Nutella Cookies

Our Nutella cookies are playing a trick. What seems like a standard chocolate chip cookie on the outside is actually hiding a gooey, molten Nutella filling. How? Frozen teaspoonfuls of Nutella are wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough. As the cookies bake, the outsides become crispy, and the frozen Nutella turns into warm, gooey centers.

The unmistakable chocolate-hazelnut flavor shines, and dozens of chocolate chips in the dough make these cookies incredibly indulgent. For a full-on gourmet cookie, include toasted and chopped hazelnuts with the chocolate chips in the cookie dough, then finish them with flaky salt.

Ingredients for Nutella Cookies

• Nutella: Purchase a jar of Nutella for this recipe, or use one of your favorite chocolate-hazelnut spreads. I love the Bonne Maman brand’s spread. It’s possible to make Nutella from scratch with toasted hazelnuts, melted chocolate, confectioners’ sugar, salt and a good food processor.
• Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature so it creams easily with the sugar. You can also use browned butter here for a nuttier, toastier flavor.
• Cream cheese: Just like the butter, you’ll want to soften the cream cheese to room temperature. Cold cream cheese can make the cookie dough lumpy, leading to overmixing and too much gluten development.
• Sugar: You’ll sweeten the cookies with granulated sugar. You can use brown sugar in a pinch.
• Egg: You only need one egg to bind the cookie dough ingredients together. Take the egg out of the fridge at the same time as the butter and cream cheese.
• All-purpose flour: No need for any fancy type of flour here; all-purpose flour gives cookies the best structure and tenderness.
• Baking powder: Baking powder helps the cookies rise.
• Cornstarch: These cookies need a little more help with binding than usual, so we added cornstarch to our Nutella cookies recipe.
• Chocolate chips: Yes, the cookies are stuffed with Nutella, but we thought they could use a little extra dose of chocolate in the dough. Plus, it makes the cookies look so pretty on the outside.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the Nutella

Scoop or pipe the Nutella into heaping teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Freeze them until they’re firm, about one hour.

Editor’s Tip: Even if the hour is up, leave them in the freezer until you’re ready to stuff the cookies with the Nutella.

Step 2: Make the cookie dough

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, cream cheese and sugar until they’re light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until they’re incorporated.

In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and cornstarch. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no white streaks remain. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the chocolate chips.

Editor’s Tip: After you beat in the egg and vanilla extract, take a second to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated. I always find a pocket of unmixed wet ingredients sitting at the bottom of the bowl.

Step 3: Portion the cookie dough

Measure the cookie dough by quarter-cupfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the cookie dough until it’s firm enough to shape, about one hour.

Step 4: Stuff the cookie dough

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten each cookie dough portion.

Working quickly, place a frozen Nutella filling portion in the center of each dough piece. Wrap the dough around the filling to cover it completely, shaping it into a ball. Refrigerate all the stuffed cookie dough balls until they’re chilled, about 30 minutes.

Test Kitchen Tip: If the dough sticks to the bottom of the measuring cup, use slightly damp hands to flatten the cookies.

Step 5: Bake the cookies

Place three to four cookies 4 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies until the tops appear dry and the edges are browned, about 17 to 20 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for five minutes so they can finish setting up, then remove them from the pans and place them on wire racks.

Recipe Variations

• Add hazelnuts: Nutella is made from chocolate and ground hazelnuts. Since there are chocolate chips in the cookie dough, why not turn it even more gourmet and add chopped, toasted hazelnuts? They’ll bring more Nutella flavor and a bit of crunch to the cookies.
• Skip the chips: If the Nutella is enough for you, feel free to leave out the chocolate chips.
• Finish with flaky salt: There’s a lot of rich flavor in these cookies. Once the cookies are baked, sprinkle flaky salt on top to cut the richness and deepen the cookie’s natural, nuanced flavors.

How to Store Nutella Cookies

Store Nutella cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. I always like to place a sheet of parchment or waxed paper in between stacks to keep them looking pretty. If your kitchen is really warm, store Nutella cookies in the fridge.

Can you freeze Nutella cookies?

Yes, you can freeze Nutella cookies, either baked or unbaked. To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely to room temperature, then stack them in an airtight container with pieces of parchment or waxed paper in between. Freeze them for up to two months and thaw them on the counter before you enjoy them.

To freeze cookie dough, place the cookie dough-wrapped Nutella balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze them, uncovered, for one hour, then transfer the cookie dough balls to a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze them for up to two months, then bake them from frozen, adding extra baking time as needed.

Nutella Cookies Tips

Do you have to chill the cookie dough?

Yes, it’s essential that you chill the cookie dough. If you skip this step, your cookies will spread way too much during baking. The Nutella filling will ooze out, and it’ll create a huge mess on your cookie sheet. Take the time to freeze the Nutella filling and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour 30 minutes. I actually like to chill cookie dough for 24 hours to thoroughly chill it. It gives the fat a chance to resolidify and for the flour to hydrate, which concentrates the flavors.

Can you stuff these cookies with other fillings?

Yes, you can stuff these cookies with other fillings. Instead of Nutella, scoop or pipe heaping teaspoons of peanut butter, pistachio butter, hazelnut butter, Nutella Peanut, or Biscoff spread. Just make sure to freeze them after scooping them and before stuffing them in the cookie dough!

How do you reheat the cookies so the Nutella filling melts?

To reheat the cookies so the Nutella filling is melty and gooey again, place the cookies on a napkin or paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. It won’t take long to thoroughly rewarm them!