Anytime I can find a way to incorporate Nutella into a recipe, I will. These treats are what my grandmother used to make and referred to as “biscotti.” So in keeping with her tradition, I’ll do the same, even though these are more like a drop cookie, more buttery and moist than the usual biscotti, which are generally quite hard and dry.

　　

Ingredients

makes 36 cookies

　　1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/2 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

　　1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread such as Nutella

　　1/2 cup granulated sugar

　　1/2 cup light brown sugar

　　1 egg

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　3/4 cup chopped toasted, skinless hazelnuts (see Note)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, and both sugars together, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the hazelnuts and stir until just combined.

　　

Step 4

Using a tablespoon measure, drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet, spacing the mounds about 4 inches apart. Use the tines of a fork to flatten each mound. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

　　Cooks' Note

　　To toast the hazelnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and place in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and fragrant.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.