Gooey Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Nutella-stuffed cookies bake up with crisp edges, a soft middle, and a warm hazelnut-chocolate center that stays molten even after they cool. They are rich enough that one feels like a real dessert, not just a snack.
You do a tiny bit of extra work freezing the Nutella, but the payoff is a cookie that looks ordinary from the outside and surprises everyone who bites into it.
What Makes These Stuffed Cookies Worth It
You get the classic chocolate chip cookie you already love, but the frozen dollop of Nutella melts into a pocket of glossy, barely-set sauce. The dough itself is a little salty, which keeps each bite from feeling too sweet.
The whole thing bakes in about 12 minutes, so once the Nutella is frozen, you go from scooping to warm cookies faster than you’d think.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: let it sit out for 30 minutes so it creams easily.
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar: gives you a chewy middle.
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar: adds a little crispness at the edges.
- 1 large egg, cold from the fridge: cold egg keeps the dough from spreading too fast.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt: flaky salt on top after baking is optional but great.
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: a darker chip balances the sweet filling.
- About 1/3 cup Nutella: you will use a little less than a full 1/3 cup once scooped.
Variations and Swaps
- Swap the spread: Biscoff cookie butter or any thick chocolate-hazelnut spread works the same way. Avoid thin, runny hazelnut sauces.
- White chocolate chips: trading the semi-sweet chips for white chocolate makes the cookie extra sweet and a little milky.
- Flaky salt: a tiny pinch right after baking cuts through the richness.
- Nut-free: skip the Nutella entirely and press a square of dark chocolate into the dough ball instead. You won’t get the same goo, but it will still be a solid cookie.
If you like the idea of a filled cookie but want something fruitier, take a look at Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies next time.
How to Make Gooey Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Cookie Dough
Drop small teaspoon-sized mounds of Nutella onto a parchment-lined plate and pop the plate into the freezer while you make the dough. Cream the softened 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed.
The sugar will still feel a bit grainy at this stage, and that is exactly what you want. Scrape down the bowl, then beat in the cold egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla until just combined. Whisk the 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt together in a separate bowl, then stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture by hand. Fold in the 3/4 cup chocolate chips last, and stop the moment no dry streaks remain.
Step 2: Stuff the Cookies
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and flatten it into a disk in your palm. Set one of the frozen Nutella mounds in the center, then wrap the dough around it and roll gently into a ball. Make sure the Nutella is completely sealed inside with no cracks.
If the dough gets too soft while you are working, stick the whole bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes and try again. Cold dough is way easier to handle, and it gives you a thicker cookie.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies
Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment, leaving about 3 inches between them. Bake on the middle rack of a 375°F (190°C) oven for 12 to 14 minutes. The cookies will spread a bit and the edges will look set and lightly golden while the centers stay slightly puffy.
Do not overbake them. The top should look dry but the middle will still feel soft when you gently press it. That softness is the molten Nutella hiding underneath, not raw dough.
Step 4: Cool and Serve the Cookies
Let the cookies sit on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes, then slide them onto a wire rack. Serve them while they are still warm enough that the center stretches when you pull the halves apart.
A tiny sprinkle of flaky salt right as they come out of the oven makes the chocolate taste deeper. If you can wait, they hold their shape better after 10 minutes off the sheet.
A Few Tips for Perfect Stuffed Cookies
- Cold Nutella is the single most important thing here. Freeze the mounds for at least 30 minutes, or make them the night before and leave them in the freezer until you need them.
- The dough can be made a day ahead and chilled. Pull it out 15 minutes before scooping so it is firm but not rock hard.
- If your Nutella leaks, the dough ball was probably too thin on one side. Flatten the disk wider than you think, and pinch the seams well.
- For evenly sized cookies, use a medium cookie scoop for the dough and a small one for the Nutella. That keeps the ratio consistent.
Bake times by scoop size:
| Dough scoop size | Dough weight (approx.) | Bake time at 375°F |
|---|---|---|
| Heaping 1 tbsp | 35 g | 12-14 minutes |
| 2 tbsp | 50 g | 14-16 minutes |
| 3 tbsp | 70 g | 16-18 minutes |
Storing Leftover Cookies
- Refrigerate: Place cooled cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm, the fridge works too, but let them come to room temp before eating so the center softens again.
- Reheating: A 10-second zap in the microwave makes the Nutella runny all over again. For crisp edges, warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3 to 4 minutes instead.
- Serve cold: Totally fine. The center will be fudgy rather than gooey, but still good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls?
Yes. Freeze the stuffed dough balls on a tray, then transfer them to a bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
My Nutella melted before I could wrap it. What did I do wrong?
Your hands or the dough were too warm, or the Nutella mounds were not frozen solid. Pop everything back in the freezer for 10 minutes and work with cooler hands.
Can I use a different chocolate spread?
Yes, as long as it is thick enough to hold its shape when frozen. Thin, runny spreads will leak more easily. Biscoff and thick dark-chocolate spreads work well.
Why did my cookies turn out flat?
The dough was too warm or the butter was over-softened. Chill the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes before baking next time.
Gooey Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Drop teaspoon-sized mounds of Nutella onto a parchment-lined plate and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar 3 minutes until fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough, flatten each, place a frozen Nutella mound in the center, and wrap dough around it to seal.
- Place balls on a parchment-lined sheet 3 inches apart. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12 to 14 minutes until edges are golden and centers look puffy but set.
- Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.
