Soft and Chewy Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredient Quantities

These Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are all about the perfect balance of chewy edges and a warm, gooey hazelnut center. And the magic starts with exactly the right amounts. I am giving you cup measurements and gram weights because baking is a little science and a lot of love.

Make sure your butter is truly room temperature. Cold butter will not cream into that light, fluffy cloud we need for tender cookies. And when it comes to chocolate chips, I love using mini ones because they scatter more evenly through every single bite.

Keep the Nutella in the fridge until you are ready to scoop it. That firm, scoopable texture is the real secret to a sealed, leak free pocket of hazelnut goodness right in the middle of each cookie.

How to Make this

You are about to create the most dramatic, gooey centered cookie of your life. No restraint. No regrets. Just a thick, golden edge giving way to a molten Nutella middle. Here is how it goes, step by step.

1. Prep the Nutella. Line a small tray with parchment paper. Scoop out about 1.5 teaspoons of chilled Nutella for each cookie you plan to make. Slightly overstuff because a little spread will bake out anyway. Pop the tray into the freezer until the dollops are solid, at least 20 minutes. This is non negotiable for clean wrapping.
2. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter with both sugars until the mixture is pale, light, and creamy. It should look almost like soft frosting. This takes about 3 minutes with an electric mixer and creates the tender crumb we want.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Stop once everything looks smooth and unified. Overmixing now leads to tough cookies, and we are not about that life.
4. Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed or by hand. Fold until just a few streaks of flour remain. Then gently stir in the chocolate chips. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.
5. Assemble the stuffed cookies. Grab a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop of dough. Flatten it into a disc in your palm. Place one frozen Nutella dollop right in the center. Cover with another flattened disc of dough (or a bit more from the same scoop) and pinch the seams all the way around until the Nutella is completely invisible. Roll it briefly into a smooth ball. Repeat until all dough is used.
6. Chill the cookie balls. Place the stuffed dough balls back on the parchment lined tray and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes. This firms up the butter and prevents dramatic spreading in the oven. Do not skip this step if you want thick, bakery style cookies.
7. Bake. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the chilled dough balls on baking sheets lined with parchment, leaving at least 2 inches between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and pale. The cookies will continue to set on the hot pan.
8. Finish with flaky salt. Right when the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle the tops generously with flaky sea salt. The sweet Nutella and salty crunch are an addictive contrast. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Try not to burn your tongue waiting for that first gooey bite.

Want a truly melty center? Pop any cooled cookie in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds. It revives the liquid Nutella pocket like it was just baked.

FAQ

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

This recipe is forgiving, and you can bend it to fit your pantry or your dietary needs without losing that soft, chewy, stuffed magic.

Gluten free version. Replace the all purpose flour with a high quality cup for cup gluten free blend (280 g) containing xanthan gum. Chill the dough a little longer, and expect a slightly more tender crumb that still holds the filling perfectly.

Vegan version. Use solid coconut oil or a vegan margarine instead of butter (226 g). Swap the eggs with flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, set aside to thicken) or unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup per egg). The texture will be a bit softer, so chilling is extra important here.

Spread swaps. Any chocolate hazelnut spread works in place of Nutella. If you are feeling wild, try a cookie butter filling or even a peanut butter surprise in the middle. Just keep the spread chilled and scoopable, and the same rules apply.

Chocolate chip mix. As mentioned, a mix of semi sweet and dark chips adds incredible depth. You can also fold in chopped toasted hazelnuts for extra crunch or use white chocolate chips for a sweeter twist. The dough handles it all.

Pro Tips

The whole point of these cookies is the gooey middle. Underbake them slightly, let them rest on the hot pan, and never look back.

I have made these cookies more times than I can count, and a few simple habits separate a decent batch from a legendary one.

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• Chill the Nutella until firm but scoopable. If the Nutella is too soft, you will fight it at every seam. A spoonable, chilled dollop that holds its shape is perfect. No frozen rock solid pucks, just firm little mounds.
• Seal the seams like your cookie depends on it. Wrap the dough completely around the Nutella and pinch all the edges together until smooth. Any tiny crack will widen in the oven and let the hazelnut gold escape.
• Chill the formed cookies before baking. Even 15 minutes in the fridge works wonders. Cold dough spreads less, the edges get that slight crisp, and the center stays thick, soft, and bulging with Nutella.
• Watch the bake time obsessively. The difference between a gooey center and a dry crumb is about 2 minutes. Pull the tray when the edges are golden but the middle still looks puffy and slightly underdone. Carryover heat from the pan does the rest.
• Store them gently. Keep cooled cookies in a single layer so the soft centers don’t get squished. And if you have friends who need a showstopper, Nutella Stuffed Cookies are always a hit. For a classic version without the stuffing, my Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies are just as irresistible.

These Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are proof that a little extra effort delivers a whole lot of joy. Chewy edges, a soft middle, and that hidden river of hazelnut chocolate. Go make them, and do not forget the flaky salt on top.

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

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🍪 Thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies with a molten Nutella center that stays gooey even after baking.
🧡 The perfect balance of golden edges, melty chocolate, and warm hazelnut filling in every single bite.

• Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
• Yield: 20 cookies

Ingredients

All purpose flour: 2 1/4 cups (280 g)

Baking soda: 1 teaspoon (5 g)

Salt: 1/2 teaspoon (3 g)

Unsalted butter, room temperature: 1 cup (226 g)

Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup (150 g)

Brown sugar, packed: 3/4 cup (165 g)

Large eggs: 2

Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons (10 ml)

Semi sweet chocolate chips: 1 1/2 cups (255 g)

Nutella, chilled: 3/4 cup (200 g)

Flaky sea salt, for finishing

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Instructions

1-Prep the Nutella: Freeze 1.5-teaspoon dollops of Nutella on a parchment-lined tray for at least 20 minutes until solid.

2-Cream the butter and sugars: Beat room-temperature butter with both sugars until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.

3-Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla, until smooth; avoid overmixing.

4-Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to wet mixture, then fold in chocolate chips.

5-Assemble the stuffed cookies: Flatten dough disc, place frozen Nutella in center, cover with another disc, seal edges, and roll into a ball.

6-Chill the cookie balls: Refrigerate stuffed dough balls for 15–30 minutes to firm up.

7-Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F; bake on parchment-lined sheets for 10–12 minutes until edges are golden and centers soft.

8-Finish with flaky salt: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately, rest on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Last Step:

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Notes

🧊 Freeze Nutella dollops for at least 20 minutes before wrapping in dough to prevent leaks during baking.
⏲️ Chill assembled cookie balls for 15 to 30 minutes to keep them thick with bakery-style height.
🧂 Sprinkle flaky sea salt immediately after baking for an addictive sweet-salty contrast.

• Author: Ruby Bennett
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• chilling time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 290
• Sugar: 22 g
• Sodium: 120 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 35 mg