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Nutella Stuffed Cookies start with a peanut butter cookie dough, then hide a spoonful of chocolate hazelnut spread in the center. The outside bakes into a sugar-coated cookie with lightly browned edges, while the middle stays creamy enough to make each bite feel full and balanced.
The main thing that makes this recipe work is contrast. Peanut butter gives the dough a nutty, salty richness. Brown sugar keeps the cookie soft and chewy. The granulated sugar coating adds a light crackle around the outside. Nutella brings the chocolate hazelnut center, but it needs to be sealed well so the filling stays tucked inside instead of leaking onto the baking sheet.
The dough does need an hour in the refrigerator. That chill time matters because the dough is easier to shape, wrap, seal, and roll after it firms up. Without that rest, the cookies are more likely to spread, and the Nutella can push through weak spots in the dough.
Why This Recipe Works
These Nutella Stuffed Cookies are built on a sturdy peanut butter cookie dough, which is exactly what you want when you are wrapping dough around a soft filling. The butter and sugars give the cookie tenderness, the peanut butter adds body, and the flour gives enough structure to hold the Nutella inside.
The recipe also uses both granulated sugar and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds moisture and chew, while the granulated sugar helps the edges bake up lightly browned. Rolling the filled dough balls in the reserved sugar gives the outside a simple finish that tastes clean against the deeper peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut center.
The 1-hour chill keeps the dough manageable. A chilled dough ball can be flattened, filled, pinched closed, and rolled without becoming sticky too quickly. That matters more here than it does with a plain drop cookie because every cookie needs to hold a filling.
The final 15-minute rest on the baking sheet is also useful. The cookies continue to settle after they come out of the oven, and moving them too soon can make them break around the stuffed center.
Ingredients
Here is what each ingredient does in the dough and filling.
Butter gives the dough richness and helps create a soft texture. Use it at room temperature so it blends smoothly with the sugars.
Granulated sugar is used in two places. One cup goes into the dough, and the remaining 1/2 cup coats the outside of the cookies before baking.
Brown sugar adds moisture and chew. It also gives the peanut butter dough a deeper sweetness than granulated sugar alone.
Creamy peanut butter is the main flavor in the cookie dough. Creamy peanut butter also keeps the dough smooth enough to wrap around the Nutella without extra texture getting in the way.
Eggs help bind the dough and give the cookies structure as they bake.
Vanilla extract rounds out the peanut butter flavor and keeps the dough from tasting flat.
Flour gives the cookie dough its shape and structure. Mix it in on low speed so the dough comes together without becoming tough.
Baking powder and baking soda help the cookies lift and spread just enough.
Salt balances the sweetness and pulls the peanut butter forward. Since the cookie is filled with Nutella and rolled in sugar, the salt is important.
Nutella is the filling. Use about 1 teaspoon in the center of each flattened dough scoop, then seal the dough fully around it. For another filled cookie style, Taste Pro’s Oreo and Nutella stuffed cookies keeps the same filled-cookie idea with a different base.
How to Make Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Start by beating the butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and the brown sugar together on medium speed until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This step builds the base of the dough, so give the butter and sugars enough time to blend well.
Mix in the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla until the dough looks smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed so the butter, peanut butter, and eggs are evenly mixed. The dough should look cohesive before the dry ingredients go in.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully combined. Stop once there are no dry streaks. The dough should be thick and soft, not loose.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour. This rest gives the dough time to firm up so it is easier to stuff and shape.
After chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough with a large cookie scoop. Flatten each scoop into a patty, then add about 1 teaspoon of Nutella to the center.
Fold the dough around the filling and seal it completely. This is the step to slow down for. If Nutella is showing, patch that spot with a small piece of extra dough. Once sealed, roll the dough into a ball.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Roll each dough ball in the sugar until coated. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet 1–2 inches apart.
Bake for 13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Stuffing the Cookies Without Leaks
The Nutella filling should sit in the center of the flattened dough, not close to the edge. If the filling is too close to the edge, the dough will be harder to pinch closed, and a thin seam may open in the oven.
Use about 1 teaspoon Nutella per cookie. More filling can sound appealing, but too much makes the dough harder to seal. A small spoonful gives the cookie a creamy center without overwhelming the peanut butter dough.
After folding the dough around the Nutella, look over the whole ball before rolling it in sugar. Any visible Nutella should be covered with a small patch of dough. Press the patch gently into place, then roll the cookie between your palms so the seam smooths out.
The dough should feel chilled but pliable. If it feels too soft while shaping, set the bowl back in the refrigerator for a few minutes before continuing.
Tips for Better Texture
Do not skip the chill time. The dough needs that hour to become easier to handle, and the finished cookies hold their shape better when the dough starts cold.
Measure the Nutella with a light hand. A teaspoon is enough for the center. Overfilling makes sealing harder and can lead to leaks on the baking sheet.
Leave space between the dough balls. The recipe calls for 1–2 inches, which gives the cookies room to spread without touching.
Watch the edges, not just the tops. The cookies are ready when the edges are lightly browned. The centers may still look soft when they come out of the oven, but they will settle as they cool on the baking sheet.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for the full 15 minutes. Stuffed cookies need that time because the center is soft and the cookie structure is still setting. If you are planning a dessert table, these fit naturally beside Taste Pro’s Fruity Pebbles cookies.
Extra Large Cookie Option
For extra large Nutella Stuffed Cookies, use 2 large scoops of dough per cookie. Flatten one scoop, add Nutella, then flatten the second scoop and place it on top. Seal the edges fully and shape the dough into a ball.
This version yields one dozen extra large cookies and bakes for 15 minutes. Because the cookie is larger, sealing the edges well matters even more. Press the seam closed all the way around before rolling the dough ball in sugar.
Storage and Freezing
Let the cookies cool fully before storing. Because the center is filled, packing them away while they are still warm can trap steam and soften the sugar-coated outside.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container. Keep them in a single layer if you want the cleanest look, or separate layers with parchment if stacking is needed.
For freezing, freeze fully cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container. Add parchment between layers so the cookies do not stick together. Thaw before serving so the filling has time to soften again. For more sweet baking ideas, the Desserts section is a useful place to keep browsing.
Make Ahead Notes
The recipe already includes a 1-hour chill, which makes the dough easier to shape and stuff. You can also prepare your workspace during that time: line the baking sheet, set out the cookie scoop, place the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl, and have small pieces of extra dough ready for patching any thin spots.
For the cleanest shaping, stuff the cookies after the dough has chilled. The chilled dough is easier to flatten and seal around the Nutella, and it is less likely to smear while rolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
The recipe calls for creamy peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter gives the dough a smooth texture that is easier to seal around the Nutella.
How much Nutella goes in each cookie?
Use about 1 teaspoon Nutella in the center of each flattened dough scoop. That amount gives a filled center while keeping the dough easy to close.
Why did my Nutella leak out?
The dough may not have been sealed fully, or the filling may have been too close to the edge. Patch any visible Nutella with extra dough before rolling the cookie into a ball.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
Bake for 13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before moving them.
Can I make bigger cookies?
Yes. Use 2 large scoops of dough per cookie, fill between the two flattened scoops, seal well, and bake for 15 minutes. This yields one dozen extra large cookies.
Nutella Stuffed Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Large cookie scoop
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar divided
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup Nutella
Instructions
- Beat butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and combined.
- Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low until the dough comes together.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough with a large cookie scoop.
- Flatten dough, add about 1 teaspoon Nutella to the center, seal the dough around the filling, and roll into a ball.
- Coat each dough ball in the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
- Place cookies 1–2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 13 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
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