Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every time I see Nutella when I go shopping, I the compulsion to buy a jar. Especially if it is on special offer. At one time, I had 5 jars (that's how bad it is) in the pantry with more than 5 recipes playing in my head.

Nutella Cake, Nutella Cheesecake, Nutella Cookies, Nutella  Ice Cream, Nutella whatever..... And then I see the expiry dates looming near. 

That's when I had to do something with the Nutella and deciding what to bake was a headache. That's mostly due to my fickle mind and also my lack of enthusiasm. I am so unmotivated these days.

Allow me to digress. Chinese New Year is coming in exactly a week's time. One week. Gah! So, madam, have you washed the curtains? Nope. Have you washed the cushion covers? Nope. Have you done any spring cleaning? Nope. What is wrong with you??!!

I don't know. I seriously don't know. I only look forwards to seeing my parents again and having us a nice family gathering. And all the eating that would ensue. 

I shouldn't worry too much about the spring cleaning. I am sure the impetus to clean the house (and garden) will come at the very last minute (as it always does). After all, nobody is coming to my house to judge me.

At the most, they may think "hmmm... her housekeeping standards are not what it used to be". And then when they eat my nasi minyak, all will be forgotten. Hah! (Hopefully).

Now back to cookies. Nope, these aren't Chinese New Year cookies, that's for sure. The rest of you are baking pineapple tarts and salted egg yolk cookies and God forbid, frying ngaku chips and what not. Well, good for you. If only I could go to your house and sample all that hee..hee...

So. I decided to revisit these Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies which I fell in love with. It all starts with freezing the Nutella into nuggets to make stuffing the cookies easier. In our hot weather, it is going to be very frustrating trying to encase Nutella inside cookie dough.

And not surprisingly, the frozen Nutella nuggets stayed frozen for a very long time. Until one fine day when I simply had to clear up some freezer space.

So I made the cookie dough but did not bake the whole batch as some went back into the freezer. Haiz.... There is no end to this is there?

I did not eat all the cookies I baked, of course. Where did the balance go? No, no, I did not give any away. These are too good to be given away. I stashed them in, where else, the freezer.

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe source : Adapted from Ambitous Kitchen

This recipe makes approximately 32 cookies. Freeze the Nutella in advance.

Ingredients :

- 340g self raising flour

- 200g butter, softened

- 150g brown sugar

- 50g caster sugar

- 2 eggs

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1 cup milk chocolate chips

- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

- 32 teaspoons Nutella frozen into nuggets

- some sea salt to sprinkle on the cookies

Method :

1. Beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Add vanilla extract and continue to beat until well combined.

4. Fold in flour to form a dough.

5. Add chocolate chips and fold until well mixed.

6. Chill the dough for about an hour.

7. Using a one-tablespoon ice-cream scoop, scoop the cookie dough and flatten on your palm.

8. Place a Nutella nugget in the center and fold the dough to encase the Nutella. If there is not enough dough to cover the Nutella, add more dough to patch up. Roll into a ball and place on a lined baking tray.

9. Place the cookie dough about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly. Sprinkle with sea salt.

10. Bake at 160C for 15 minutes or longer for a crispier cookie.

11. Cool the cookies on the baking tray for about 10 minutes and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before storing. For the ultimate experience, eat when still warm!