Naming cookies is hard. You don’t want too long of a title but you also don’t want to leave anything out that might pique people’s interest. Like Nutella. That’s an important component of the recipe. Brown butter is also important and definitely different from softened regular butter. Chocolate chip is important because I didn’t use white chocolate or chunks or anything else in the cookie. So, what I end up with is a 7 word cookie name.
But that’s okay with me, because having all of those things in one cookie is heaven. And after the crazy weekend I’ve had, I wish there were some of these cookies left to stuff my face with. I worked late nights all weekend and then got up early to work on a student film that I was asked to be a part of. It was worth it, but I was ready for bed about 9:30 Sunday night.
Instead of eating cookies right now, I’m drinking chocolate milk (I swear I’m a child sometimes) and watching “The Lucky One” because I am a hopeless romantic at heart and I love Nicholas Sparks. I know it’s not the best writing and the movies are kind of cheesy, but there’s something about them that I love. I can’t help myself. I’m pretty sure I’ve read every single one of his books, and some I like more than others but I always appreciated them for what they were. An escape.
I love reading, and I finally got a Los Angeles library card. And in true Sara fashion, I left the library with 4 books, excited to read. There’s something about disappearing into another world, another time and living vicariously through different characters. I can travel to Europe, to the 1800s, to some small town in rural America. I can be a princess, a maid, a spy, or a bounty hunter. For those couple hundred pages, I get to enter another world. Maybe that’s why I love acting so much. Instead of just reading, I get to be someone else.
Anyway, I could go on about books and reading for another 5 blog posts (who knows, maybe I will in the future continue this discussion). The reason you’re reading this post is for the cookies, I’m assuming.
They are divine. The intense Nutella with the caramel flavor of the brown butter and the sprinkle of sea salt on top. There are multiple dimensions of taste and flavor and honestly.. I think these are the best cookies I’ve made. They were still incredibly soft the following day. I brought them into work and everyone thought I had just made them before coming in. They are the perfect amount of crispy around the edges and chewy and soft in the center.
Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, browned
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Nutella
Cut up the butter and add to a medium or large saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and let the butter melt. Once it has melted, begin to whisk and don’t stop. The butter will bubble up and foam. Once the foam subsides, brown flecks will start forming on the bottom. When the butter is a nice light to medium brown color with a nutty smell, remove from heat and continue to whisk for 30 seconds. Pour immediately into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, beat sugars and brown butter together until combined. Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated and smooth. Add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
While the dough is chilling, prepare the Nutella. Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. Spoon 1/2 cup of Nutella into a plastic bag and snip the corner. Pipe teaspoon size nutella disks and pop the sheet into the freezer until chilled.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper.
Take a golfball sized piece of cookie dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Take one of the Nutella disks and lay it in the center. Wrap the cookie dough around the Nutella and place on the cookie sheet, flattening the dough slightly.
Bake for 7-10 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cookies cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cookies cool completely.
[source: adapted from my brown butter caramel cookies]
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