Nutella White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Nutella White Chocolate Chunk Cookies - made dough June 22, 2014 from Averie Cooks

This was one of the cookies I made for my last week at work at my old job. I knew I didn't have a lot of time that week so I needed a cookie dough I could make ahead of time, freeze and just bake off at the last minute. Averie Cooks is a perfect blog for that kind of recipe. Her blog is full of amazing recipes and my favorites are her cookies because they're always thick, chubby and bursting with goodness. I've rarely had something not turn out from her blog so I figured this would be a safe bet since I couldn't afford any baking failures that last week.

My only comment is mine didn't turn out as dark as hers appeared to. I used the same amount of Nutella as recommended in the recipe but the dough still turned out milk chocolate-light. I was afraid of adding more in case it changed the composition of the cookie and I really wanted chubby, puffy cookies.

Which, as you can tell, I got. This is like the perfect size, texture and appearance in cookie to me. It wasn't super chocolaty or super Nutella-y though so if you want a stronger flavor, try substituting a tablespoon or two of dark cocoa and decreasing the flour by the same amount. Because cocoa powder is a drier ingredient and can suck out moisture, that gives you some leeway to add a bit more Nutella. I may try that next time.

The white chocolate chunks and the semisweet chocolate chips paired well together in this cookie as well. You definitely want to freeze this cookie dough and bake the cookies from frozen dough so plan ahead. This isn't the type of cookie you make because you have a craving that has to be satisfied immediately. But it's worth the wait.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
heaping 1/3 cup Nutella (stir well before adding)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, Nutella, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes
2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the white and chocolate chips, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 11 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Tip - Strategically place a few chocolate chips right on top of each mound of dough by taking chips from the underside and adding them on top.
5. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
6. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked and glossy in the center; don't overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.