Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with Browned Butter, Vanilla Beans & Sea Salt Recipe

Brown butter in a medium saucepan. Pour browned butter, using a rubber spatula to scrape out any excess, into the bowl of an electric stand mixer and allow to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes until lukewarm.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and ¼ tsp kosher salt, set aside.

Add light-brown sugar to cooled butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer set on medium-low speed, blend the mixture together for about 1 minute until well combined.

Add in vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla, then add in eggs one at a time and mix until well combined after each addition. 

Set mixer on low speed and slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

If desired, set some of the chocolate chips aside, then gently press about 5 of them into the top of each cookie dough ball after shaping.

Transfer dough to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for about 1½ hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove dough from refrigerator and scoop dough out about 2½ tablespoons at a time and shape into balls, then align them on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper. 

Evenly flatten dough balls until you have about a 3¼-inch circle, then place 1 teaspoon chilled Nutella in the center on top of each.

Carefully fold the dough up and around Nutella, covering it entirely.

Transfer to a Silpat lined cookie sheet (fit 8 cookies per sheet) and bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle cookies with coarse sea salt. (Or sprinkle them with sea salt before baking as the salt sticks better that way).

Allow to cool several minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.