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Almond butter and Nutella swirl cookies

Favorite desserts are hard to pick, but these cookies – fudgy and moist, with a swirl of Nutella – are sure to top your list.

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The Pastry Chef's Baking
Unfamiliar with almond butter? Find it at Target or Trader Joe's and try the leftovers on toast or a bagel.

Whenever people find out I'm a baking hobbyist, the most common question I get is "what's your favorite dessert?" I've mentioned before that it's really hard for me to answer that question because I don't have one particular favorite. I believe in unconditional love for many desserts. The analogy I like to use is I can't pick a favorite hair on my head either; I like them all – they keep my head warm.

However, a sure sign that I might like one dessert a bit more than most of the others is if I'm willing to make it again for myself, not just because someone requested it. So, for the next several weeks (or months, depending on my mood), I'm going to remake and repost some all-time favorites, partly because they deserve another spot on the stage because I think they're just that good, and partly because I just want to make them again and take a better picture for my blog!

What I love about this cookie is the taste and texture. It stays nice and chubby, hardly spreads during baking and it's just good. The best way to get significant swirls of Nutella is to make the batter first without the Nutella then drop dollops of it on top of your cookie dough and swirl only very slightly. Scoop it out, leaving the big swirls of Nutella intact as much as possible, chill or freeze until firm, then bake.

You only want to bake these no more than 9-10 minutes. If they bake longer, they won't have that moist, fudge-like texture. Let them cool to at least lukewarm as these tend to be fragile when they first emerge from the oven. If almond butter isn't a staple in your pantry, you can easily find it at Trader Joe's or Target.

Oh and one note on the almond butter – you may find the oil has separated from the almond butter when you open it, even it's a new jar. Some recipes advocate pouring off the oil but I would advise trying to mix it back into the rest of the butter as best you can. If you pour off all the oil, your cookies might be a bit dry because they're missing that fat. Trust me.

Almond butter & Nutella swirl cookies 
From Amelia's Savory and Sweet

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup smooth almond butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup Nutella

1. Mix first eight ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Slowly sift in flour until well incorporated. Stir in the Nutella just until you have a pretty swirl pattern.

2. Refrigerate dough for about 15-20 minutes. Then scoop out small dough balls onto lined cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree F. oven for about 7-9 minutes.

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