Friday, September 12, 2014

SWIRLED PEANUT BUTTER & NUTELLA STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

SWIRLED PEANUT BUTTER & NUTELLA STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN LARGE COOKIES
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/stuffed-nutella-cookies/

These are so yummy!  Took them to YW they liked them as well.  They were hard to stay out of.  We used the homemade nutella we had made with the hazelnuts we harvested from Dorris Ranch.  I made 2 batches with nothing in the middle. They were yummy just as normal cookies.  Made the night before and kept in fridge.  Was nice already having the dough done.

I made really big cookies with this recipe (basically two regular size cookie dough balls pressed around the peanut butter/nutella swirl). If you'd like to exercise some self-control, you could definitely make smaller cookies, just adjust the size of the cookie dough and the scoop of peanut butter/nutella.

I liked the little melty nibble of peanut butter/nutella right in the center of the cookie, however, if you'd like that goodness to be spread out more, simply smooth the dollop into an even layer, but don't spread it all the way to the edge, before sandwiching with the top half of the cookie. The choice is yours.

INGREDIENTS

Cookie Dough:
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 21 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 sticks (24 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups packed light brown sugar (14 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet or milk chocolate chips
Peanut Butter/Nutella Swirl:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup Nutella

DIRECTIONS
For the cookie dough, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until well mixed. Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Mix well until the batter has lightened slightly in color, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips at the same time. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for 2-3 hours (this will make it easier to mold the dough around the peanut butter/nutella swirl and also help the cookies hold their shape).
In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter and nutella and gently swirl a few times so that it starts to combine but you can still see ribbons of each. Cover and refrigerate while the cookie dough chills.
After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Take about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and form into a ball and then flatten slightly. Scoop a scant teaspoon of peanut butter/nutella and dollop it in the center of the flattened cookie dough. Take another 1 1/2 tablespoons or so of dough and form a ball and then flatten to the same diameter as the bottom round. Place it on top of the peanut butter/nutella and gently press all the edges to seal well. The cookie will be round but quite thick. Don't press to flatten.
Repeat with the remaining dough and peanut butter/nutella swirl. Place the cookies 1-2 inches apart on silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheets; they will spread quite a bit. I put about 8 cookies on each 12X18-rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate the filled, unbaked cookies that aren't ready to be baked (the longer they sit at room temperature, the more they will spread in the oven).
Bake for 14-16 minutes.

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