Chocolate Cinnamon Hazelnut Cookies

These are like the cookie version of the Cinnamon Hazelnut Brownies I made a couple of weeks ago, and they are every bit as glorious!
Once again I have the wonderful Sugar Plum to thank for these. Her recipe doesn't call for any cinnamon, but after how tasty the cinnamon hazelnut combination was in the brownies, I knew it would be amazing in these cookies as well. Oh how right I was, how right indeed!
They are chewy yet fluffy (very soft straight out of the oven and a bit crisper after a couple of hours) with crunchy hazelnuts throughout, and completely over-the-top when dunked in milk. You will love these, and that is a promise. I mean really, who could ever dislike anything that contains Nutella???
I also feel like these cookies would be great for making whoopie pies (or something of the sort?) or ice cream sandwiches. I can just imagine a delectable cinnamon whipped cream or a beautifully simple homemade vanilla ice cream placed smack dab in between two of these babies. Mmmm, heaven! Someone try this and report back on my yummy suspicions, please!

Chocolate Cinnamon Hazelnut Cookies

recipe adapted from here

makes about 30 cookies

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 ounces dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Nutella (or other chocolate-hazelnut spread)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, brown the butter. It should turn golden brown, foam, and smell nutty (it will take around 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and butter/chocolate mixture for a few minutes. Add in the Nutella, eggs, and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Stir in the hazelnuts.
5. Scoop onto the prepared baking sheets about an inch apart (I used a medium-small cookie scoop for this); flatten the balls slightly. Bake for 12-15 minutes until set (I baked mine for 12). Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool further.