 1 to 2 minutes of baking time. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets before storing them in an airtight container.
  6. Note: Instead of shaping the dough by hand, I used a large cookie scoop for portioning. This resulted in slightly smaller cookies than the giant 1/4 cup size mentioned above, yet they turned out beautifully. Remember that they will deflate slightly as they cool, so adjust the baking time accordingly. I personally baked mine for the full 18 minutes, or until the centers were soft but not mushy. Using the cookie scoop method, I yielded 17 large cookies.

Jul 18, 2024