Nutella Swirl Milk Crumb Cookies

These cookies.  These cookies are going to blow you away.  Not even kidding.  I was thinking about these cookies from forever ago, and I decided that I really wanted to make more of those delicious milk crumbs.  And since I figured that eating them straight up wasn't a good idea, I put them in nutella cookies.  With a nutella swirl.  And they are ridiculous.  My oldest Hungry Puppy is a little bit picky about chocolate, and will usually go for the less chocolatey option.  She totally chose these as her current favorite cookie though.  Which means everyone will love these soft, fudgy, milk crumb stuffed, nutella swirled cookies. When making these cookies, plan a little ahead so you have time to make the milk crumbs.  Adapted from this recipe.

Nutella Swirl Milk Crumb Cookies

Milk Crumbs:
40g (1/2 cup) milk powder
40g (1/4 cup) all purpose flour
12g (2 Tbsp) cornstarch
25g (2 Tbsp) granulated sugar
1g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt
55g (4 Tbsp) butter, melted
20g (1/4 cup) milk powder
90 g (3 ounces) white chocolate, melted

Cookies:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
6 Tablespoons nutella
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Milk crumbs
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup nutella

For the milk crumbs, heat the oven to 250°F.  Combine the 40g (1/2 cup) milk powder, the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.  Toss with your hands to mix.  Add the melted butter and toss, using a spatula, until the mixture starts to come together and form small clusters.

Spread the clusters on a parchment - or silpat - lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes.  The crumbs should be sandy at that point, and your kitchen should smell like buttery heaven.  Cool the crumbs completely.

Crumble any milk crumb clusters that are larger than 1/2 inch in diameter, and put the crumbs in a medium bowl.  Add the 20g (1/4 cup) milk powder and toss together until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Pour the white chocolate over the crumbs and toss until your clusters are enrobed. Then continue tossing them every 5 minutes until the white chocolate hardens and the clusters are no longer sticky.  

For the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter, nutella, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, and beat until just combined.  Stir in the milk crumbs and chocolate chips.  Drop spoonfuls of the 1/4 cup of nutella over the cookie dough, and gently stir it into the dough just enough to swirl it through the dough.

Drop the dough in 2 tablespoons size balls onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are just set.  Remove cookies from the oven to and let cool on the pan for several minutes.  Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 24 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy