• Cooking Time: 12
• Servings: 60
• Preparation Time: 15
• 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

1. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until well blended
2. Beat in egg, peanut butter and vanilla
3. Add flour and baking soda and add in parts
4. Stir in the flour mixture until blended.
5. 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)
6. Press flat with a bottom of glass coated in butter
7. "Schmear" Nutella over top of each cookie (as desired)
8. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.
10. 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.
12. The Nutella turns into a fudgy frosting on top of each cookie

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.