Nutella!

Filberts... Hazelnuts... They're the ones that always go begging in the nut bowl when all of the other mixed nuts have disappeared. (The almonds always go first.) For some reason, I've never been terribly fond of hazelnuts in their unaltered form. Nutella, though, is another story entirely. It's a creamy, nutty, chocolatey treat that gives a great hazelnut flavor to these cookies.

Nutella Pecan Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Nutella hazelnut spread
2 large eggs from happy hens
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or filberts, coarsely chopped (I used pecans)
Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Melt butter in small saucepan over med. heat. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until melted.

• Place sugar in large mixing bowl. Add butter-chocolate mixture and beat until well combined.

• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt

• Beat Nutella, eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture until well combined.

• Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in pecans.

• Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and place onto parchment covered cookie sheets.

• Bake 12-14 minutes or until set and slightly crisp. The longer cooking time gets you crispy cookies. If you want chewy ones, take them out earlier...even when they don't look quite done.

• Cool slightly before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 3 dozen cookies.