Sure, Nutella is good enough to eat all by its lonesome, but have you tried it in brownie form? To say these Nutella Brownies are addictive would be the understatement of the year. They're rich and fudgy and amped up with a hint of hazelnut thanks to a gorgeously creamy Nutella swirl.
This recipe offers the best of both worlds: Major chocolate flavor, without having to chop or melt down any chocolate! Not to mention it's crazy quick and easy to make. The perfect make-ahead treat to bring to your next party or potluck, or even just to make after-school snack time that much sweeter!
As you can probably tell, we take our brownie game pretty seriously around here. That being said, you do not want to miss our Peanut Butter Brownies! Add them to your "to bake" list and good luck picking a favorite between these two 😉 Can there really be a winner when it comes to Nutella versus peanut butter!?
HANDS-DOWN, THE BEST NUTELLA BROWNIE RECIPE.
In case you haven't yet lost yourself in a jar of Nutella, and have yet to try it, let's begin by talking about what exactly it is.
Nutella is an Italian hazelnut butter with a smooth and creamy consistency, similar to peanut butter. Only, Nutella is a little less on the nutty side and a bit more on the chocolatey side.
This hazelnut spread boasts major dessert vibes and is a match made in heaven for our tried-and-true, insanely easy brownie recipe.
Trust me when I say, the flavor and texture of this brownie recipe are way too delicious not to put to use. So rather than dumping an entire jar of Nutella in a bowl, adding flour, and calling it a day, we're going to insert a teensy bit more effort, and you'll soon find that extra 5 minutes is going to be totally, above-and-beyond worth it.
If you're at all concerned there won't be enough Nutella flavor in these Nutella Brownies, let me assure you -- the Nutella swirl in this recipe is legit and 100% sufficient. And, thanks to it, you'll get loads (and loads) of hazelnut goodness in each and every decadent bite.
HOW TO MAKE NUTELLA BROWNIES
To kick off your Nutella brownies, you'll first want to whip up that easy brownie batter!
Before you begin with the batter though, you want to preheat your oven to 350°F and also go ahead and grease an 8 x 8" square baking dish.
For easy removal, consider lining your pan with parchment paper. A parchment paper sling is especially ideal for those of you who like a soft and fudgy brownie.
To make a parchment paper sling, simply spread a thin layer of butter along the sides and bottom of your pan and place a pan-wide strip of parchment paper down on the bottom and up sides. Make sure the strip of paper is long enough to stick up past the top of the pan, to ensure you have something to take hold of when it comes time to remove your Nutella Brownies. Then, cut another piece of parchment, just like the first, and lay it across in the other direction. I like to add a bit of butter between the two layers to be sure my top layer doesn't shift while pouring in my batter.
A metal baking dish is the best, as ceramic baking dishes take longer to heat through and affect your cook time.
Now, it's on to the dry ingredients! Combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium size mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Set the bowl aside and knock out those wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Once your wet ingredients look completely smooth and appear to have become one, slowly stream in melted, unsalted butter, whisking all the while.
Then, add the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined. Add the brownie batter to the pan and spread it to the edges.
Time to whip up that decadent swirl for your Nutella Brownies. To make the Nutella swirl add Nutella to a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds, or just until the Nutella appears liquefied and is a bit warm. Then remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until everything is smooth and perfectly creamy.
Now, you'll drop tablespoon-sized mounds of the Nutella sugar mixture across the top of the brownie batter. Use the tip of a knife to swirl the Nutella mixture into the brownie batter.
You want to slightly dig your knife into the batter, pull the brownie batter from the bottom-ish of the pan, and bring up and over a portion of the Nutella spread. Continue with this swirly motion until you are pleased with your design. Now on to the oven!
The bake time will vary depending on how you like your brownies. If you like a soft, chewy, and almost gooey brownie, bake for 30 to 35 minutes. For a brownie that is more done in the center with crispy edges, bake for closer to 40 minutes.
Your brownies are done once either a cake tester or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out either clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it.
If you adore a salty-sweet treat, you may want to consider adding a touch of salt to the top of your brownies as soon as they come out of the oven. The best salt to use for garnishing deserts is Falksalt. Falksalt has large crystals that are noticeable and beautiful, yet it is mild in flavor, just like sea salt.
Unfortunately, before you dig in, you'll want to allow your Nutella brownies to set up. Transfer the brownies to a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature, this should take about 30 minutes.
HOW TO STORE NUTELLA BROWNIES
If they don't all get eaten in one sitting, you can definitely save your Nutella Brownies for later. Either keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or place the container in the fridge and they should keep for up to 5 days.
If you'd like to save them for longer, Nutella Brownies will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze the whole pan at once, you'll need to line it with either nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper prior to adding the batter. Once baked, allow to cool completely, then lift the brownies out of the pan and wrap the whole thing up in 2 layers of aluminum foil and place them in a freezer-safe ziptop bag, before transferring to the freezer.
To freeze as individual servings, place the squares in an airtight container, using sheets of wax paper to separate the layers of brownies.
6 MORE DESSERT BARS YOU’LL LOVE
- Marshmallow Brownies
- S'mores Brownies
- Chocolate Banana Brownies
- Brookies
- Walnut Brownies
- Red Velvet Brownies
Marshmallow Brownies
S'mores Brownies
Banana Brownies
Brookies Recipe
Walnut Brownies
Red Velvet Brownies
Nutella Brownies are every bit as chocolatey as a brownie should be, plus they've got the added bonus of that perfect touch of hazelnut!
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup Nutella
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Generous pinch fine sea salt
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Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a greased, 8"x8" square baking dish. For easy removal, line your baking dish with parchment paper.
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Melt the butter in a microwave-safe pitcher or bowl, and set aside to cool.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk and set aside.
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Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl, and whisk. Add the sugar and vanilla, and with a handheld mixer on medium speed (or a sturdy wooden spoon), mix until well combined. Slowly stream in the melted butter, mixing all the while.
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Add the dry ingredients and slowly mix until just combined.
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Add the batter to baking dish, spread to the edges and smooth over the top.
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To make the Nutella swirl, add the Nutella to a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for about 30 seconds, just until the Nutella has liquified.
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Remove from the microwave and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
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Drop tablespoons-sized mounds of the Nutella mixture across the top of the brownie batter. Use the tip of a sharp knife to swirl the Nutella into the batter, ever so slightly digging into the batter in an up-and-over swirly motion.
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Bake for 35 minutes for a soft and chewy brownie or 40 minutes for a brownie with crispier edges and a more-done center.
Source: How Americans Became Obsessed With Nutella | Spoon University