Nutella Stuffed Cookies: The Chewy, Gooey Treat You Need

Let’s Talk About These Nutella Stuffed Cookies

So I have a confession: I’m one of those people who will happily eat Nutella straight off a spoon, no shame. But stuffing it inside cookies? That takes things to a new level. Honestly, the first time I made these for my cousin’s birthday, I had this silly thought I’d look sophisticated. Spoiler: I got chocolate on my shirt and felt like a kid, but everyone (including grumpy Uncle Mick) absolutely devoured them. Blame the gooey Nutella center. Actually, don’t blame anyone—just make more cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I fall back onto these cookies whenever my sweet tooth starts whispering (yelling) at me or if neighbors swing by. My family basically loses their marbles for them; my son once hid a few in the bread bin—smart lad! They taste like the fancy cookies you’d pay way too much for, but honestly, you can throw ’em together in your kitchen. (Don’t stress if the first batch looks wonky—happens to me every time, but they vanish all the same.)

What You’ll Need

• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened (Salted works if that’s what you’ve got; just skip the pinch of salt later.)
• 1 cup brown sugar (My gran swears by dark brown, but light works too—or mix them up, if you’re running low.)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs (Once I used 3 small ones from the corner shop, not a big deal—just aim for about that volume.)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (Imitation’s fine, honest)
• 2 3/4 cups (350g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Hefty pinch of salt (about 1/2 tsp, but I just eyeball it now)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (Totally optional—sometimes I go overboard and use more, or swap for chunks)
• About 1/2 to 2/3 cup Nutella (or whatever chocolate hazelnut spread you have; store-brand is fine in a pinch)

How To Make Nutella Stuffed Cookies

1. Scoop little dollops of Nutella onto parchment paper (about a heaping teaspoon each) and pop ’em in the freezer for at least 30 mins. I know, freezing seems odd, but it makes stuffing the cookies one million times easier.
2. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). If you forget and only remember after mixing the dough, no judgment (I do this every time).
3. Cream butter and both sugars together until it looks pale and fluffy—takes a couple minutes. I sneak a taste here, but don’t tell anyone.
4. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth-ish. If it curdles a bit? No biggie; it sorts itself out when you add flour.
5. Toss in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together. I tried beating it within an inch of its life once—don’t. Just a gentle mix is your friend.
6. Stir in those chocolate chips (or whatever mix-ins you like, really).
7. Scoop up a big tablespoon of dough, flatten a bit in your hand (sticky? Lightly flour your palms), plop a frozen Nutella dollop in the center, fold dough over, and roll it closed. Don’t worry if it looks like a wonky meatball—it’ll bake out just fine.
8. Arrange your balls (ahem) on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Pop in the oven for 10-13 minutes—edges should look golden but middles a bit soft. They’ll firm up as they cool, promise.
9. Let cool on the tray a bit before moving (they’ll probably collapse if you try too soon; learned that one the hard way).

Little Notes and Real-Life Discoveries

• Seriously, the freezing step with Nutella? Don’t skip it—otherwise you’ll have chocolate lava all over your baking tray. Unless you want to clean chocolate glue off your pan for ages, which I do not recommend.
• If your dough gets too soft, pop it in the fridge for fifteen minutes. One time I got distracted by a neighbour telling me about her new puppy and completely forgot—still turned out decent, but the cookies were a bit flat.
• Oh, and underbake just a smidge if you like your cookies extra gooey. Overbake and you risk a sad, dry center.

Stuff to Try (and One That Flopped)

• White chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet? Surprisingly delicious—I didn’t expect the combo to work that well.
• Once I tried swirling peanut butter inside along with Nutella. Not my finest moment, just kinda got lost. Maybe go for one or the other.
• I’ve also swapped Nutella for Biscoff spread when my jar ran out. A different vibe, but still dangerously good.
• Cram in a few chopped roasted hazelnuts if you like some crunch; I’m partial to the texture, but my brother yells about nuts in cookies every time.

Don’t Sweat the Equipment

You need a mixer here, but a sturdy wooden spoon and some elbow grease works (I’ve done it after the hand mixer died mid-bake). For cookie scoops, a regular spoon works—sometimes I just estimate the size because, well, who has matching scoops on hand? Baking tray, parchment paper—if you’re out of parchment, just a greased tray will get you by. Should you buy the fancy silicone mats? I keep saying I will. Haven’t yet. Maybe next year.

Cookie Storage… If You Have Any Left

Technically you can keep these in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temp. But let’s be honest—my lot polishes them off in 24 hours flat. Rewarm in the microwave for a few seconds to get the gooey center back if they sit a while. Actually, day two? They taste even better, but that’s probably just wishful thinking because I never have leftovers. Here’s a great cookie storage guide, if you want to outsmart eager snackers.

How I Like to Serve Nutella Stuffed Cookies

Best warm, with a cold glass of milk or coffee (my treat after wrangling kids all afternoon). Sometimes we stack ‘em with ice cream to make impromptu cookie sandwiches—so messy, so worth it. My sister-in-law dunks hers in hot chocolate, but that’s her thing!

Hard-Earned Tips—or, “Don’t Do What I Did”

• If you try to stuff cookies before the Nutella’s really frozen? Big mistake. You’ll have a chocolate fingerprint mess everywhere (and maybe curse my name—sorry!)
• I once thought I’d save time and made all the cookies huge—nearly baseballs. But the outsides burned before the insides cooked. Lesson: medium size is your friend.
• Oh, also, don’t bother with fancy piping bags for Nutella. Just use a couple spoons; much less faff.

FAQ Time (Real Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked!)

“Can I freeze the stuffed cookies before baking?”

Absolutely, yes. Actually, I find it works better if you do freeze the shaped cookie dough balls (with Nutella inside) for 15-20 minutes before baking—gets extra thick cookies. Or, freeze them after baking and just pop in the oven to warm up.

“What if my Nutella melts out?”

It happens! Usually means it wasn’t frozen enough or maybe the dough didn’t seal fully. But don’t stress; the crispy chocolate bits on the pan are kinda addictive, so bonus.

“Can I make these gluten free?”

Yep—I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 GF flour with good results. Just keep an eye on bake time since texture can change.

“Is there a vegan version?”

I haven’t cracked the perfect vegan version yet; I tried a flax egg and coconut oil swap. The flavor’s decent, but the cookies spread loads; might wanna search Minimalist Baker for solid vegan cookie tips.

“How do I stop myself eating the dough?”

Honestly? No idea. If you find out, let me know (but the dough with the Nutella in it? Oh my word, it’s dangerous…)

And One Last Tangent…

This isn’t strictly about cookies, but last year I tried growing my own hazelnuts in a pot on the patio (sounded easy enough based on this RHS guide). Turns out, squirrels love a free meal. So, I’m back to buying my nuts—or mostly, just sticking with jarred Nutella and store-bought flour. Anyway, if you ever succeed at growing them, let me know, would you?