Nutella-Chocolate Chip Cookies

The addition of Nutella to these cookies makes for a smooth flavor and keeps them moist and chewy.  The Nutella flavor isn't very pronounced, but definitely adds something special to these!  My mom and I made them, and our family loved them - we thought they looked and tasted like cookies from a good bakery, very professional.  You can definitely make them on the bigger side to really add to that "bakery" feeling, but we liked them smaller - a little over a tablespoon per cookie - since the cookies are fairly rich and it's nice to be able to eat more than one!

Nutella-Chocolate Chip Cookies (from The Perfect Finish)
Makes 4 dozen small cookies

 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Nutella
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips or coarsely chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with foil or parchment.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
3. Beat together the butter and sugar, and then add the Nutella and beat until smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.  Fold in the dry ingredients, followed by chocolate chips or chocolate chunks and nuts, if using.
4. Drop heaping tablespoon-fuls of dough two inches apart on the cookie sheets, and then flatten slightly by hand.  Bake 8-10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.