Let me just preface the start of this blog by saying I don't plan on setting any unrealistic goals for myself to blog daily, weekly, or even monthly. Only as my heart desires...
Now.. on to the good stuff.
This past weekend was my darling nephew's baby blessing. Isn't he handsome?
My sister was brave enough to have over 100 people come to her house for a luncheon after the blessing.
As always, In my daily procrastination I was hurriedly looking for a dessert recipe the morning of the blessing. I ended up with an hour and a half time slot to make something so I decided cookies would be a good route to go.
I must say... these cookies were delightful! Hide them from yourself or you might eat them all.
Sorry no pics... I'm new to this blogging thing okay?
Toasted Coconut Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Nutella Cookies
(everything that is bad and good all in one place cookies)
(adapted from http://www.shebakeshere.com/2012/04/salted-chocolate-nutella-cookies.html)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup butter flavored shortening (while I don't like to use shortening these cookies need it to help fluff them up a bit)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Nutella
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup extra dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli extra dark)
Pinches of flaky sea salt
Shredded Coconut
Caramel Sauce
Oven temp 350*F - Have you ever looked into how much energy is wasted each year from "preheating" your oven? I typically turn on the oven to start heating when I'm nearing the end of each baking escapade. I don't know about you but my oven heats in about 5 minutes and I would be champion baker of the world if I could actually assemble whatever it is I'm baking in that time frame.
Using a hand mixer, beat together butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, vanilla and Nutella and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the batter.
Stir in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon (don't get lazy and use your hand mixer. It will break the chips and ruin the consistency of the cookies!)
Drop mounds of dough in tablespoon-sized scoops on a greased baking sheet. Cookies will spread during baking, so try to space them out a bit. I did 3 x 4 rows on a standard sized cookie sheet. Then add a good pinch of shredded coconut to the tops of the cookies before popping them in the oven.
Bake for 7-8 minutes and remove from the oven when your cookies are flat and slightly cracked on the surface. Immediately sprinkle lightly with sea salt and drizzled with caramel sauce. Let sit on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a wired rack to cool completely.
Makes around 24 cookies.
