Irresistible Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies: Your Guide to Gooey Perfection
Prepare to elevate your dessert game with these phenomenal Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe takes the beloved classic chocolate chip cookie and infuses it with an unexpected, melt-in-your-mouth surprise: a creamy, dreamy Nutella center. If you thought a regular chocolate chip cookie was good, just wait until you experience the magic of one bursting with warm, gooey hazelnut spread. It’s a culinary journey that promises pure bliss with every bite.
Our love for chocolate chip cookies runs deep, and we’re always exploring new ways to perfect them. From crispy edges to chewy centers, every variation has its charm. However, adding a luscious, molten Nutella core truly transforms this simple treat into something extraordinary. Imagine biting into a perfectly baked, golden-brown cookie, only to discover a warm, oozing pocket of hazelnut chocolate. It’s an indulgence that’s hard to beat and sure to become a new family favorite!
Why These Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Are a Must-Try
Each one of these delightful cookies is a marvel of taste and texture. The secret to getting that perfect gooey Nutella middle lies in a clever trick: freezing the Nutella first. This essential step ensures that the hazelnut spread stays intact during the baking process, preventing it from mixing into the dough and instead creating that distinct, soft filling. Once these “Nutella patties” are firm, they are effortlessly nestled between two scoops of our rich, homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. The result? A perfectly contained, warm, and utterly delicious surprise in every cookie. We highly recommend savoring one while it’s still wonderfully warm, perhaps even with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Essential Baking Tools for Ultimate Cookie Success
Achieving cookie perfection is much easier with the right tools. Over the years, we’ve found three specific kitchen items that consistently help us create the best cookies possible. In fact, these versatile tools are staples in almost every baking project we undertake, extending far beyond just cookie recipes.
First and foremost, I cannot stress enough the benefit of lining your cookie sheets with either a piece of parchment paper or a high-quality silicone baking mat. These are typically sold in sizes that perfectly fit standard 12×16 inch cookie sheets. Their primary function is to prevent cookies from sticking, ensuring a clean release every time, but they also contribute to more even baking and eliminate the need for messy sprays or oils. This means easier cleanup and perfectly shaped cookies.
Secondly, a KitchenAid mixer is an absolute game-changer. While I also own a Bosch, my KitchenAid is my go-to for cookies. The paddle attachment, which comes standard with every mixer, is ideal for creaming butter and sugar, mixing in eggs, and incorporating flour without overdeveloping the gluten. It ensures all ingredients are uniformly combined, leading to a consistently textured dough and ultimately, better cookies. If you’re passionate about baking, this is one investment you won’t regret – it’s one of my most frequently used small appliances!
Lastly, a cookie scoop is an often-overlooked hero. For years, I struggled with using two spoons to haphazardly drop dough onto baking sheets, resulting in cookies of varying sizes and often irregular shapes. Then, a friend revealed her secret to perfectly uniform cookies: a cookie scoop! These handy gadgets come in various sizes – typically 1/2 tablespoon, 1.5 tablespoon, and 3 tablespoon. For these Nutella-stuffed cookies, the medium (1.5 tablespoon) scoop is usually perfect, ensuring consistent size, shape, and even baking across the entire batch.
Deconstructing the Ingredients: What Makes These Cookies So Good?
Crafting the perfect Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies starts with understanding each ingredient and its role in the final product. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why:
- Butter: The recipe calls for 14 tablespoons of butter, which is just shy of two full sticks. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature. This is crucial for properly creaming it with the sugars, which creates air pockets in the dough, leading to a lighter, more tender cookie. Never use melted or cold, hard butter!
- Brown Sugar: This provides moisture, chewiness, and a delightful caramel note to the cookies. Always use fresh brown sugar; if yours is hard, gently warm it or use a brown sugar saver to soften it.
- Granulated Sugar: Working in harmony with brown sugar, granulated sugar contributes to the cookies’ sweetness and helps achieve that slightly crispy edge.
- Eggs: Just one large egg is needed to bind the cookie dough ingredients together, adding structure and richness. Ensure it’s at room temperature for better emulsion with the butter and sugars.
- Vanilla Extract: A true flavor enhancer, vanilla extract is key to a classic chocolate chip cookie taste. Opt for a high-quality pure vanilla extract for the best aromatic results.
