Nutella Stuffed Cookie Recipe
This nutella stuffed cookie recipe makes soft, chewy cookies with an ooey-gooey hazelnut center that melts in your mouth. They’re delightfully indulgent and festive enough to take any cookie tray to the next level.
If you’re looking for more holiday cookie recipes to dress up your cookie trays, try my double chocolate cookies, butterball cookies, and peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies too.
Let’s talk about this recipe
Nutella cookies found their way into my holiday baking lineup when I was searching for a recipe that was a little more unique than the usual classics that show up on nearly every baker’s Christmas cookie tray.
So many of the recipes I came across used chocolate dough or mixed in chocolate chips. That’s not what I was after. I wanted a cookie that let Nutella shine as the star ingredient — and that’s exactly what you’ll get here. One bite and there’s no mistaking these for anything other than a true Nutella treat.
I had the same mindset when I created my peanut butter candy apples. The flavors of peanut butter and chocolate are front and center there, just the way I like them.
What makes this recipe so good
- Freezing the Nutella into discs allows the cookie dough to be formed around the filling, creating that signature stuffed center that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
- Using a simple vanilla-flavored dough keeps the focus on the Nutella itself, instead of letting extra chocolate or mix-ins take over the flavor.
- Chilling the dough before baking firms it up so it’s easier to handle and shape, making the process of wrapping the Nutella filling much more manageable.
- Relying on common pantry staples makes this recipe approachable, so you can pull it together without hunting for specialty ingredients.
- Balancing texture and flavor means each cookie comes out soft and chewy on the outside with a gooey Nutella center inside.
Ingredients you’ll need
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe, and apart from the Nutella itself, they’re all pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
- Nutella: The star of this recipe, Nutella, creates that ooey-gooey filling and unmistakable hazelnut flavor. Freezing it into discs is the key step that makes stuffing the cookies possible.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla may seem subtle, but it has a way of boosting the flavors around it.
See recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Make it your own
- Add mini chocolate chips if you’d like a richer cookie with an extra punch of chocolate alongside the Nutella.
- Top with flaky sea salt for a salty-sweet balance that makes each bite pop with contrast.
- Use a different nut butter spread like almond or cashew if you’d like a variation with a unique flavor profile.
- Roll the dough balls in sugar before baking to create a crackly, slightly crisp coating on the outside of the cookies.
- Dust the finished cookies with powdered sugar for a simple holiday touch that also adds a little extra sweetness.
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How to make Nutella stuffed cookies
These Nutella cookies may look impressive, but the steps to make them are pretty straightforward. With a little prep, you’ll be pulling a tray of soft, chewy cookies full of hazelnut goodness out of the oven in no time.
Step 1: Scoop teaspoon-sized Nutella portions onto a parchment-lined tray. Freeze solid.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and vanilla.
Step 3: Sift dry ingredients together and stir them into the wet mixture. Chill at least 1 hour.
Step 4: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough.
Step 5: Flatten each scoop, place a Nutella disk inside, and seal tightly.
Step 6: Arrange on a sheet pan, leaving slight space between. Bake until set but not browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Recipe FAQs
Freezing the Nutella into discs is what makes it possible to wrap the dough around the filling. Without this step, the spread would be too soft to handle.
Yes. Freeze unbaked, filled dough balls and bake straight from the freezer when needed.
No. Any good hazelnut spread will work, so use whichever brand you prefer or can find easily.
Yes. Assemble the cookies, then freeze the filled dough balls for later. When you’re ready to bake, allow them to thaw before putting them in the oven.
Yes. Warm briefly in the oven or microwave for a soft, gooey center again.
Serving ideas
These Nutella cookies are perfect on a holiday cookie tray, tucked into gift tins, or shared at a cookie exchange. They’re just the kind of treat that turns an ordinary moment into something special.
For serving, set out a plate of cookies alongside mugs of coffee with homemade chocolate coffee creamer or offer them with a warm cup of chai spiced cacao for a cozy pairing. And if you’re giving them as gifts, tuck a few into festive tins with a handwritten recipe card — it’s a small gesture that makes the gift feel even more personal.
Diane Gail’s tips for success
- Stir the Nutella well before freezing: The spread can separate in the jar, and if it isn’t mixed back together, some discs will be too thin and others too thick.
- Work with one Nutella disc at a time: They soften almost instantly, and if you try to handle more than one, you’ll end up with a sticky mess on your hands.
- Chill the dough thoroughly: A good chill makes the dough easier to handle and shape around the filling, so don’t rush this step.
- Don’t overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added: Overmixing develops the gluten and will leave you with cookies that are dense instead of soft and chewy.
- Seal the dough completely around the filling: Look closely for cracks or thin spots, or the Nutella will seep out while the cookies bake.
Final thoughts
These Nutella cookies are such a fun treat to add to your holiday baking. They’re soft, indulgent, and always disappear fast — whether you tuck them into gift boxes, add them to a cookie tray, or enjoy one warm from the oven with a cup of coffee.
Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Nutella spread
- 3/4 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Portion Nutella: Drop 1 teaspoon rounds of Nutella onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid.
- Cream butter & sugar: In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until fully incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour. Whisk in the baking soda and salt.
- Make dough: Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix by hand until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Shape cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball into a disk.
- Fill cookies: Place a frozen Nutella round in the center of each disk. Fold the dough around it, ensuring no cracks or tears.
- Bake: Arrange cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, ensuring the tops do not brown.
- Cool: Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool before serving.
Notes
- Chill the Nutella well: Freezing the Nutella helps it stay firm while shaping the cookies, making assembly much easier.
- Seal the dough completely: Any small cracks in the dough can cause the Nutella to leak out while baking.
- Avoid overbaking: The cookies should remain pale on top to ensure a soft texture.
- Customize the filling: Add a sprinkle of sea salt on top for a sweet-salty contrast.
- Storage tip: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These Nutella Cookies are are packed full of rich, chocolaty goodness with that signature hazelnut flavor! Soft, chewy, and absolutely irresistible — everyone will love them. If you try this recipe, I’d be so excited to hear how they turn out! Please leave a review and share your thoughts with others. And if you have any questions or need any tips while making them, feel free to ask in the comments — I’m here to help and would love to assist you. Enjoy your baking!