Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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Few would argue with the assertion that chocolate chip cookies are one of the most beloved baked treats around. Buttery, chewy, crispy on the edges, with morsels of chocolate goodness in every bite, chocolate chip cookies are hard to beat. Yet, what happens when you marry together these classic flavors with a secret twist? Enter dreamy and creamy Nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookies. Recipe developer Julie Kinnaird shares with us her decadent chocolate chip spin, which features a gooey Nutella center that adds its own special brand of indulgence to every bite. The elevated combination of the creamy hazelnut-enriched spread with the vanilla-laced brown sugar cookie dough is a match made for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie enthusiast. The secret lies in freezing scoops of the Nutella to tuck into the cookie dough before baking. The result is an absolute molten chocolate-hazelnut delight.

Kinnaird likes to add a bit of finely chopped hazelnuts to the dough to intensify the flavor of the nuts and give the cookies a bit of extra crunch. If you haven't baked with hazelnuts before, note that they must first be roasted and then rubbed to release their papery skins. These toasty colored skins can be quite bitter and might detract from the experience of your baked goods. If you prefer your cookies to be nut-free, they will still be next-level without.

The star of this recipe is Nutella, so grab a generous jar for making the irresistible molten cookie centers, and enjoy the extra in other preparations. You will cream together unsalted butter and light brown sugar, then add in a whole egg plus one yolk. The extra yolk adds a bit more richness and also helps with the browning of the dough while baking. Vanilla extract is used to flavor the dough. Dry ingredients include all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and sea salt. If you have not tried using cornstarch in cookie dough before, you will love the difference that it makes. The cornstarch acts not only as a binder as it does in sauces, but also tenderizes the gluten in the flour and helps to absorb extra moisture to prevent your cookies from spreading. Finely chopped roasted and skinned hazelnuts enhance the nutty flavor in the cookies and add a bit of texture. Kinnaird uses semi-sweet chocolate chips for a traditional chocolate chip cookie flavor.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drop 28 teaspoon-sized mounds of Nutella on the parchment.

Freeze for at least 30 minutes.

While the Nutella is freezing, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer bowl or other large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until lightened and fluffy.

Beat in the egg, followed by the yolk and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture and mix on low speed until combined.

Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

Mix in the chopped hazelnuts.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Line 2 more baking sheets with parchment.

Scoop the cookie dough into 28 portions and arrange them on the baking sheets.

Remove the Nutella scoops from the freezer and wrap a piece of cookie dough around each frozen Nutella scoop. Return the Nutella to the freezer if it starts to get too soft.

Chill the cookie balls for 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 350 F.

Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 10-11 minutes, just until they turn golden brown.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Serve and enjoy!

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One of the joys of these cookies is that they are both fun and easy to make from home with a few simple tricks. First, don't over-mix your dough. You want the wet and dry ingredients to be incorporated, but don't overdo it, because this will lead to tough cookies. Next, don't skip the important step of chilling the dough. This crucial step gives the gluten structure in the dough time to rest for a more tender bite, and also allows the cornstarch to absorb extra liquid. Chilling the dough balls will also prevent them from spreading before the dough has had time to set in the oven.

The most important tip of all is to make sure your Nutella centers are completely frozen. Soft Nutella is difficult to wrap dough around, and it will start to mix into your dough rather than stay separate. If the centers start to get soft while you are stuffing, just return them to the freezer long enough to firm them up again. These cookies can also be fully assembled and then frozen before baking for a delicious treat anytime.

Although this recipe is just about as perfect as they come, there is always room for customization. With all of the Nutella spin-offs on the market these days, you can experiment with other favorite brands. Just be aware that the baked texture of alternative spreads might differ from the silky smooth quality of classic Nutella. As mentioned before, the toasted hazelnuts add flavor and texture complexity, but not everyone loves nuts. You can omit or switch in toasted pecans or almonds for a slightly different flavor. When it comes to the chocolate chips, semi-sweet are the traditional choice but milk chocolate or even white chocolate chips would be delightful variations to pair with the Nutella.

Kinnaird says that although she does a lot of gluten-free baking with alternative flours, she has not yet tested this recipe. If you want to try going gluten-less with these cookies, substitute an equal amount of a cup-for-cup flour blend. You will have a slightly different texture in your cookies, but the results should still be decadently delicious.

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