Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

I’ve made a lot of cookies over the years, but these nutella stuffed chocolate cookies are on a different level. They look like regular chocolate cookies from the outside, but break one open and you get a warm, melted Nutella center.

The dough is a deep, rich chocolate cookie dough with chocolate chunks folded in. So yes, this is very much a chocolate-on-chocolate-on-chocolate situation.

What makes these work so well is freezing the Nutella first. You scoop small balls of it, freeze them solid, then wrap cookie dough around each one before baking.

They come out of the oven with set edges and soft, slightly underdone centers. That’s exactly what you want. The Nutella inside stays gloriously molten.

Top them with a bit of flaky sea salt while they’re still hot. Serve them warm. Trust me on this one.

Why You’ll Love It

Molten Nutella Center – When you break these cookies open warm, the frozen Nutella ball melts into a gooey, lava-like center that makes every single bite feel like a special occasion.

Triple Chocolate Overload – Between the cocoa powder in the dough, the semi-sweet chocolate chunks, and the Nutella filling, you get three layers of chocolate flavor working together in one cookie.

Sweet and Salty Contrast – The flaky sea salt on top cuts through the richness of the chocolate and Nutella perfectly, giving each bite a balance that keeps you reaching for another one.

Extra Fudgy Texture – The combination of dark brown sugar, an extra egg yolk, and a slightly underbaked center creates a dense, fudgy cookie that is way more satisfying than a regular crispy chocolate cookie.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Nutella (frozen into 12 small balls)
• 10 tbsp Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 large Egg
• 1 large Egg Yolk
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Fine Salt
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
• Flaky Sea Salt (for topping)

Directions

Step 1

Line a small plate or tray with parchment paper. Scoop 12 small balls of nutella (about 2 teaspoons each) onto the tray and freeze for at least 1 hour until solid.

Step 2

Beat the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Step 3

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Step 5

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it in your palm, place a frozen nutella ball in the center, then wrap the dough around it and roll into a smooth ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet with 3 inches of space between each cookie.

Step 6

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top immediately.

Step 7

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. The centers will be gloriously molten when you break them open. Serve warm for the best experience.

My Tips

Freeze the Nutella Balls Until They’re Solid

This is the most important step in the whole recipe. If the Nutella balls aren’t frozen solid, they’ll melt into the dough while you try to wrap them and you’ll have a sticky mess on your hands.

One hour in the freezer is the minimum, but two hours is better. You want them rock hard so they hold their shape when you press the dough around them.

Keep them in the freezer right up until you’re ready to stuff. Only pull out a few at a time so they don’t start softening while you work through the batch.

Chill the Dough Before Stuffing

Don’t skip the 30 minutes of refrigerating the dough. Warm, soft dough is almost impossible to flatten and wrap around a frozen Nutella ball without it sticking to your hands and tearing apart.

Cold dough is firmer and way easier to work with. If at any point the dough starts getting too soft and sticky while you’re assembling, just pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Make Sure the Nutella Is Fully Sealed Inside

When you flatten the dough in your palm and place the Nutella ball on it, make sure you use enough dough to fully wrap around it with no gaps or thin spots. If there’s a crack or opening, the Nutella will leak out during baking and burn on the pan.

After you wrap the dough around the ball, roll it between your palms until the surface is smooth all the way around. If you see any seams, pinch them closed and roll again.

More Recipes

• Biscoff Fudgy Brownies
• Burnt Basque Cheesecake
• Dubai Chocolate Bars
• Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
• Tres Leches Cake

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I freeze the Nutella balls without them turning into a sticky mess?

The trick is to work quickly. Scoop small amounts of Nutella (about 2 teaspoons each) using a small cookie scoop or a measuring spoon, drop them onto parchment paper, and get them into the freezer right away. If the Nutella starts sticking to your hands, lightly grease your fingers with a tiny bit of cooking spray.

Make sure they freeze for at least a full hour so they’re completely solid. If they’re not frozen through, they’ll melt too fast during baking and leak out of the cookies instead of staying gooey in the center.