Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnuts

Giada DeLaurentiis calls these the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. She says she made 500 of them for her wedding. What?!? How in the world did she find time to make 500 cookies for her wedding? That's my definition of crazy. But these cookies are my definition of good.


Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnuts
adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis, Giada's Family Dinners

yields four dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. (packed) light brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 oz, English toffee candy (recommended: Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped
1 c. hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and chopped
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy.

4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

5. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.

6. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.

7. For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful (I used a small scoop) of dough onto sheet, spacing 1-inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes.

8. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

(The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)