What could be better than a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie? Imagine taking that classic delight and elevating it to a truly gourmet experience by filling it with a luscious, molten core of Nutella! These Nutella stuffed cookies are not just a dessert; they’re an adventure for your taste buds, featuring a rich pool of chocolate hazelnut spread perfectly encased within a generously sized chocolate chip cookie. The recipe itself is surprisingly straightforward, yet the result is nothing short of spectacular, delivering cookies that boast both a professional appearance and an unforgettable taste. Prepare your favorite glass of milk – you’re in for a treat!
**This post was last updated on August 22, 2024, featuring a refined recipe for even thicker, more decadent cookies and brand new mouth-watering photography.**
If your dessert cravings are calling for something truly extraordinary, a cookie recipe that genuinely goes the extra mile, or if you simply believe that more Nutella in your life is always a good idea, then allow me to introduce you to these phenomenal Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies. There’s an undeniable magic that happens when you sink your teeth into a perfectly baked chocolate chip cookie and discover a warm, gooey river of Nutella oozing out, reminiscent of molten chocolate lava. These cookies aren’t just delicious; they hold the ultimate delightful surprise within, transforming a simple bite into an experience. While the process of assembling them requires a touch more effort than your average cookie, I promise you, the incredible flavor and the sheer joy they bring make every single moment spent totally worth it.
Crafting the Ultimate Nutella Stuffed Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide
This recipe, while appearing sophisticated, is not overly complicated. It simply involves a few extra steps to ensure that irresistible Nutella filling remains perfectly nestled within each cookie dough ball. The secret to preventing the Nutella from melting out during baking lies in one crucial preparatory step: freezing the Nutella itself.
The Essential First Step: Freezing Your Nutella Core
Before you even think about mixing your cookie dough, you’ll need to prepare the Nutella filling. This step is non-negotiable for success! Begin by lining a regular cookie sheet with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat. Next, using a spoon or a small cookie scoop (I find that about half of a medium cookie scoop works perfectly), drop dollops of Nutella onto the lined sheet. Each dollop should be approximately 1-2 teaspoons in size. Aim for consistent sizes to ensure uniform cookies. Once your sheet is filled with these chocolate hazelnut treasures, immediately pop it into the freezer. They need to be completely firm, ideally for at least an hour, or until they resemble solid, frozen candy centers.
Whipping Up the Perfect Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
While your Nutella centers are chilling in the freezer, you can turn your attention to the cookie dough. This is a classic, straightforward chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, but with a special addition: a hint of cornstarch (or cornflour, for our UK readers). This ingredient is key to achieving that wonderfully soft, extra-chewy texture that makes these cookies so irresistible. You’ll start by creaming together softened unsalted butter with both brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and free of any butter lumps. This aeration step is vital for a tender cookie. Next, incorporate the egg and a generous amount of vanilla extract, mixing until just combined and smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, the aforementioned cornstarch, baking soda, and a touch of salt to balance the sweetness. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. Finally, gently stir in your favorite chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Pro Baker’s Dough Tip for Success
After you’ve mixed in all the dry ingredients and chocolate chips, take a moment to test your dough. Squeeze a small piece between your fingers. If the dough feels overly sticky or leaves a lot of residue on your hands, mix in one additional tablespoon of all-purpose flour. The dough for these stuffed cookies needs to be on the thicker side. This robust consistency is crucial to prevent the cookies from spreading too thin during baking, which could cause the precious Nutella filling to leak out and spoil your perfect round cookie.
Once your dough is perfectly prepared, it’s time for the most exciting part: assembling these magnificent treats!
The Art of Stuffing: Encasing the Nutella Surprise
- First, scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of the prepared cookie dough. I find a medium cookie scoop is ideal for consistency. Gently flatten this portion of dough into a disc in the palm of your hand.
- Carefully retrieve one of your frozen Nutella dollops from the freezer. It’s essential to keep the remaining Nutella portions in the freezer until you are ready to use them, preventing them from softening or melting prematurely. Place the firm Nutella dollop directly in the center of your flattened cookie dough disc.
- Scoop out a second portion of cookie dough, again about 1.5 tablespoons, and flatten it. Carefully place this second disc of dough directly on top of the Nutella, completely covering it.
- Now, delicately but firmly, pinch the edges of the bottom and top dough layers together, sealing the Nutella inside. Work your way around the entire circumference of the Nutella. Once sealed, gently roll the dough into a smooth, cohesive ball. Ensure there are no visible seams or cracks where the Nutella could escape.
The Second Chill: Preventing Spread and Ensuring Perfection
After assembling all your Nutella-stuffed cookie dough balls, it’s time for another crucial freezing step. Arrange the formed dough balls on a plate or a clean cookie sheet, cover them lightly with plastic wrap, and place them back in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes. This second chill is vital! It helps the butter in the dough firm up, significantly reducing the chances of the cookies spreading too thinly during baking. If the cookies spread excessively, the warm Nutella can easily break through the dough, leading to messy, less-than-perfect results. This brief chill ensures your cookies hold their beautiful shape and keep that molten Nutella surprise perfectly contained.
