Whenever people find out I'm a baking hobbyist, the most common question I get is "what's your favorite dessert?" I've mentioned before that it's really hard for me to answer that question because I don't have one particular favorite. I believe in unconditional love for many desserts. The analogy I like to use is I can't pick a favorite hair on my head either; I like them all - they keep my head warm.
However, a sure sign that I might like one dessert a bit more than most of the others is if I'm willing to make it again for myself, not just because someone requested it. So, for the next several weeks (or months, depending on my mood), I'm going to re-make and re-post some all-time favorites, partly because they deserve another spot on the stage because I think they're just that good and partly because I just want to make them again and take a better picture for my blog :).
First up is this one from Amelia's Savory and Sweet blog. When I first discovered and made this recipe, I merely linked to Amelia's blog so people could grab the recipe from there (you still can, just click on the recipe title in this blog post). However, I've since learned it's probably a good idea to also post the recipe on my blog just in case something happens to that original blog post. Wouldn't want the recipe to be lost!
What I love about this cookie is the taste and texture. It stays nice and chubby, hardly spreads during baking and it's just good. The best way to get significant swirls of Nutella is to make the batter first without the Nutella then drop dollops of it on top of your cookie dough and swirl only very slightly. Scoop it out, leaving the big swirls of Nutella intact as much as possible, chill or freeze until firm, then bake. You only want to bake these no more than 9-10 minutes. If they bake longer, they won't have that moist, fudge-like texture. Let them cool to at least lukewarm as these tend to be fragile when they first emerge from the oven. If almond butter isn't a staple in your pantry, you can easily find it at Trader Joe's or Target.
Oh and one note on the almond butter - you may find the oil has separated from the almond butter when you open it, even it's a new jar. Some recipes advocate pouring off the oil but I would advise trying to mix it back into the rest of the butter as best you can. If you pour off all the oil, your cookies might be a bit dry because they're missing that fat. Trust me.
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup smooth almond butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup Nutella
- Mix first 9 ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Slowly sift in flour until well incorporated. Stir in the Nutella just until you have a pretty swirl pattern.
- Refrigerate dough for about 15-20 minutes. Then scoop out small dough balls onto lined cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for about 7-9 minutes.
What brand of almond butter do you like best for this recipe?
ReplyDeleteI'm not loyal to a particular brand as I haven't experimented enough with almond butter to have a preference. But I mainly use the one from Trader Joe's or Target.
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