Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Deserve This One Sweet Upgrade

It can take years for someone to perfect their go-to cookie recipe. But really, cookies can always be improved or changed to fit the taste of the baker (or eater), and for that, we love them. The next time you're planning to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, though, hold off on the chocolate chips and trade them in for some Nutella chips instead. They can be made at home in as little time as it takes for your freezer to work its magic.

Start by laying a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and then add small, chocolate chip-sized beads of Nutella in several rows on the pan. For irregular pieces, it helps to slightly warm up the Nutella beforehand in your microwave so that it will drip easily. For more uniform blobs, transfer the Nutella into a plastic bag, snip off the end, and pipe it onto the sheet. Once you're satisfied with the amount of chips, or when you've run out of room on the pan, pop it in the freezer and let them harden. 

From there, you can add the Nutella chips to your cookie dough when you'd normally add regular chocolate chips. Keep in mind that because of the extra ingredients and spreadable texture, Nutella melts more easily. Your final product may be a bit softer and more gooey than you're used to, but that's not a bad thing in our book. You'll be left with a delicious and unique take on a classic cookie.

After experimenting with Nutella or your favorite Nutella alternative, you can sweeten up your cookies even more by adding a few other complementary ingredients. Of course, if adding Nutella chocolate chips is already out of your comfort zone, you can mix in chocolate chips as well and bake an extra chocolatey cookie that has a hint of delicious hazelnut. Toasted nuts, freeze-dried strawberries, crushed pretzels, or dried cherries also pair well with Nutella chips.

Double down on gooey goodness by making Nutella s'mores cookies. In addition to the homemade chips, fold in some crushed graham crackers and miniature marshmallows before baking for a sweet treat that will make you feel like you're telling stories by the campfire — without the mess! 

For a sophisticated take on this cookie that's inspired by the pumpkin spice latte, add a tablespoon or two of finely ground espresso powder and some pumpkin pie spices. You can add more or less espresso depending on your preferred tastes. The sweetness of the Nutella will blend with the bitter coffee and aromatic pumpkin pie spices to create a cookie that's meant to be shared with a warm, delicious latte and a good book. There aren't many wrong ways to experiment with cookie ingredients, and creating something that tastes delightful to you is what matters.