Nutella Swirled Chocolate Hazelnut Chunk Cookies!

So unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure social media has made you aware that it is national chocolate chip cookie day today! I simply couldn't let this 'food holiday' pass by without paying homage to that classic cookie! 

Choc chip cookies are one of the things my mom baked most when we were growing up...and then when my older sister was old enough she started whipping them up too so there was always a good chance of finding a fresh batch in the kitchen! Whoever invented chocolate chip cookies deserves a giant trophy and a medal, make that a million medals...they've paved the way for cookie goodness forever! I like my desserts to be on the extravagant side, but even I can't turn down a simple humble chocolate chip cookie - they are timeless classics! and I think they are the kind of sweet treat that will be peoples favourites forever! 

On that note...let me introduce the humble chocolate chip cookie's older and crazier sister - the Nutella swirled chocolate hazelnut chunk cookie! yes you read that right.  Let's take a minute to break this down.  You start off with a brown sugar cookie which by itself would be delicious enough...but then you swirl a ton of dreamy creamy Nutella through the dough, and instead of just adding regular chocolate chips, you pimp it up by adding chocolate chunks because everyone knows chunks make a superior cookie! but not just any chunks, oh no...we're adding in Cadbury's whole nut chunks! so that to compliment the Nutella you have actual hazelnuts in your cookies too! 

I mean, if that description hasn't lured you in, I don't know what will! 

You need to bake these today! Sally, who invented this cookie on her blog shared a picture of them to instagram and that very same evening I just had to bake a batch because they looked too good not to! I then baked another batch two days later which is rare in this house, but we ran out of them so quick that it was essential to make more!! 

Don't say I didn't warn you, these are dangerously addictive! and will probably become your new favourite cookie! They are definitely the BEST cookie I've made this year! 

Nutella Swirled Chocolate Hazelnut Chunk Cookies:

Makes 18 

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar 

1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup (148g) Nutella, divided

2 1/3 cups (295g) plain flour 

1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cornflour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups (225g) whole nut milk chocolate, divided

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  

In a free standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until creamy.  Add the brown sugar and caster sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy.  Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla on high speed until combined.  Stir the Nutella in the jar vigorously before using so the oils are not lurking at the top as this will cause your cookies to spread.  Beat in 1/4 cup (74g) of Nutella until combined.  

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a large bowl.  On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined.  Chop chocolate into chunks.  Add 1 cup (180g) of whole nut chocolate chunks and mix on low for about 5-10 seconds until evenly distributed.  Turn the mixer off and add the remaining Nutella.  Beat for 5-10 seconds so the Nutella streaks through the cookie dough and is not fully mixed...be careful not to overbeat.  Dough will be a little crumbly but that's not a problem. 

Roll dough into balls, larger than a tablespoon.  The warmth of your hands will help them come together.  Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until slightly golden brown around the edges.  Rotate the sheets once during baking time.   The baked cookies will look extremely soft in the centre when you remove them from the oven.  Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.   Gently press the remaining chocolate chunks into the tops of the slightly warm cookies (this is purely for looks!)

Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.