Nutella Brownies

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These nutella brownies might be the best brownies ever! These fudgy brownies have a layer of chocolate hazelnut spread in the middle and are swirled with even more nutella on top. You don’t even need a mixer to make this 9 ingredient recipe!

Batch of nutella brownies from above with one on its side to see the nutella centre

Brownies have to be one of my favorite desserts ever, and the only way to make it even better? A delicious nutella layer! These nutella brownies use a similar method to my Biscoff brownies, so the chocolate hazelnut spread is chilled in the freezer - giving you a delicious hint of Nutella in every bite!

This recipe is based off of my fudgy dairy free brownies. If you’re looking to make these nutella brownies dairy free, you can easily swap out regular butter for vegan butter and use vegan chocolate hazelnut spread.

Why You'll Love These Nutella Brownies

These brownies only need 8 ingredients, so they’re perfect when you don’t have a lot of ingredients in your pantry.
You don’t need a mixer to make nutella brownies.
The nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread is frozen briefly, that way it doesn’t spread too much into the brownie batter. The remaining spread is swirled through the top layer of the brownie batter, though you can leave that out if you prefer.
You can easily make these brownies dairy free by swapping out regular butter for vegan butter and nutella for dairy free chocolate hazelnut spread.

Ingredients Needed

Nutella brownie ingredients in bowls with labels

Butter: you can use regular dairy butter or vegan butter.
Cocoa Powder: I recommend using unsweetened cocoa powder.
Flour: this nutella brownie recipe works best with all purpose flour, but if you need to make this gluten free then I recommend using gluten free all purpose 1-1 baking flour.
Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: this recipe has been tested with both regular (dairy) nutella and vegan chocolate hazelnut spread.

Step By Step Instructions

Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Step 1: Cut a piece of parchment paper that will fit into your 8x8 baking pan, making sure that it is big enough to leave some of the paper overhanging. Place it in the pan and fold the overhanging parchment so that it forms a crease, creating a square shape.

Step 2: Take the parchment paper out of the pan and place on a flat surface, like a cookie sheet, cutting board or the counter. Spread ¾ cup of the chocolate hazelnut spread on to the parchment paper in the shape of the square pan. This will allow you to place the nutella layer onto the brownie batter in one piece. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes while you make the brownies.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line it with parchment paper, making sure it is slightly overhanging. This way you can easily take the brownies out once they have cooled.

Step 4: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes paste-like and pulls away from the sides of the bowl - this will give us that crinkly top!

Step 5: Add the vanilla extract and eggs to the mixture and whisk again.

Step 6: Add the cocoa powder, flour and salt and mix with the whisk until it is just combined - about one minute. Make sure not to over-mix!

Step 7: Pour half of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Take the nutella layer out of the freezer, carefully peel it from the parchment paper in one piece and place on top of the brownie batter.

Step 8: Pour the remaining brownie batter on top and smooth it into an even layer. Take the remaining nutella and dollop teaspoons of it on top of the brownies, using a butter knife to swirl it around.

Step 9: Bake for 30-40 minutes. Check the brownies at 30 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the middle. The top of the brownies should be crinkly and the toothpick shouldn’t come out clean, but instead have a few wet crumbs.

Step 10: Let the brownies cool completely before slicing.

Nutella brownie baking process pictured in six steps

FAQs and Expert Tips

Do I have to add the nutella on top?

If you prefer a less sweet brownie, then you can skip adding the dollops of nutella on top of the brownies.

How can I tell when brownies are ready?

The top should be crinkly and if you insert a toothpick it should come out with some wet crumbs, but not raw brownie batter.

Do I have to use nutella?

You can use any chocolate hazelnut spread for these brownies!

Can I add hazelnuts to these brownies?

Absolutely! Feel free to add some chopped hazelnuts to the brownie batter or sprinkle them on top if you’d like to. You can also add chocolate chips or white chocolate chips if you’d like!

Expert Tips

Properly measure your flour - I highly recommend using a $15 kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients (metric measurements are in the recipe card below). If you aren't using a scale, use the scoop and level method.
Over-mixing - make sure not to overmix the brownie batter once you’ve added the dry ingredients. If you over-mix it it can change the texture of the baked brownies.
Freezing nutella - if the chocolate hazelnut spread isn’t firm enough when you take it out of the freezer, leave it in there for a few extra minutes! It should peel off of the parchment paper fairly easily.
Over-baking: keep an eye on the brownies when they’re in the oven! You do not want to over-bake them and instead want them to stay extra fudgy and chewy.
Wait to slice: make sure your brownies are completely cool before you slice them up, otherwise they might fall apart.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Store the nutella brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To freeze, store the brownies in a freezer bag and allow them to defrost to room temperature before enjoying.

More Recipes You'll Love

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.