Recipe

Soft Nutella Cookies

One-bowl Nutella cookies with crisp edges, soft centers, and a glossy chocolate-hazelnut swirl.

By Matt Campbell

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4.8

A plate of soft Nutella cookies with crackly tops and melted chocolate chips, set on a warm-toned kitchen table with a linen napkin

Nutella cookies are what happens when you want something that feels like a bakery treat but you also want it now. These bake up with crisp, ruffly edges and a soft, fudgy center that basically dares you to eat one while it is still warm.

We are keeping it low-drama: one bowl, simple ingredients, and a couple of small tricks that make a big difference. The biggest one is browning the butter for a deeper, toastier base that plays ridiculously well with hazelnut chocolate. If you have never browned butter before, do not worry. I will walk you through it like a friend hovering near your stove saying, "Yep, keep going… okay stop."

Nutella jar, flour, brown sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, baking soda, and chocolate chips arranged on a bright kitchen counter

Why It Works

Big Nutella flavor without being overly sweet. A little cocoa and a good pinch of salt keep things balanced.
Soft centers, crisp edges. The combo of browned butter, brown sugar, and the right bake time gives you that ideal chewy bite.
No chilling required. The dough is thick enough to scoop right away, but I will tell you how to chill if you want extra-thick cookies.
Easy to customize. Add chopped toasted hazelnuts, swap chips, or make them stuffed if you are feeling ambitious.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Add a small piece of bread to the container if you want them extra soft. The cookies will steal moisture from the bread like little delicious criminals.

Freeze baked cookies: Freeze in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp, or warm in the microwave starting with 8 to 10 seconds for that just-baked vibe (add a couple more seconds if needed).

Freeze cookie dough: Scoop dough into balls and freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

Common Questions

Can I make Nutella cookies with just Nutella, egg, and flour?

You can, and it works in a pinch, but the texture leans more cakey and a little one-note. This recipe adds browned butter, a touch of cocoa, and proper leavening so you get richer flavor and a chewier bite.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

Common culprits: butter was too hot, the dough was under-measured on flour, or the baking sheet was warm. Let the browned butter cool for 10 minutes before mixing, measure flour by spooning and leveling, and bake on cool sheets. If your kitchen is hot, chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes.

Can I skip browning the butter?

Yes. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly, then proceed. You will still get great cookies, just a little less toasty depth.

Do I need Dutch-process cocoa?

No. Natural or Dutch-process both work in this recipe. If you use Dutch-process, expect a slightly darker dough and a smoother chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa tastes a bit sharper and more classic.

How do I get thicker, bakery-style cookies?

Chill the scooped dough for 30 to 60 minutes, and bake the dough balls straight from the fridge. Also, use a slightly larger scoop and keep the bake time on the lower end so the centers stay soft.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Cover and chill the dough for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes if it feels too firm to scoop, or scoop first, then chill the portions.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Medium saucepan (for browning butter)
Large mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Sheet pans
Parchment paper
Cookie scoop (optional but very nice)
Wire rack

I started making these on nights when I wanted to bake but did not want a full project. Nutella was always in the pantry, mostly because it is basically edible comfort. The first time I browned the butter for this dough, the kitchen smelled like toasted hazelnuts and caramel, and I knew I had accidentally upgraded my entire weeknight dessert game. Now it is my go-to "bring something" cookie because people recognize the Nutella, but they cannot quite place why it tastes so much deeper. That is the browned butter doing its quiet little victory lap.

Soft Nutella Cookies

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings About 18 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (about 150 g) Nutella
3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon fine salt)
3/4 cup (135 g) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, plus extra for topping
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt being whisked together in a ceramic bowl on a kitchen counter

Instructions

Heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the center and preheat to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Brown the butter. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Keep cooking, swirling often, until it foams, then the milk solids turn golden-brown and it smells nutty, 3 to 6 minutes. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl (scrape in the browned bits). Let cool for 10 minutes so it is warm, not scorching.
Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the Nutella into the warm browned butter until smooth. (If it looks separated at first, keep whisking. Once the sugars go in, it usually pulls itself together.) Whisk in brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until glossy and well combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour first, then add cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt on top. Give the powders a quick stir with your spatula to break up any cocoa clumps, then fold everything together until you see just a few streaks of flour.
Fold in chocolate. Add chocolate chips (and hazelnuts if using) and fold until evenly distributed. The dough should be thick and scoopable. If it feels loose, let it sit for 5 minutes to hydrate.
Scoop. Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (a #40 scoop is perfect), or about 25 to 30 g each. You should get about 18 cookies. Space them 2 inches apart. Press a few extra chocolate chips on top if you want that bakery look.
Bake. Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers look puffed but still a little glossy and underdone. They will finish setting from carryover heat as they cool. Keep the second tray of dough at room temperature while the first bakes, or chill it if your kitchen runs warm. If you are using dark pans, start checking at 8 to 9 minutes.
Cool and enjoy. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky salt on warm cookies if you like a sweet-salty moment.