Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These cookies are the kind of thing I make when I want to impress without fuss. Crispy on the edges, soft and slightly under-baked in the center, and hiding a molten dollop of Nutella — they hit every mood. The technique is straightforward and forgiving, which makes this a go-to when I need a dependable crowd-pleaser.

You’ll spend most of your time shaping and chilling. The dough is rich and easy to handle because the butter is cold; the cornstarch keeps the crumb tender. Freezing tiny Nutella dollops ahead of time is the only small trick, but once you get that step down the assembly moves quickly.

Ingredients at a Glance

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 cup), cold — gives structure and flavor; cold butter produces a sturdier dough for stuffing.
• 1 cup light brown sugar, soft, lightly packed — adds moisture and a deep, caramel note.
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar — balances sweetness and helps with spread and texture.
• 2 large eggs — binds the dough and adds richness.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract — brightens flavor.
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch — tenderizes the cookie for a soft center.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder — provides lift for a slightly puffier cookie.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda — promotes browning and spread.
• 1 teaspoon salt — balances sweetness; use table or kosher salt to taste.
• 3 cups all-purpose flour — structure; weigh if possible for best consistency.
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips — small pockets of chocolate melt throughout.
• 1 cup chocolate chips — adds classic chocolate pockets and texture.
• Nutella — the star filling; will be frozen into small dollops first.
• Fine sea salt, for sprinkling (optional) — a tiny pinch on top sharpens flavors and balances sweetness.

Directions: Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Prepare the Nutella centers first. Fit a small resealable plastic bag with about 1 cup of Nutella. Seal it and snip off a small corner. Pipe individual dollops of about 1 teaspoon each onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them apart. Freeze the tray until the Nutella pieces are solid, about 20 minutes.
2. Cut the cold butter into small cubes straight from the fridge. Place the cubed butter in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
3. Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter. Beat, scraping the bowl as needed, until the mixture is creamy and smooth — the texture should resemble peanut butter.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugars. Mix just until incorporated and uniform in color.
5. Sift or add the cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix briefly to distribute the leaveners.
6. Add the all-purpose flour (weigh if you can for accuracy) and mix on low speed or with a sturdy spoon just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing; stop as soon as there are no dry streaks of flour.
7. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and the regular chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
8. Tightly cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator briefly while the Nutella pieces finish freezing. You only need to keep the dough cold enough to handle—about the time it takes the Nutella to freeze is fine.
9. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large, dark-colored sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
10. Portion the dough: using a food scale if available, weigh 40-gram portions (about 2 packed tablespoons) and roll into balls. For each ball, split it into two equal flattened discs.
11. Working one Nutella piece at a time (they melt quickly), place a frozen Nutella dollop on one dough disc. Cover with the second disc and gently pinch the edges together to fully encase the Nutella. Roll the sealed dough into a smooth ball. Repeat until you have formed the desired number of cookies, spacing each ball at least 2 inches apart on the prepared pan.
12. Only bake six cookies per pan at a time to ensure even baking. Once a pan is filled, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. While that pan chills and bakes, continue forming additional cookie balls and keep them chilled.
13. Bake the frozen dough balls straight from the freezer for 9–14 minutes, depending on your oven and preferred doneness. Look for cookies that no longer appear wet or gooey on top; slightly under-baked centers are ideal for this recipe.
14. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the cookies with fine sea salt, if using. Optionally press a few extra chocolate chips onto the tops for a prettier finish.
15. Let the cookies sit on the sheet pan for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will be fragile while warm but set as they cool.
16. Enjoy once they’ve cooled enough to handle — the Nutella center should remain soft and gooey inside a slightly tender cookie.

Why It Deserves a Spot

These cookies combine two universally loved elements: chocolate chip cookies and Nutella. The hidden frozen center gives a molten surprise when you bite in, elevating a familiar cookie into something feel-good and memorable. They’re also flexible—easy to scale, forgiving in assembly, and impressive without demanding advanced skills.

Texture is the other winning factor: the cornstarch and the cold butter help maintain a tender, slightly cakey interior while the edges caramelize. The small amount of sea salt at the end cuts through the richness and makes the chocolate sing.

Swap Guide

• Butter — keep it unsalted for best control of seasoning; if using salted butter, reduce added salt slightly.
• Brown sugar — dark brown gives a deeper molasses flavor; light brown keeps it milder.
• Mini vs. regular chocolate chips — replace any amount with chopped chocolate if you prefer larger pockets of melted chocolate.
• Nutella — use any chocolate-hazelnut spread or even peanut butter for a different twist; note texture and sweetness will vary.
• Flour — stick to all-purpose for structure; using bread or cake flour will change chewiness.

