The first time I made these, I expected the Nutella to stay tucked inside just because I’d pinched the dough closed. A few cookies disagreed: warm filling found the smallest seam and bubbled onto the pan. Freezing the portions first changed everything. These Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies now bake up with golden edges, soft centers, and a rich chocolate-hazelnut middle that stays where it belongs.
The dough is sturdy enough to wrap around a solid piece of filling, and the extra egg yolk gives the cookies a tender, chewy bite. I also chill the assembled cookies before they go into the oven, which helps them hold their shape while the edges bake. Take them out when the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft; the hot baking sheet carries them through the short rest.
Kitchen Note
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for the full five minutes before moving them. They’re delicate straight from the oven, and that brief pause lets the bottoms firm up without overbaking the centers.
Save these Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies for the next chocolate craving: crisp-golden edges, a soft cookie middle, and a frozen Nutella center tucked inside.
Why Soft Nutella Turns These Cookies Into a Leaky Mess
Nutella is soft at room temperature, so it starts warming as soon as it’s wrapped in cookie dough. If the filling is still pliable when the cookies go into the oven, it can push against the dough before the outside has time to set. A solid, frozen portion gives you a much easier center to enclose and buys the cookie time to bake around it.
Portion the filling onto parchment with space between each spoonful, then freeze it until solid for at least an hour. Keep the pieces frozen while you shape the dough, and pinch each seam completely closed; any gap is an exit point for the filling. Don’t try to flatten the Nutella into a thin layer. A neat piece in the center gives you that distinct soft middle instead of a streak that disappears into the dough.
The short refrigerator chill after shaping has a separate job: it firms the dough around the filling before baking. Both parts matter. Frozen centers make assembly manageable, and chilled cookies are less likely to spread into thin puddles before their edges set.
What the Dough Needs to Hold a Nutella Center
- Nutella — Its smooth, dense texture makes a creamy center once baked. Use the regular spread rather than a thin chocolate sauce, which won’t hold a portion shape for freezing.
- Unsalted butter — Softened butter creams evenly with the sugars and gives the dough its structure. A standard grocery-store butter works well; it doesn’t need to be a specialty brand. Don’t use melted butter here, which would make the dough looser.
- Brown and granulated sugars — Packed light brown sugar brings moisture and chew, while granulated sugar helps the edges bake up golden. The combination matters more than choosing a premium brand.
- Egg and egg yolk — The whole egg binds the dough, and the extra yolk adds richness and a tender texture. Use a large egg, as the balance of wet ingredients helps the dough wrap around the filling.
- All-purpose flour — Flour gives the cookie enough body to enclose the center. Measure it without packing it tightly into the cup; too much flour can leave the dough dry and harder to seal.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Their bittersweet edge balances the sweet filling, and chips keep their shape in the dough. Any standard semisweet chips work; there’s no need to buy couverture chocolate for this cookie.
How to Wrap, Chill, and Bake the Filled Cookies
Freeze the Nutella Portions Solid
Line a plate or small baking sheet with parchment, then place 16 level tablespoons of Nutella on it with room between portions. Freeze them until solid, at least one hour. If a portion bends or smears when you lift it, give it more time; firm pieces are far easier to enclose cleanly.
Mix the Dough Without Overworking It
Beat the softened butter with both sugars in a large bowl until creamy, about two minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined, then whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture only until no dry flour remains, then stir in the chocolate chips; continuing to beat after the flour disappears can make the cookies tougher.
Seal Each Center and Chill the Sheets
Line two 18×13-inch baking sheets with parchment and divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Flatten each portion, set one frozen Nutella piece in the middle, and bring the dough up around it, pinching until no seam is open. Place eight cookies on each sheet, seam side down, and refrigerate the sheets for 30 minutes while the oven heats to 350°F.
Bake Until the Edges Turn Golden
Bake the cookies for 12–15 minutes, switching the sheets between racks and rotating them front to back halfway through. Look for golden edges with centers that still seem slightly soft; waiting for the middle to look fully firm can leave the cookies overbaked. Let them rest on the baking sheets for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
Two Simple Ways to Change the Chocolate or Flour
A Sweeter Cookie With Milk Chocolate Chips
Replace the semisweet chips with milk chocolate chips in the same amount. The cookies will taste sweeter and less bittersweet beside the Nutella, while the dough and baking method stay the same.
A Gluten-Free Batch
Swap the all-purpose flour for a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend made for cookies. Choose a blend that includes a binder such as xanthan gum; the cookies may have a slightly more delicate crumb, so seal the dough carefully around each frozen center.
Storage and Reheating
- Room temperature: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The centers soften as they sit, while the edges gradually lose their crispness.
- Freezer: Freeze fully cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment. Thaw at room temperature.
- Reheating: Warm a cookie in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften the center. Longer heating can make the Nutella hot before the cookie itself is warm.
Questions About Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Line a plate or small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place 16 level tablespoons of Nutella on it, spacing them apart.
- Freeze until solid, at least 1 hour.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until no dry flour remains.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal portions, flatten each portion, enclose one frozen Nutella piece in the center, and pinch the dough completely closed.
- Arrange 8 cookies on each baking sheet, seam side down.
- Refrigerate the sheets for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the cookies for 12–15 minutes, switching the sheets between racks and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
- Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.