Layers of Happiness

1 Combine in a separate bowl the flour, baking soda and set it to the side.
2 Brown the butter: In a small to medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat - stirring constantly. Once the butter begins to foam and has the aroma of a nutty flavor remove it from the heat. It will be slightly brown at the bottom of the pan. Set it aside and let it cool down. Give it about 10 minutes to cool.
3 Combine the browned butter, salt and sugars until thoroughly blended.
4 Add in the egg and egg yolk, pumpkin, spices and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.
5 Turn down your mixer and add the dry ingredients that you had set aside a little at a time.
6 Add in the chopped pecans (optional)
7 Fold in the chocolate chips
8 Chill your dough for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator (or overnight). If you are in a hurry you can speed it up by placing it in the freezer but be careful not to get it frozen.
9 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
10 Roll 3 Tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Make a pancake out of the dough into your hand and place it on some wax paper. Press your thumb in the center creating a little valley where you will put your Nutella.
11 Using 2 Knives place a teaspoon of Nutella (refrigerated) into the center of the pancake cookie - one to get the Nutella out and one to scrape it into the cookie center. The Nutella is much easier to work with when it is cold and when you don't use your hands.
12 Gently fold the cookie dough around the Nutella making sure to seal the Nutella completely. Gently roll into a ball.
13 Place dough balls on cookie sheet with 2-3 inches between each cookie ball.
14 Bake the cookies 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.
15 They may look a little underdone in the middle, but no worries - they will continue to cook while they cool down.