Equipment & Tools

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment — speeds up creaming and mixing, but a hand mixer or a strong spoon works.
• Food scale — optional but recommended for consistent 40-gram portions.
• Piping bag or small resealable plastic bag — to pipe Nutella dollops.
• Sheet pans and parchment/silicone liners — dark pans brown faster; silicone liners give even baking.
• Wire cooling rack — cools cookies evenly and prevents sogginess.

Errors to Dodge

• Skipping the Nutella freeze — warm Nutella will seep out during assembly and baking; freeze dollops solid for reliable centers.
• Overmixing after adding flour — develops gluten and yields dense cookies; mix only until combined.
• Not chilling balls before baking — unchilled dough will spread too much and leak filling.
• Overbaking — these are best slightly under-baked; watch closely after 9 minutes.
• Using a light pan — light pans reflect heat and can produce pale, under-browned cookies; use dark pans or adjust time if needed.

Variations by Season

Winter

• Add a pinch of cinnamon or orange zest to the dough for warm festive notes.
• Swap some chocolate chips for chopped toasted hazelnuts for extra crunch.

Spring/Summer

• Fold in a handful of dried strawberries or raspberries for a bright contrast to the Nutella.
• Top with a few flaky sea salt crystals right out of the oven for a fresh simple finish.

Autumn

• Stir in 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice in the dry ingredients for a cozy flavor.
• Use browned butter in place of cold butter (not covered by the recipe instructions) only if you want a nuttier profile, but expect a different texture and more careful handling.

Cook’s Notes

• Measuring flour: Weighing the flour yields the most consistent results. If you must scoop, fluff the flour, spoon into the cup, and level it off.
• Butter temperature: The recipe calls for cold butter to make dough easier to handle when encasing the Nutella, so don’t soften it.
• Cookie size: The 40-gram size is a guideline for even baking — adjust baking times slightly for larger or smaller cookies.
• Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to a month; thaw at room temperature.
• Make-ahead: You can freeze assembled, unbaked cookie balls on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple minutes if needed.

Save It for Later

If you’re bookmarking, jot a note to freeze the Nutella first and to portion dough into 40-gram balls. Those two steps reliably prevent leaks and uneven baking. These cookies also travel well: bring them to parties or pack them for a picnic straight from the fridge.

Ask & Learn

If you try these and want tweaks, tell me what you prefer: chewier edges, larger cookies, or a different filling. If your cookies spread too much or collapse, tell me how long you chilled the dough and what pan you used — small details help diagnose baking mishaps. I can suggest adjustments for altitude, ovens that run hot, or substitutions.

Final Bite

These Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are simple to make and impossible to ignore. The frozen Nutella trick takes a little planning, but it’s the difference between a messy experiment and a perfect molten center every time. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or keeping them all for yourself, they deliver chocolatey satisfaction with a touch of sophistication from that secret gooey core. Enjoy.

Print Recipe Save it for later

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, slightly under-baked chocolate chip cookies filled with frozen dollops of Nutella for a gooey surprise.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 27 minutes mins

Servings: 34 servings

Ingredients

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup, cold
• 1 cup light brown sugar soft, lightly packed
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• Nutella for stuffing (about 1 teaspoon per cookie)
• fine sea salt for sprinkling, optional

Instructions

• Cut the cold unsalted butter into small cubes.
• In a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cubed butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Stir in the cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
• Add the all-purpose flour and mix just until the dough comes together, then fold in the mini and regular chocolate chips.
• Cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the Nutella filling.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place a large scoop of Nutella into a small resealable plastic bag, seal, and snip off the tip; pipe approximately 1 teaspoon dollops of Nutella onto the prepared pan, spacing them apart, and freeze until solid, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a dark-colored sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment.
• Portion the chilled dough into about 40-gram portions (roughly 2 packed tablespoons) or as desired; flatten each portion into two discs.
• Place one frozen Nutella dollop onto a dough disc, top with the second disc, pinch edges to seal completely, then roll gently into a ball. Arrange balls on the sheet pan at least 2 inches apart; work in batches and freeze each pan of assembled cookies for 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake straight from the freezer for 9–14 minutes, or until the tops no longer look gooey; slightly under-baked is preferred for a soft center.
• Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with fine sea salt if using, and optionally press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops. Cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Equipment

• large bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• large sheet pans
• parchment paper or silicone liner
• Resealable Plastic Bag
• food scale (optional)
• measuring spoons and cups
• wire cooling rack

Notes

• Use a food scale for most accurate measurements and even dough portions.
• Use cold, not softened, butter for the correct texture.
• Freeze Nutella dollops until solid to make stuffing easier.
• Work in batches and keep assembled cookies frozen before baking.
• Slightly under-bake for a soft, gooey center.

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