Peanut Butter Cookies with Nutella Schmear
Why I Love This Recipe
I have been making these peanut butter cookies for years, but after a recent trip visiting family in Sicily I came up with this wonderful addition -- a Nutella icing that bakes right onto the cookie. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before, but now I will make a batch of each -- one with and one without the Nutella -- each time.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄3 cup (5 1⁄3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Nutella
Directions
Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until well blended
Beat in egg, peanut butter and vanilla
Add flour and baking soda and add in parts
Stir in the flour mixture until blended.
Shape into 1-inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. (I have made these larger, too, with no ill effects)
Press flat with a bottom of glass coated in butter
"Schmear" Nutella over top of each cookie (as desired)
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.
These cookies are quite fragile until they cook a bit. Don't try to remove them from the pan too soon or they may break apart.
The Nutella turns into a fudgy frosting on top of each cookie
