Nutella Stuffed Cookies That Break the Internet: Gooey Centers, Crispy Edges, Zero Regrets

You know that moment when you crack a cookie open and molten chocolate oozes like a movie trailer cliffhanger? That’s this recipe. These Nutella Stuffed Cookies are part dessert, part flex—soft, chewy, with a gooey hazelnut center that turns even “I don’t like sweets” people into liars.

The dough is simple, the payoff is dramatic, and your kitchen becomes the VIP lounge. If you’ve ever wanted bakery-level cookies without bakery-level drama, welcome to your new signature move.

What Makes This Recipe Awesome

These cookies strike the perfect balance: crispy edges, chewy middles, and a lava core of Nutella. The dough is sturdier than your willpower, so it holds the filling without leaking.

Chill time keeps everything neat and helps flavors develop, so they taste like you spent hours, even if you didn’t.

They’re also wildly customizable. Add sea salt for that “I know what I’m doing” vibe or fold in chopped hazelnuts for crunch. Bake a batch now, freeze a batch for later, and you’ve got instant “I brought dessert” energy on demand.

Shopping List – Ingredients

• Nutella (or chocolate-hazelnut spread): about 3/4 cup, frozen into dollops
• All-purpose flour: 2 1/4 cups (270 g)
• Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon
• Fine sea salt: 1/2 teaspoon
• Unsalted butter: 3/4 cup (170 g), softened to room temperature
• Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g)
• Light brown sugar: 3/4 cup (150 g), packed
• Large egg: 1
• Large egg yolk: 1
• Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons
• Chocolate chips or chunks (optional but excellent): 1/2–3/4 cup
• Flaky sea salt for topping (optional but recommended)

How to Make It – Instructions

1. Freeze the Nutella first. Line a small tray with parchment and dollop 12–14 teaspoons of Nutella.
   

   Freeze for at least 45–60 minutes until solid. This step is non-negotiable if you want neat, lava-like centers and zero leaks.

2. Mix dry ingredients. Whisk flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a bowl. Set aside so you don’t forget you already added salt (we’ve all done it).
3. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat butter with granulated and brown sugars for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
   

   This builds structure and helps those coveted chewy edges.

4. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the egg, then the yolk, followed by vanilla. Scrape the bowl. If the mixture looks split, keep mixing—it’ll come back together.
5. Combine with dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
   

   No overmixing—gluten is not your friend here.

6. Fold in chocolate. If using chips or chunks, fold them in now. Consider chopped hazelnuts for extra texture, IMO.
7. Chill the dough. Cover and chill 30–60 minutes. The dough firms up and bakes thicker, which helps lock in the Nutella.
8. Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   

   Line baking sheets with parchment.

9. Assemble cookies. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough (a heaping medium cookie scoop). Flatten into a thick disc, place a frozen Nutella dollop in the center, and wrap the dough around it, sealing completely. Roll into a ball.
   

   Keep Nutella in the freezer while you work—it melts fast.

10. Bake. Arrange dough balls 3 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden but centers still look soft. Underbaking slightly is your friend.
11. Finish. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt right out of the oven.
    

    Let cool on the tray 10 minutes before moving to a rack—the centers are molten.

12. Serve. Enjoy warm for a dramatic gooey center. If that first pull doesn’t make you grin, check your pulse.

Storage Tips

• Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add a slice of bread to keep them soft (old bakery trick).
• Fridge: Keeps them chewy up to 5 days.
  

  Warm for 10–15 seconds in the microwave to revive the goo.

• Freezer (baked): Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months. Reheat at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes.
• Freezer (unbaked): Assemble stuffed dough balls and freeze solid. Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes.
  

  Peak convenience.

What’s Great About This

• Show-stopping centers: That Nutella lava moment is pure drama with zero special equipment.
• Texture trifecta: Crispy edges, chewy middles, soft center. It’s a whole personality.
• Make-ahead friendly: Dough and stuffed balls freeze perfectly for last-minute dessert power moves.
• Scalable: Double the recipe for parties or bake two now, freeze ten for later. Future you says thanks.

Pitfalls to Watch Out For

• Skipping the Nutella freeze: Leads to leaking and sadness.
  

  Freeze it. Always.

• Under-sealing the dough: Pinch seams shut and roll into a smooth ball. Any crack = potential leak.
• Overbaking: You’ll lose the goo and the chew.
  

  Pull when edges are set and centers look slightly underdone.

• Warm dough: If the kitchen is hot, the dough softens fast. Chill between batches to keep cookies thick.
• Old baking soda: Flat cookies happen. Replace it every 6 months, FYI.

Alternatives

• Flavor swaps: Use peanut butter, cookie butter, or dulce de leche instead of Nutella.
  

  Adjust freeze time as needed.

• Brown butter version: Brown the butter, cool to room temp, then continue. Expect deeper, nutty flavor and slightly chewier texture.
• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Chill an extra 15 minutes for stability.
• Dairy-free: Swap butter for a quality plant-based stick and choose a dairy-free chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• Hazelnut crunch: Fold in 1/2 cup of toasted, chopped hazelnuts.
  

  Adds texture and boosts the Nutella vibe.

• Espresso upgrade: Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso to the dough to amplify chocolatey notes. Subtle but elite.

FAQ

Do I really need to freeze the Nutella?

Yes. Frozen Nutella keeps the filling contained while the cookie sets, preventing leaks and guaranteeing that gooey lava center.

Room-temp Nutella turns into a mess—ask me how I know.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Absolutely. Chill the dough for up to 48 hours, or assemble stuffed dough balls and freeze. Bake straight from the freezer with a minute or two added to the time.

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

Likely warm dough or too little flour.

Chill the dough longer, ensure your butter wasn’t melted, and weigh flour for accuracy. Also, use parchment—greased pans can cause spread.

How do I get perfectly round cookies?

Scoot them. Right after baking, use a large round cutter or a mug to gently swirl around each cookie, nudging the edges into a perfect circle.

It’s a bakery trick that looks like witchcraft.

Can I make them smaller?

Yes, use 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie with a smaller Nutella dot. Reduce bake time to 8–9 minutes. They’ll still be extra, just more “fun-sized.”

Do I need both granulated and brown sugar?

Using both delivers balanced sweetness and texture.

Granulated helps crisp the edges; brown sugar adds moisture and chew. You can sub one for the other, but the texture changes.

Is flaky salt necessary?

Technically no, spiritually yes. The salt slices through the sweetness and makes the chocolate-hazelnut flavors pop.

It’s the two-second upgrade that screams “pro.”

In Conclusion

Nutella Stuffed Cookies are the kind of dessert that make people suspicious you went to pastry school. They’re bold, gooey, and dangerously easy to nail. Freeze the filling, chill the dough, don’t overbake—follow those rules and you’re golden.

Make them once, and you’ll be “that cookie person” in your friend group. Honestly? Not a bad legacy.