Hazelnut Brownie Cookies!!

I think I just went to chocolate heaven!  These cookies are so chocolatey and chewy and the hazelnut chocolate ganache is the perfect topping!  SO GOOD!!!

Hazelnut Brownie Cookies

COOKIES
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp water
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Chocolate-Hazelnut ganache (recipe below)
1 cup toasted hazelnuts (bake at 350 degrees for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally)

Directions:
In a large glass bowl combine butter, sugars, and water.  Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir.  Microwave for another minute and mix well.  Add chocolate chips and microwave for 1 more minute.  Stir until chocolate chips are completely melted and mixed in.  Let stand for about 10 minutes to cool slightly.
With electric hand mixer or by hand, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time, beating until well blended.  Chill dough in refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough into balls (or use small cookie scooper) and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm.  Remove to wire racks to cool before icing.  Ice with chocolate-hazelnut ganache and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts, or you could make cookie sandwiches with a ganache center and roll them in toasted hazelnuts.  Either way is delicious!


CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT GANACHE

Ingredients:
12 oz. good quality semi-sweet chocolate
1 13 oz. jar Nutella
1 1/2 c sour cream, room temperature
1tbsp vanilla


Directions:
Fill a sauce pot with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Finely chop the chocolate and put in a heat-safe bowl over the sauce pan.  Stir the chocolate until melted.  (Or you could microwave the chocolate for 1 minute at a time on 50% power, stirring after each minute until melted but be careful not to over cook!)
When the chocolate is melted , take it off the heat and whisk in the Nutella until smooth.  Stir in the sour cream and vanilla, mix until smooth and glossy.  (If the sour cream is too cold it won't mix smooth because it gets too cold too fast so just put the whole thing in the microwave for 30 seconds and then it will mix nice and smooth.)  You can use it immediately as a cake glaze or chill for 30 minutes to make it a more spreadable consistency.  Chill for 4-24 hours to use as truffle centers. 
For the cookies I chilled the ganache for 30-45 minutes.