Nutella Lava Cookies

Nutella Lava Cookies - made dough September 30, 2017 from Gastro Senses

Do you want a shot of pure chocolate with no messing around? Tempered with an additional shot of Nutella in the same bite? Look no further and break out that mixing bowl. Here you go.

Roll dough into balls first

Make indents in the center and fit the frozen Nutella over the indent

The name of these cookies does not lie. This really is Nutella “lava” when you bite into this cookie. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, let me give you the tips and tricks to make this the cookie of your chocoholic-dazed fantasies.

Chill the Nutella. You can skip this step if it’s cool enough where you live that your Nutella is more like fudge than liquid gold. But I’d recommend chilling for at least an hour so that the Nutella is firm enough that you can scoop it into round balls with a small ice cream scoop. I didn’t chill mine so when I spooned it out onto parchment paper prior to putting in the freezer to solidify, the scoops spread into flat ovals rather than remaining round balls of Nutella goodness. You want round so that when you cover it with the cookie dough, you also have round cookie dough balls. They will spread a bit in baking so the more round to start with, the better.

I omitted the chocolate chips from the recipe because I wanted a soft texture with no interference from the firmness of chocolate chips. The better to sink my teeth into a fudgy cookie with a soft, flowy Nutella center. It’s also critical not to overbake these. I know I always say that but I also always mean it. The first pan I baked just a fraction too long. The cookies weren’t dry but they were more cakey at the edges than I cared for. The second batch I snatched out of the oven when the first cracks appeared at the edges and the middles no longer looked raw or shiny. They were perfect.

This is not a cookie for the dainty. Because once you take a good bite out of the middle, that Nutella will flow. It won’t drip but it won’t necessarily stay in place either. You might have to lick your chops a time or two. But it’s worth the sacrifice.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
24 tablespoons Nutella, chilled
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping, optional

1. Scoop 24 tablespoons of Nutella onto a sheet of parchment paper. Freeze for 1 hour or until solid.
2. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In another large bowl, cream butter until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add both sugars and cream together another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined. Gradually mix in cocoa powder on low speed.
5. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Scoop dough into portions about 1/4 cup size and, using your hands, roll into 24 dough balls. Using the curved side of a teaspoon, make indents in the center of the dough balls and place frozen Nutella scoops in the middle.
7. Working quickly, cover the Nutella scoops completely inside by pulling the dough and forming balls. Press additional chocolate chips on top of the dough balls and sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Freeze for another hour.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and evenly space frozen dough balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.