These Nutella Cookies are a dream come true for chocolate hazelnut lovers, offering a rich, decadent flavor that goes far beyond a standard chocolate chip cookie. By incorporating a generous amount of Nutella directly into the dough, these cookies achieve a fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency that is perfectly balanced by the crunch of chocolate chunks.
With their deep cocoa aroma and chewy edges, these cookies are a sophisticated treat that will quickly become a favorite for both kids and adults alike.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Intense chocolate-hazelnut flavor with a warm vanilla finish and rich, buttery undertones.
- Textures: Soft and fudgy in the center with slightly crisp edges and chunks of melty chocolate throughout.
- Total Active Time: 15 minutes of prep, plus a 3-hour mandatory chilling period and 10-13 minutes of baking.
- Difficulty: Easy – requires simple creaming and mixing with a stand or electric mixer.
What You’ll Need
To bake these indulgent cookies, you will need a base of softened butter and two types of sugar to create the perfect crumb. The star of the recipe is a large portion of Nutella, which provides both flavor and moisture, while cornstarch is added to the dry ingredients to ensure a soft, tender texture.
Ingredient Notes
- Nutella – This is the heart of the recipe, providing the signature chocolate hazelnut flavor and a beautiful fudgy density to the dough.
- Light Brown Sugar – Using packed brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses, which helps keep the cookies chewy after baking.
- Cornstarch – A small amount of cornstarch is the secret to a soft, professional-style cookie that stays tender rather than becoming hard.
- Chocolate Chunks – Chunks provide larger, more satisfying pools of melted chocolate compared to standard chips, though chips can be used in a pinch.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Sea Salt – A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies immediately after baking can beautifully highlight the hazelnut and chocolate flavors.
- Hazelnuts – For an extra crunch, you can fold in 1/4 cup of finely chopped toasted hazelnuts along with the chocolate chunks.
- Chocolate Variety – While bittersweet chocolate chunks pair perfectly with the sweet Nutella, you can use milk chocolate or even white chocolate chunks for a different flavor profile.
How to Make Nutella Cookies
This recipe relies on a thorough chilling process to ensure the Nutella-infused dough doesn’t spread too much in the oven, resulting in a thick, soft cookie.
- Cream the Base: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and Nutella. Beat these together until the ingredients are well-creamed and completely combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the large egg and the vanilla extract, continuing to mix until the batter is smooth and well-incorporated.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently to ensure every bit of flour is incorporated without over-mixing.
- Fold and Chill: Stir in the chocolate chunks by hand. Cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours.
- Shape and Bake: Preheat your oven to 375 F and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough into approximately 2-tablespoon-sized balls and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake for 10-13 minutes at 375 F.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet to let the fudgy centers set.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the 3-hour chilling time! Because Nutella has a high fat content and a soft consistency, the dough needs to be very cold before it hits the oven to prevent the cookies from spreading into thin puddles.
Recipe Tips
- Room Temperature Butter: Ensure your butter is truly at room temperature. If it is too cold, it won’t cream properly with the Nutella; if it is melted, the cookies will lose their structure.
- Don’t Over-bake: These cookies are best when the edges are just set. They may look a little soft in the center when you pull them out, but they will firm up perfectly as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Use the “spoon and level” method for your flour to avoid packing too much into the measuring cup, which can make the cookies dry.
- Scrape the Bowl: Nutella is thick and can stick to the bottom of the bowl. Be diligent with your spatula to ensure the dough is uniform.
FAQs
Can I use a different brand of chocolate hazelnut spread? Yes, any high-quality chocolate hazelnut spread will work, though Nutella is the tested standard for this specific recipe.
Why did my cookies spread too much? This is almost always due to skipping the chilling process or using butter that was too warm. Make sure the dough is firm and cold when it goes into the oven.
Do I need a stand mixer? While a stand mixer makes creaming the thick Nutella and butter easier, a handheld electric mixer will work perfectly well for this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
- Cold Milk: There is no better pairing for a rich chocolate cookie than a tall, cold glass of milk.
- Ice Cream Sandwich: Use two cooled Nutella cookies to sandwich a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream for an elite dessert.
- Coffee Break: These cookies are decadent enough to serve as a small treat alongside a hot espresso or a latte.
Make This Recipe in Advance
The dough for these cookies can be made up to 48 hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. You can also roll the dough into balls and freeze them in a sealed bag. If baking from frozen, simply add 1-2 minutes to the total baking time. Once baked, the cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Fudgy Nutella & Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Hazelnut Infusion
- Total Time: 3 hours 28 minutes
- Yield: 18–22 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A dream come true for chocolate hazelnut lovers. By incorporating a generous amount of Nutella directly into the dough, these cookies achieve a fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency perfectly balanced by the crunch of dark chocolate chunks and chewy edges.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (245g) Nutella
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups (187g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (125g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chunks
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Cream: Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and Nutella in a stand mixer until smooth and well-creamed.
Wet Mix: Stir in the egg and vanilla extract until well-incorporated.
Combine: Whisk dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, leavening, salt) in a separate bowl. Gradually add to the wet mix. Fold in chocolate chunks by hand.
Chill: Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. This is vital to prevent the high-fat dough from spreading too thin.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll cold dough into 2-tbsp balls. Bake on parchment-lined sheets for 10–13 mins. Cool completely on the sheet to set the fudgy texture.
Notes
The Chilling Rule: Nutella’s oil content makes this dough very soft. Skipping the 3-hour chill will result in flat, greasy cookies. The fridge time yields a superior flavor profile.
Softness Secret: Cornstarch is the ‘pro’ addition; it keeps the crumb tender and prevents a brittle texture.
Measure Correctly: Use ‘spoon and level’ for flour; packing it too tightly is the primary cause of dry, crumbly cookies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-Italian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 110
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 26
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 25
Keywords: nutella cookies, chocolate hazelnut cookies, fudgy nutella recipe, chocolate chunk cookies, soft batch cookies
