Nutella-Filled Nutella Cookies

Nutella-Filled Nutella Cookies - made dough July 22, 2020, modified from Will Cook for Smiles

I modified this recipe from Will Cook for Smiles as I had a certain vision I wanted to execute for them. The original recipe called for making a Nutella-based cookie, rolled in chopped hazelnuts. I didn't have hazelnuts and popping over to Trader Joe's on a whim to get one baking ingredient is so pre-Covid.

But I did have toffee bits so I decided to experiment and roll one taste test cookie in them. You can see from the picture above that the unbaked cookie dough ball rolled in toffee bits looks almost like a Ferrero Rocher. Cookie dough lovers might even prefer to eat it this way before it's baked.

But wait, there's more. I also decided to up the Nutella ante by stuffing a dollop of Nutella inside the Nutella cookie. I know, right? I wanted that flowy Nutella lava when you bite into the cookie. See first picture and judge success for yourself.

However, before I get too big for my baking britches, I have to confess that, like many of my baking visionary experiments, this was only partially successful.

For one thing, since I always freeze cookie dough before baking, it was hard to get the toffee bits to adhere to the frozen dough ball. In hindsight, I should have rolled them in the toffee bits right after shaping the cookie dough around the ball of Nutella then frozen them. Live and learn.

Interestingly, the cookie rolled in toffee bits spread more and turned out less uniformly round than the non-toffee one. Which probably isn't surprising since the toffee partially melts and takes the dough with it as it bakes.

Taste-wise, I thought they were a little too sweet for me. And this is where my vision went awry. Stuffing Nutella inside a cookie that's already flavored with Nutella sounds brilliantly decadent on paper. But in reality, instead of having Nutella as the superstar diva, it turned into two supporting actors who put in a good-but-could-be-better performance.

Think of it this way: if you wanted something to pop, you put it against a contrast. Want to show off a blazing red top? You wear white jeans. Not red ones, not pinky-red ones, not same shade red ones or - bless your heart - definitely not with orangey-red jeans.

I clearly did not stuff enough Nutella in this one

Before I go too far afield with that analogy and make my mind's eye cringe, let's stick with cookies. The whole Nutella-stuffing thing would've been better with a pure chocolate cookie, a chocolate chip cookie or a sugar cookie. Something that contrasts with the Nutella and offers a different flavor profile. Nutella-on-Nutella made it a little one-note for me. Now, Nutella lovers will probably give me the side-eye of "what's wrong with that??" so they might like it this way. And it is good but I think more of a flavor contrast would be better. Or you can make the cookie as Will Cook for Smiles intended with the Nutella swirled in the dough rather than as a filling and they'd be just fine too.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped or toffee bits (I used toffee bits)
Additional Nutella for filling, chilled

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
2. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and cream together until combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition. Beat in Nutella and vanilla extract, mixing until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl to keep mixture even textured.
4. Add dry ingredients in two additions, on low speed, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Cover bowl and refrigerate cookie dough until firm. When firm enough to portion into dough balls, roll into golf-ball-size balls, flatten each ball into a disc and place a small scoop of chilled Nutella in the center. Form the dough around the Nutella, encasing completely and pinching the dough to seal with seams. Roll dough balls in toffee bits, pressing toffee into dough until each ball is completely covered. Cover and refrigerate or freeze for several hours.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space on baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges have set and middles no longer look raw. Do not overbake.