Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for coating)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional, for initial coating)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the Nutella, the egg, and the vanilla extract. Use a sturdy spatula or an electric hand mixer to blend these until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Ensure the egg is fully incorporated before moving to the next step.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate small bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture to the Nutella base. Fold the ingredients together gently until no white streaks of flour remain. The dough will be quite thick and very sticky at this point.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chilling is the most important step; it prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and makes the sticky dough easy to handle. You can even leave the dough in the fridge overnight for better flavor development.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place your powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. If you are using granulated sugar for a double-coating, place that in a separate shallow bowl as well.
- Scoop about one tablespoon of chilled dough and roll it into a 1-inch ball using your palms. Roll the ball first in granulated sugar (optional) and then generously in the powdered sugar. Ensure the coating is thick and even so the white sugar remains visible after baking. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the tops have cracked beautifully, but the centers still look slightly soft. Do not overbake, or they will lose their fudgy texture. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cook Time: 2 hours 25 minutes