Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

You can never have enough cookie recipes in your arsenal. I love the all-American Chocolate Chip Cookie, but sometimes they can become boring. This is a fun variation on the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie. The addition of ground hazelnuts gives this chewy cookie a Praline-like character. They are so good, that I bet that you can't eat just one!

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup hazelnut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups best quality semisweet chocolate chips

Position oven racks to center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or use Silpats.

Mix flour, hazelnut flour, baking powder, and salt together using a whisk.

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time and beat in thoroughly. Add the vanilla, mix in, and scrape the bowl again.

Add flour mixture and blend on low until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and blend until they are well distributed. Allow dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

After dough has rested, scoop out 1/4 cup portions, roll into a ball, then divide the ball in half. Place each half on prepared baking pans until you have 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes. For best results, bake only 1 pan at a time. When finished, remove cookies to a cooling rack. Best served warm, but these cookies will keep for a week in a covered container.