These Nutella Stuffed Cookies were one of those recipes that took a little trial and error to get just right. I knew what I wanted, a giant chocolate chip cookie with a rich chocolate hazelnut center, but figuring out how to keep that delicious filling inside the cookie was another story.
At first, stuffing the cookies sounded simple enough. Put Nutella in the middle, wrap the dough around it, and bake.
Except Nutella had other plans.
I quickly discovered that if I put it straight from the jar into the cookie dough, it could leak out while the cookies baked. After experimenting with different ways of stuffing them, I finally figured out the trick: freeze the Nutella first.
That one little change made all the difference.
The Secret to Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Before I start making the cookie dough, I portion tablespoon-sized dollops of Nutella onto a lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they’re solid.
One of the easiest ways I’ve found to do this is to spoon the Nutella into a zip-top bag, snip off a corner, and squeeze tablespoon-sized portions onto the baking sheet. Once frozen, they’re much easier to tuck into the cookie dough.
For my extra-large cookies, I use two scoops of dough to make about a 5-ounce cookie. I flatten the dough slightly, place one frozen Nutella portion in the center, then carefully wrap the dough around it and seal it completely.
Make sure there aren’t any openings where the filling can escape.
Then I press a few extra chocolate chips into the top before baking.
The result is a thick bakery-style chocolate chip cookie filled with a soft, rich chocolate hazelnut center.
And when I say rich, I mean rich.
These are definitely the kind of cookies that call for a tall glass of cold milk. They’re also big enough that you may want to split one with somebody. Of course, I won’t judge you if you don’t.
Nutella Stuffed Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 cup melted margarine
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6–7 cups all-purpose flour, leveled (possibly more if needed)
- 3 cups mixed semisweet and milk chocolate chips
- About 1 tablespoon frozen Nutella per cookie
- Additional chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
- Freeze the Nutella. Place tablespoon-sized portions of Nutella onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until the Nutella portions are firm enough to pick up and place inside the cookie dough without losing their shape. I usually prepare them before I begin making the dough so they have plenty of time to firm up. I like to put the Nutella into a zip-top bag and squeeze out the portions because it makes this step quick and easy.
- Make the cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix in the baking soda, salt, and 6 cups of flour. Gradually add additional flour as needed until the dough is soft but no longer sticky. If you accidentally add too much flour and the dough becomes too dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the consistency is right.
- Stuff the cookies. Using a large 4-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion two scoops of dough to make approximately a 5-ounce cookie. Flatten the dough slightly and place one frozen tablespoon of Nutella in the center.
- Seal them well. Carefully bring the cookie dough around the frozen Nutella and completely seal the filling inside. Roll gently into a ball and make sure there aren’t any cracks or openings.
- Add more chocolate. Press a few chocolate chips into the top of each cookie.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. If you’re baking at an elevation above 4,000 feet, try 325°F instead.
- Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between them. Bake the extra-large 5-ounce cookies for approximately 15 to 18 minutes. The edges should look set while the centers remain soft.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for several minutes after removing them from the oven. The Nutella center will be very hot, so give the cookies a little time before breaking one open.
- Cool slightly before eating. Give the cookies a few minutes to set after they come out of the oven. The Nutella center will be very hot when they’re fresh from the oven.
This recipe makes approximately 2 dozen extra-large 5-ounce cookies or about 6 dozen regular-sized cookies. For smaller 2-ounce cookies, bake for approximately 12–14 minutes.
A Few Tips for the Best Nutella Stuffed Cookies
The most important thing I’ve learned with these Nutella Stuffed Cookies is not to skip freezing the filling. It makes stuffing the cookies so much easier and helps keep that chocolate hazelnut center where it belongs.
Start with 6 cups of flour and add more only as needed. You want a soft dough that isn’t sticky, but you don’t want to add so much flour that the cookies become dry.
When measuring flour, I like to make sure it’s properly leveled so I don’t accidentally add too much. King Arthur Baking has a helpful guide to measuring flour if you’d like to see the different methods.
And don’t forget the test cookie. Before baking an entire tray, assemble and bake one Nutella Stuffed Cookie. If it spreads too much, add a little more flour to the remaining dough. If it holds its shape with lightly set edges and a soft center, you’re ready to bake the rest.
I bake at an elevation above 4,000 feet, and 325°F works well for my giant cookies. At lower elevations, start with 350°F. For my extra-large 5-ounce cookies, begin checking around 15 minutes. They generally need about 15 to 18 minutes.
That one test cookie can save you from discovering that something needs adjusting after you’ve already baked an entire pan.
Can I Make Smaller Nutella Stuffed Cookies?
Absolutely. You don’t have to make these into my giant 5-ounce cookies.
For smaller cookies, use approximately 2 ounces of dough and reduce the amount of frozen Nutella in the center. The most important thing is leaving enough cookie dough around the filling to seal it completely.
Begin checking smaller cookies around 12 to 14 minutes.
The extra-large version gives you more room for that gooey Nutella center and makes the cookie feel like a bakery treat, but the smaller version is nice when you’re serving a crowd or want a more traditional cookie size.
Storing and Freezing Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
I don’t refrigerate my cookies because I find that refrigeration dries them out too quickly. If we aren’t going to eat them within the next few days, I’d rather freeze them.
Place the completely cooled Nutella Stuffed Cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag. If you’re stacking them, separate the layers with parchment or wax paper.
When I want one warm again, I place the frozen cookie directly into a cool oven. Then I turn the oven to 350°F and let it warm gradually.
For a smaller 2-ounce cookie, I warm it for approximately 8 minutes. For one of my extra-large 5-ounce cookies, I give it about 12 minutes.
I don’t microwave my cookies because I much prefer the texture I get from reheating them in the oven. The cookie becomes warm and soft again, and that Nutella center gets wonderfully gooey.
Can I Freeze the Unbaked Stuffed Cookies?
Yes. Once you’ve assembled the cookies with the frozen Nutella centers, place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.
When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough on your baking sheet and bake directly from frozen. Add at least 2 minutes to your normal baking time and watch the first cookie carefully.
I still recommend baking one test cookie before baking the rest of the frozen batch.
More Tips for the Perfect Cookie
If you’re making one of my giant bakery-style cookies for the first time, my Tips for the Perfect Cookie guide shares more of what I’ve learned through years of baking, including flour, baking times, altitude adjustments, dough consistency, and getting that lightly crisp outside with a soft, chewy center.
More Bakery-Style Cookie Recipes
If you love big, thick cookies with soft, chewy centers, you can find more of my creations in my Bakery-style Cookie Recipes collection. There are stuffed cookies, chocolate cookies, candy-inspired cookies, family favorites, and plenty of other giant cookies to try.
A Cookie Made for Chocolate Lovers
These Nutella Stuffed Cookies are definitely an indulgent cookie. Between the semisweet and milk chocolate chips and that hidden Nutella center, there’s a lot of chocolate packed into one giant cookie.
That’s exactly what I wanted when I created them.
Grab a cold glass of milk, cut one in half while it’s still a little warm, and watch that chocolate hazelnut center appear. Or share one with somebody you love. They’re certainly big enough.
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