Baking for Golden Perfection: Achieving that Ideal Chewy Edge
Once your cookie dough balls have firmed up beautifully in the freezer, it’s finally time to bake! Preheat your oven to the specified temperature. Arrange the chilled dough balls on lined baking sheets, ensuring ample space between each cookie (about 2-3 inches apart) to allow for even baking and slight expansion. They will bake for approximately 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops appear just set, still looking soft in the center. Avoid overbaking if you want that desirable soft, chewy texture. As soon as they emerge from the oven, for that extra bakery-style touch, I love to dot a few reserved chocolate chips on top of each warm cookie. The residual heat will melt them slightly, creating a glossy, inviting finish. This step is entirely optional but highly recommended for an even more decadent look. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely (if you can wait that long!).
Expert Tips & Tricks for Nutella Stuffed Cookie Mastery
To ensure your Nutella stuffed cookies turn out perfectly every single time, keep these invaluable tips in mind:
- Completely Frozen Nutella is Key: The Nutella dollops absolutely must be thoroughly frozen and firm. If they are even slightly soft, you’ll find that forming the cookie dough balls around them becomes a sticky, frustrating, and virtually impossible task. Plan ahead and give them ample freezing time.
- Embrace the Cookie Scoop: While not strictly mandatory, a cookie scoop will dramatically simplify your life for this recipe. It ensures consistent dough portions, leading to uniformly sized and baked cookies, and makes the assembly process much quicker and cleaner.
- Choose the Right Lining: Always remember to use either parchment paper or silicone baking mats to line your cookie sheets for baking. These materials prevent sticking and promote even baking. Importantly, do not reuse the same sheet of wax paper you used to freeze the Nutella spoonfuls, as wax paper is not designed for oven temperatures and can melt or smoke.
- Freezer-Friendly Dough: For future indulgence, these assembled cookie dough balls are excellent candidates for freezing. Place them in an airtight freezer bag and store them for up to 2 months. When a craving strikes, you can bake them directly from frozen; just add an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time to account for the frozen state. This makes impromptu gourmet cookie sessions a breeze!
These Nutella stuffed cookies are truly a marvel: wonderfully soft, delightfully chewy, and generously oozing with that iconic chocolate hazelnut spread. You will absolutely adore the textural interplay of their slightly crispy edges giving way to the rich, warm Nutella gooeyness in the middle. And while they do demand a little extra care and attention during preparation, I promise you, biting into one of these magnificent beauties makes every bit of effort 1000% worth it. They are more than just a cookie; they are an experience.
And for those who share my undeniable love for Nutella, be sure to explore these other fantastic Nutella treats:
- Decadent Nutella Cheesecake
- Rich Nutella Chocolate Cookies – these gems incorporate Nutella directly into the cookie dough itself for a double dose of flavor!
- Buttery Nutella Shortbread Bars
- Fudgy Nutella Brownies…. what can I say? My passion for Nutella knows no bounds!
Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Nutella (about 150 grams), you may not need quite this much
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (209 grams), AKA plain flour, measured carefully
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, AKA corn flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), softened but not starting to melt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 grams)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (about 135 grams), divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Line a cookie tray with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Drop spoonfuls of Nutella onto the lined cookie sheet. Each spoonful should be about 1.5 teaspoons of Nutella. I used about 1/3 to 1/2 of my medium cookie scoop. You’ll need about 14-16 dollops in total.
- Place the cookie sheet in the freezer. Keep in the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the cookies (at least 1 hour, or until firm).
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and no longer lumps of butter.
- Beat the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture until well combined.
- Turn off the mixer and add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir a few times by hand first, then mix with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined. The dough should not feel sticky to the touch or stick to your fingers. If the dough sticks to your fingers, mix in 1 more tablespoon of flour.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. This chilling step helps prevent spreading.
- To assemble the cookie dough balls: Take the dough out of the fridge. If it’s been in the fridge overnight, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes first to soften slightly. Scoop about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough and flatten it slightly into a disc. Place 1 frozen Nutella spoonful on top of the cookie dough disc. Scoop out another 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough and place on top of the Nutella, completely covering it. Pinch the cookie dough around the sides of the Nutella, sealing it completely. Then, gently roll the dough into a smooth ball. Repeat this process with the rest of the cookie dough, keeping the remaining Nutella dollops in the freezer so they don’t soften.
- Place the assembled cookie dough balls on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and pop them back into the freezer for another 30 minutes. This second chill is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line cookie sheets with baking paper (not wax paper) or silicone baking mats.
- Place cookie dough balls 2-3 inches (about 5-7 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops look just set. Remove from the oven.
- Optionally, immediately after removing from the oven, dot the top of each hot cookie with a few extra chocolate chips (from the reserved 1/4 cup). Cool cookies on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
- Flour Measurement: For the best results, measure flour carefully to prevent your cookies from becoming too dry and crumbly. Whisk the flour first to aerate it, then spoon it into dry measuring cups and level off the top with a straight edge. For the highest accuracy, use a kitchen scale and the provided gram measurements.
- Storage: Store the baked Nutella stuffed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their delicious freshness for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Dough: Unbaked cookie dough balls can be stored in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake them directly from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the specified baking time.
- Nutrition: The nutritional details provided are an estimate only. They are based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 14 uniform cookies.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 38g,
Protein: 3g,
Fat: 13g,
Saturated Fat: 9g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 2g,
Trans Fat: 0.3g,
Cholesterol: 32mg,
Sodium: 81mg,
Potassium: 106mg,
Fiber: 1g,
Sugar: 24g,
Vitamin A: 244IU,
Vitamin C: 0.1mg,
Calcium: 48mg,
Iron: 1mg