Chocolate Nutella Cookies

So these little babies are making their appearance in the blog world, so I thought I would introduce you to them if you haven't met them yet. You REALLY need to meet them. I don't know what it is about Nutella, but it was definitely a love at first sight relationship. Have you tried it on pretzels, toast, licked off your index finger? You need to at least try it in these cookies. You can find Nutella at any grocery store in the jams and jellies section or at Costco now which makes it actually pretty affordable. I of course added MORE chocolate to the recipe in the form of chocolate chips. You can always use more chocolate, don't you think?

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
2/3 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract (you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you can’t find or don’t like hazelnut extract)
1/3 cup Nutella
1/3 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips (I like to mix semi-sweet and milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 325°
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set the mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the extracts (I just used 2 tsp vanilla, I didn't have hazelnut extract and they were still awesome) and beat for another 30 seconds or so. Add the Nutella and beat until smooth.

With the mixer running, add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the milk, mixing until combined completely, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix completely. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes (and as long as 2-3 days).

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat (this is important so they don't get too flat). Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and place them on the lined cookie sheet, allowing about 2″ between the dough balls. Don't let the dough get to warm or it gets way too sticky to work with. If this happens, just stick it back in the fridge for a while (or freezer if you're impatient like me!)
Lightly press the dough balls with the bottom of a drinking glass and then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are crackly on top and soft, but starting to set. Remove from the oven and allow them to stand for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Original recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod.