Love Nutella? These soft and chewy Nutella cookies are made with Nutella in the cookie dough for a delicious chocolate hazelnut flavor. They’re filled with chocolate chips for a double chocolate cookie that’s impossible to resist.Â
**This recipe was originally published September 2016, and updated, 2020**
I’m happy to eat Nutella by the spoonful – but adding Nutella into chocolate chip cookies might be even more delicious. This recipe makes super soft cookies that are slightly crispy on the outside. They have a delicious hint of hazelnut, and a mild chocolate flavor that’s not as rich as my double chocolate cookies, but equally delicious.
Making Nutella Cookies
This recipe is very straight forward and requires far less busy work than making Nutella-stuffed cookies – which are equally delicious, by the way, but do require some extra effort to stuff all the cookies. I’m including photos and step-by-step tips below.
- Start by whisking together your the dry ingredients: 1 â…” cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. I almost always whisk together the dry ingredients first – especially when there’s cocoa powder – to remove any lumps and ensure that the cocoa and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout.
- Then in a large bowl you’ll cream together the ½ cup butter, ½ cup packed brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. The butter should be softened, but not starting to melt before getting started. This ensures that you can properly cream the mixture which significantly improves the cookie texture.
- Then mix in ½ cup Nutella. Be sure to stir your Nutella before measuring as sometimes I find it can be a little more oily at the top of the jar.
- Beat in 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. The egg should be at room temperature for the best mixing. Cold eggs can make the batter curdle/become lumpy.
- Then beat the dry ingredients into the butter and Nutella mixture. I always recommend doing a few stirs by hand first, because it minimizes the dry ingredients flying everywhere when you turn on the mixer.
- Carefully stir the chocolate chips into the cookie batter. Note: I always reserve about ¼ cup chocolate chips for dotting on the top of each cookie when they’re fresh out of the oven. So for the 1 cup that the recipe calls for, I’ll stir in ¾ cup and save the rest for later.
- Then cover the bowl with plastic and pop it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. Chilling the dough creates thicker, chewier cookies. The recipe will still work per se without chilling the dough, but if you want thicker, chewier cookies with almost gooey centers – then chilling the dough is definitely the way to go.
- When you’re ready to bake, you’ll preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. I always line my cookie trays because it helps to prevent the cookie bottoms from overbrowning.
- Then scoop the dough into balls with about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of dough each. I used my 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and slightly overfilled it each time. Place them about 1.5 to 2 inches (about 3-5 cm) apart on your cookie trays.
- Then bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of your oven. They’ll need to bake for about 9-11 minutes, or until the tops are just set. When the cookies are still warm, I then place a few of the reserved chocolate chips on top of each cookie for that perfect bakery-style look.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- This recipe has been developed using name brand Nutella. I have also had success using other brands of commercially prepared chocolate hazelnut spread. I do not recommend using a homemade version because the consistency is different, and the oil can separate.
- Measure out your Nutella using a dry measuring cup, and level off the top.
- You’ll want to slightly under bake your cookies to keep them extra soft. Then after they come out of the oven I like to place a few extra chocolate chips on top for that extra professional, “eat me” look.
- This recipe can be doubled (if you have a very big bowl).
- To freeze the dough, follow the recipe until the step of forming the dough into balls. Then place the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and pop them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake the cookies from frozen – they’ll need an extra 1-2 minutes.
And hey – Â if you want to frost them in more Nutella, I’d be all for it! To recap why you’re going to love these cookies, they’re:
- Filled with Nutella
- Completely fudgy
- Super soft & chewy in texture
- And the perfect way to take your chocolate chip cookies up a notch
If you like these cookies, make sure to try:
Nutella Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 1 and â…” cup all purpose flour (208 grams)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (22 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (112 grams) softened to room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar (105 grams) light or dark
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup Nutella
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup chocolate chips (170 grams) plus a few more for the tops of each cookie
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Then beat the Nutella into the butter mixture.
- Beat the egg and vanilla into the butter and Nutella mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Do a few stirs by hand first, then beat in the dry ingredients until evenly combined.
- Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Stir in the chocolate chips. I always stir in ¾ cup and reserve the ¼ cup for dotting the top of each cookie.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Form the cookies into balls with about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of dough each (I recommend using a cookie scoop), and place the cookies 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. If the dough is too hard to form into balls, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes first.
- Bake 1 tray at a time in the middle rack of the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the tops look set.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool fully on the cookie tray. Optionally, dot the tops of each warm cookie with a few extra chocolate chips.
Notes
- Nutella: Do not use natural or homemade Nutella - the oil can cause the cookies to separate. This recipe was tested using name-brand Nutella. I, therefore, can't be sure of the results using other brands/versions of chocolate hazelnut spread.Â
- Freezing Cookie Dough: To freeze the cookie dough, follow the recipe through step 5. Then form the dough into balls and pop them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Bake the cookie dough from frozen - it will take about 1-2 minutes longer.
- Storage: After cookies have fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.Â
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is based on 1 cookie, assuming your recipe yields 28 cookies total. All nutrition information is an estimate only.Â
Nutrition
I have to make these! Nutella baked right into the cookies is such a good idea!
I’m always searching for more ways to eat Nutella! Thanks for stopping by – let me know what you think of the recipe!
What do you mean by cup heaping 1/3 Nutella? 1 heaping cup. Or 1/3 of a cup? It’s very confusing
Sorry for the confusion! Looks like the recipe formatted incorrectly. You’ll want to measure out 1/3 cup Nutella in a dry measuring cup, but the top can be rounded/heaping instead of flattening off the top.
Nutella in any form is heavenly, but these cookies are on another planet of deliciousness. They look so perfectly soft and chewy- I think I could eat a whole batch on my own! Sorry kids!
I think Moms deserve their own after school snacks too!! Or secret, after the kids go to bed snacks…. 🙂
These were sooo good! I love Nutella and they were seriously like having a big spoonful, but as cookies!