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of the cookie. While all-purpose flour works beautifully, you can experiment with a gluten-free all-purpose blend if dietary needs require it, though results may vary slightly.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is vital! It balances the sweetness, enhances the chocolate and Nutella flavors, and prevents the cookies from tasting bland.
- Baking Soda: This acts as the primary leavening agent, helping the cookies spread and achieve a soft, tender texture. Always check that your baking soda isn’t expired for optimal lift.
- Chocolate Chips: We prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips for their classic flavor balance, but feel free to customize! Milk chocolate chips offer a sweeter profile, while dark chocolate chips provide a richer, more intense flavor. Don’t forget a few extra for sprinkling on top before baking for that perfect bakery-style finish.
- Nutella: The star of the show! You’ll need about 3/4 cup in total, divided into 12 teaspoon-sized dollops. The key here is to measure carefully and not overfill, as too much Nutella might cause it to seep out during baking.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
While these cookies are surprisingly straightforward to make, the critical first step involves preparing the Nutella filling. Don’t skip the freezing!
PREPARE THE NUTELLA FILLING
Begin by lining a small baking tray or plate with either baking paper or parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, carefully dollop 12 individual teaspoons of Nutella onto the prepared surface. Ensure that each dollop is spaced an inch or two apart to prevent them from freezing together. Once all dollops are placed, transfer the tray to the freezer and let them firm up for at least 30 minutes. This hardening is essential for easy handling and for maintaining a distinct Nutella core during baking.
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with both the brown and granulated sugars. Using an electric hand mixer (or your KitchenAid stand mixer with the paddle attachment), cream these ingredients together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. This process is crucial for incorporating air and creating a light, fluffy base for your cookies.
Next, beat in the large egg and the vanilla extract. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well combined and noticeably lighter in color and texture.
In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Sifting helps to aerate the dry ingredients and prevent lumps. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a rubber spatula just until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
Finally, fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Prepare two baking pans by lining them with parchment paper; this will prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES
Now for the fun part! Using your medium or large cookie scoop, place one scoop of cookie dough onto the prepared baking pan for each cookie. With the bottom of the scoop or your thumb, gently press down on the center of each dough scoop to create a slight indentation or flattened area. This flattened area should be larger in diameter than your frozen Nutella filling, creating a perfect base.
Carefully take one frozen Nutella dollop and place it directly on top of the flattened cookie dough base. Then, take another scoop of cookie dough and place it directly on top of the Nutella. Gently but firmly, use your fingers to seal the edges of the top and bottom dough portions together, encasing the Nutella entirely within the dough to form a neat ball. This sealing process is vital to keep the Nutella from escaping during baking.
Repeat this process for the remaining cookies until you have 12 beautifully stuffed cookies. For an extra touch of visual appeal, you can press a few additional chocolate chips onto the top of each dough ball.
BAKE THE COOKIES
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven preheats, let the shaped cookies rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. This chilling period helps the cookies hold their shape better and prevents excessive spreading, contributing to a chewier texture.
Once chilled, place the baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 14-16 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. Remember, cookies continue to bake for a few minutes after they’re removed from the oven due to residual heat, so a slightly underbaked center is ideal for a soft, chewy texture. These cookies are absolutely divine when served warm, allowing the Nutella center to be perfectly molten!
Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Ingredients
- 14 Tablespoons of butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + some for the top
- 12 teaspoons Nutella (3/4 cup)
Instructions
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PREPARE THE NUTELLA FILLING: Line a small baking tray or plate with baking or parchment paper. Dollop 12 teaspoons of Nutella on the tray, ensuring they are an inch or two apart. Pop them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
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MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH: With an electric hand mixer, mix the butter and sugars for a 2-3 minutes.
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Mix in the egg and vanilla and mix for another 2-3 minutes.
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Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together, then fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly combined.
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Prepare 2 baking pans with parchment paper.
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ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES: Use a medium or large cookie scoop to add a scoop per cookie onto the baking pan. Press down with the bottom of the cookie scooper, so you can make the center flat to place the Nutella onto the cookie. The diameter of the cookie dough should be bigger than the diameter of the frozen Nutella filling.
