Nutella Cookies

I had an incident while baking with Nutella a few years ago.  It was actually on a Superbowl Sunday.  This was well before I was gluten free, and I was making some kind of banana Nutella brownie swirl thing.  Well, brown sugar was an ingredient, but mine was all hard and wouldn't pack.  So, I put a bunch of it into a plastic measuring cup, and microwaved (on what I thought was a low power) for about 30 seconds to get it to soften up.  When I took it out, I pushed the sugar down with my finger.  Turns out, I had not microwaved on low, and all the sugar underneath the top layer had turned into MAGMA.  Which if course, oozed out, stuck to my finger and burned it so badly that when I went to the health center on campus Monday, I was told I was so lucky that I hadn't lost that part of the finger.  Don't think I didn't finish making the brownies or go to the Superbowl party though.  And, if I remember correctly, my surrogate favorite team (the Green Bay Packers) won that year.  Despite the Packers' triumphant win, somehow, I haven't baked with Nutella since then.  I don't think it was a conscious effort, but it's definitely silly, mostly because Nutella is amazing.  You know what else is good, and might also be good in these cookies?  The flavored Nutella-esque swirl creations that they sell at World Market.

They also have banana chocolate, and sometimes, strawberry chocolate.  I think those would be equally good in this recipe.  Anyway. . . 

You guys, these are CHEWY.  Yes.  A gluten free cookie that is CHEWY.

Not:

or

No, it's the mouthfeel that you MISS a lot when you go gluten free.  I've always liked things that were chewy.  I love gummy candies, licorice, and even used to beg my mother to make my cream of wheat with "chewy lumps" (which, she could always do better than anyone else in the world).  But, since going gluten free, my chewy moments have been few and far between.  So, this cookie?  Really does it for me in both flavor, and chew departments.

Nutella Cookies from Gluten Free on a Shoestring

1 c. (140 g.) high-quality all-purpose gluten free flour (more on this below)

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (if your brand has it already, skip this)

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 c. white sugar

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 tbsp. Nutella

1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I used 1 ounce chocolate chips, I lived to tell the tale)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 extra-large egg, room temp, lightly beaten

1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Mix flour, xanthan gum (if not omitting), baking soda, salt, white and light brown sugar in a bowl.  Make sure to eliminate any lumps in brown sugar (I crushed some of the particularly stubborn pellets with my fingers).

3.  In a small sauce pan on low heat, melt butter and Nutella until smooth.  Remove from heat and add chocolate.  Mix until mixture is smooth.  Add vanilla extract and stir.

4.  Pour chocolate mixture into dry ingredients.  Mix to combine (this will seem very crumbly).  Add the egg and mix.  The mix will still seem crumbly, but will come together.  Knead the dough until smooth.

5.  Pull off a small piece of dough (Nicole says about 1 inch in diameter or about 30 g).  Roll it tightly into a ball, then flatten between your hands into a disk.  Place dough disks on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  

6.  Bake on center rack for about 9 minutes until spread and slightly cracked on top.  

7.  Remove sheet pan from oven, and allow cookies to cool on pan before removing to rack.

I really love these cookies.  I really love Gluten-Free on a Shoestring.  I'll be honest with you, I'm going to be making a lot of Nicole's recipes.  Not just because they all look delicious, but because I've had some success with her recipes and flour blends.  I made these cookies (and will be making most things) with the Better than Cup4Cup flour.  Using that blend has really helped me feel successful as a baker again, which I really wasn't sure was going to happen.  I have been really apprehensive about getting back into baking, and so I started with mixes, and flourless recipes.  But, seeing how well this particular blend works has given me a bit more confidence about pursuing some more adventurous recipes!