HOW TO FIX A BAD DAY: NUTELLA, BROWN BUTTER, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

You guys. I made the most cringe-worthy mistake at work and I am still reeling about it. You know that awful feeling you get in your stomach when you realize you did something really wrong and you want to crawl into a hole and never come out, or at least never tell your boss about your mistake? That feeling is the pits. Just terrible.

So please, make me feel better: have you ever made a terrible mistake (maybe on the job or with your kids or something) and lived to tell the tale? Warren promises me that this will be funny in a little bit. I really hope so... But for now, I'm living in my awkward turtle shame hole, right alongside GOB Bluth. Taste the tears, Michael, taste the tears.



Besides all the practical ways of dealing with major fails, we all know that the only true solution to a bad day is to eat your feelings. Right? Hence, I give you the single best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. I am dead serious. Because it involves Nutella (or peanut butter, should you be feeling saucy). And butter. Oh, is there ever a lot of beautiful browned butter.

NUTELLA STUFFED BROWN BUTTER DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
*Praise Ambitious Kitchen for this divine recipe, which I adapted just slightly

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• Nutella, chilled (makes for easier scooping)
• Kosher salt 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it you can see the little milk solids turning brown. Your kitchen should smell a little bit like heaven at this point. This takes a few minutes of constant whisking and you will feel like you have failed several times (like when things start foaming) but keep at it. Just take it off the heat quick because brown butter can turn into burned butter real fast.

Dump the brown butter in a stand mixer (if you're sans stand mixer, just use a bowl and a hand mixer) and mix for a minute or two to cool it down. Add sugar and beat until combined. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in all those luscious chocolate chips. Might as well add another few handfuls if things are looking a little sparse. You won't regret it. Chill dough for two hours. Yes, two hours. Trust me. It makes stuffing much easier and makes them bake to golden perfection. Don't skip this step!

Roll about two tablespoons of chilled dough into a ball. Flatten and add a spoonful of Nutella or peanut butter (or both!) and smoosh the dough around the filling to cover. Place seam down on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. You should get around two dozen cookies. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes. Err on the side of less done--just a hint of golden brown with a squishy center. Sprinkle with kosher salt and devour. 

And I'm all...

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