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Take one frozen Nutella filling and place it on top of the cookie dough. Take another scoop of cookie dough and gently but firmly seal the filling inside with the bottom piece of cookie dough, encasing it in the dough making a ball.
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Continue with the rest, until you have your 12 filled cookies. If you’d like, you can place a few more chocolate chips on top.
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BAKE THE COOKIES: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Let the shaped cookies rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes and then bake for about 14 – 16 minutes, or until golden brown. These are best served warm!
Nutrition
The Art of Cooling and Serving Your Cookies
Once your glorious Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies emerge from the oven, resist the immediate urge to transfer them! Cookies are quite delicate and soft when hot, and moving them too soon can cause them to break apart. The best practice is to allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes. This brief resting period allows them to firm up slightly and continue to set through residual heat. After this initial cooling, you can gently transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool down further. However, if you’re like us, waiting for them to fully cool might be impossible! They are usually cool enough to handle and devour after just a couple more minutes on the rack. There’s truly nothing better than a warm, freshly baked cookie, especially when that warm cookie has a molten Nutella center and is paired with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.
Mastering the Art of Chocolate Chip Cookies: Advanced Tips for Perfection
While Nutella stuffing adds an exciting twist, the foundation of this recipe is a classic chocolate chip cookie. Here are a few invaluable tips to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly every single time, whether stuffed or plain:
- Butter Temperature is Key: Always use softened butter, but absolutely *do not* melt it. This is one of the most common pitfalls in cookie making. Butter that is too cold won’t cream properly with sugar, leading to a dense cookie. Melted butter, on the other hand, makes the dough greasy and causes excessive spreading. Ideally, leave butter out on your counter for 1-2 hours. If you’re short on time (like me when a cookie craving hits!), soften it in the microwave in 5-second bursts, being extremely vigilant to remove it before it starts to melt. I’ve found that using the defrost setting on my microwave works wonders, as it softens the butter more evenly and slowly, reducing the risk of accidental melting.
- Creaming Butter and Sugar Properly: Dedicate a little extra time—about 2-3 minutes—to thoroughly cream the butter and sugars together. This step isn’t just about mixing; it’s about incorporating air into the mixture, which contributes significantly to the cookies’ texture, making them lighter and chewier.
- Always Preheat Your Oven: This might seem obvious, but ensuring your oven is fully preheated to the correct temperature is vital for consistent results. A properly heated oven allows cookies to bake evenly from the start, preventing them from spreading too much or baking unevenly.
- Invest in a Cookie Scoop: Beyond just consistency in size, a cookie scoop also helps in creating uniformly shaped cookies that bake evenly. When all cookies are the same size, they require the same baking time, preventing some from being undercooked and others overcooked.
- Utilize Parchment Paper or Silicone Mats: These baking aids are your best friends. Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat not only prevent sticking, ensuring your cookies slide off the pan effortlessly in perfect shape, but they also contribute to more consistent heat distribution, which aids in even baking and a perfectly golden bottom.
- Don’t Overbake: This is perhaps the most crucial tip for chewy cookies. When I remove my cookies from the oven, they often look slightly underbaked in the center. This is perfectly normal! They will continue to “carry-over cook” on the hot baking sheet for a few more minutes, reaching that ideal chewy consistency. Overbaking is the quickest way to end up with dry, hard cookies.
I know I often share anecdotes about my children, but I can’t help but gush over this sweet little girl, Nellie! Isn’t she just the absolute cutest? She adores preschool and has truly flourished there this year, even though she only attends a couple of times a week. She’s my fourth daughter, but the first who insists on wearing a dress every single day, no matter the weather. All winter long, I worried she would freeze because she’s not a fan of coats either, but even on the chilliest days, she refused to wear long sleeves or pants. She definitely marches to the beat of her own little drum, a vibrant spirit that we cherish deeply. It’s moments like baking these cookies together, creating simple joys, that make family life so special and memorable.
Adore Chocolate Chip Cookies? So Do We! Explore More of Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes!
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies truly redefine what a homemade cookie can be. By simply adding a luscious, hidden core of Nutella, you transform a familiar comfort food into an exciting new indulgence. We hope you enjoy making and, most importantly, devouring these delightful treats as much as we do. Happy baking!