Super Simple Nutella Cookies

Easy, chewy, chocolately Nutella cookies. You won't find these in Nonna's stack of traditional Italian biscotti recipe cards, but these delicious treats might be the simplest cookies you'll ever make. They require very few ingredients, not much measuring or clean up, and take no time at all – so they are a great way to get kids involved in having some fun in the kitchen. 

Nutella is a smooth, chocolate-hazelnut spread from Italy that has conquered the world (and breakfast table). It's a delicious topping for toast and bread, makes the perfect filling for crepes and cornetti, but is also great to use in baked good like cakes and cookies. Don't tell Nonna, but eating Nutella by the spoonful is also very popular. The origins of Nutella go back to the 1940's, when post-war rationing of cocoa lead to it being blended with roasted hazelnuts – which was a local and plentiful ingredient found in northern Italy. The recipe was perfected over the decades and fast-forward to today where 25% of all hazelnuts are used to make the 365 million kilos of Nutella that are consumed worldwide.

What about the cookies? They are made with 3 (or 4) simple, everyday ingredients you already have sitting around. The dough takes no more than 5 mins to prepare and within 20 minutes you'll be enjoying soft and chewy Nutella treats – perfect for celebrating World Nutella Day and every day. Here's everything you need, and how to make them.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt *optional

Makes approximately 15 cookies

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine Nutella and the egg. Either by hand whisk or using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until they are combined and fluffy.

2. Add the flour and salt to the bowl and continue mixing until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

3. Pinch off enough dough to roll into 1 inch balls between your palms. Place the balls on a parchment paper lined cookie pan leaving at least 2 inches of space between each cookie. 

4. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 177 °C (350 °F) for 10-12 mins. TIP: check if they are ready by poking the centre of the cookies with a toothpick and if it comes out clean with no batter then they are perfectly cooked.

6. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the pan and place on a plate or rack to cool for 5 minutes.

7. Make them more decadent by drizzling extra Nutella or melted chocolate on top.

8. Store the cookies in a parchment paper lined tin or box to stay fresh for a week. If storing them in a glass or plastic container place a paper towel on top of the cookies before putting the lid on, to absorb any moisture.

Let me know in the comments below what you and your family think of these cookies. Buon appetitio!