Global BC Noon News director Josh Hodding makes what some describe as the “best cookies in the world” and on Monday, he shows us the secrets behind his popular Vanilla Bean & Nutella Cookies.
Vanilla Bean & Nutella Cookies
- 1 large jar Nutella
- 2 cups margarine
- 3 cups white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 vanilla bean pods
- 5-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- The day before, line a bread pan with plastic wrap and empty Nutella into pan. Shake to evenly distribute and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Remove chilled Nutella from plastic and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Place cubes in freezer overnight in airtight container.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Split vanilla pods in half lengthwise ans scrape seeds from the split pods. Cream margarine and sugar together. Add one at a time the eggs, then add vanilla extract and seeds.
- Mix in dry ingredients. remove Nutella from freezer and mold dough around frozen cubes. Only prepare enough cookies with the Nutella for one batch at a time. For example, I will make 12 cookies, then return the Nutella to the freezer until the current dozen have baked and cooled for 5 minutes. Only then will I make the next dozen. The Nutella will tend to melt and be difficult to work with if you try and make more than one bath at a time.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to counter to cool completely.