White Chocolate Chip Nutella Cookies

 Let me start off by saying:

I'm sorry.

 You probably didn't even notice, which is totally fine, but if you did, I've been missing in action.

 I am living in a new place, with a tiny little kitchen. I'm making it work. I like it. There is literally only one drawer in the entire kitchen. One.

And it's okay because drawers are over-rated. 

Wait, what?

Actually drawers are quite fantastic, but if you have my wit and charm, you can make yourself actually believe that having one drawer is great.

 In all seriousness though, it's fine. I actually have more than enough cabinet space and shelves to put all my snazzy appliances and gadgets!

I'm a little embarrassed by these cookies, and a tad disappointed. You see, I looked up so many recipes involving Nutella. Most of them had comments where people were actually excited. Something like "It was so cool, you couldn't even tell there was Nutella in them".

I was a bit panicked by that thought. I mean, why wouldn't you want to know you're eating Nutella? It's just about the best thing on earth, and so I made this recipe hoping so much that they would be bursting with Nutella flavor. But, no, not so much.

They are still absolutely delicious. A bit of crunch around the edges, and chewy on the inside. Absolutely delicious, but not very Nutella-y.

White chocolate Chip Nutella Cookies

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup Nutella

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white chocolate chips or semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped hazelnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and sugar until combined, about 1-2 minutes. Add in Nutella, vanilla.  Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each egg.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Turn mixer off and stir in white chocolate chips by hand.

Drop 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack before serving.

Surprise Cookies

It's that time of year. The time when resolutioners are at full-swing at the gym. The time of year when people think "I'm really gonna do it this year".

 And they might. They really might!

 But, I wish they would just go home and come back another day. You see, I don't have a problem with people getting in shape, but I have a problem with "a new year, a new you".

 I say you should change your body and your lifestyle because it's a Tuesday, not because it's a new year. I mean, come on. New years resolutions are so last season. Can I get an amen?

 On that note, these cookies are fantastic. I recommend making them as soon as possible. I also recommend shortening the baking time by a minute, as these cookies were a tad dry.

 Not dry enough however that they didn't get devoured in my house.

There is butter, there is whole milk, there is sugar, there is white flour, there is an egg.

 That's how I do it. I stuff my face with a cookie (or two) and head the the gym. And I try really hard during the week to eat healthy things. I think it's all about balance and trying to slowly achieve what you want.

Things that are achieved slowly in life tend to last the longest, and they tend to be the best. I'm a bit late, but happy new year to you! Now eat a cookie.

Surprise Cookies

adapted from: Martha Stewart Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

Chocolate Frosting for Surprise Cookies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.

Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.