Can we handle this right now? Here goes nothing!
I’ve always made brownies 1 of 3 ways:
- with cocoa powder
- with pure chocolate
- with both
Any of the above supply the decadent chocolate flavor as tasted in recipes like my chewy fudgy frosted brownies and mint chocolate chip cheesecake brownies. But there’s another big time chocolate player in town. It’s that wonderfully creamy, fabulously thick magic we all know as Nutella.
Today’s Nutella brownies come from my dear friend Shelly. Shelly is the brains behind cookies & cups, a blog focusing on what we all know and love: eating dessert first. Her cookbook, The Cookies & Cups Cookbook, is just the same—and home to 125 exclusive recipes, each with a photo. Shelly’s style of baking and cooking is quick and fuss-free and the cookbook is filled with irresistible breakfast recipes, simple family favorite dinners, and over the top desserts like S’mores Fudge Bars and Toffee Banana Cream Pie. Somehow Shelly always knows what you’re in the mood for. And you’ll LOVE it.
Shelly was kind enough to let me share a recipe with you and the moment I flipped to page 108, I was sold. And, at that very same moment staring at those little chocolate hazelnut gems, I somehow had a chocolate craving the size of Texas.
Houston, we have no problem.
(Those are swirls of Nutella on top!! Consider these the brownie version of my Nutella swirl cheesecake bars.)
About these brownies: I was so intrigued that Shelly didn’t add any chocolate or cocoa powder to the brownie batter and that all of the chocolate flavor comes from Nutella. Just like my Nutella crinkle cookies, each brownie has this incredibly concentrated and sweet chocolate hazelnut flavor. It’s all you taste! Always a fan of a little sweet and salty, I topped the brownies with sea salt. I have a feeling this brownie batter would make an unbelievable brownie pie, too. (Just swap out that brownie filling for this one!)
Another aspect I loved about the Nutella brownies is that they’re prepared in just 1 bowl, so clean up is a breeze.
You haven’t had a brownie like this. Nutella brownies are yours for the taking!
Try my peanut butter cup crunch brownies and coconut cheesecake brownies for more fun takes on classic brownies!
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Nutella Brownies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 12 brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Completely outrageous Nutella brownies!! They’re rich, fudgy, chewy, dense, and perfect!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (5 Tablespoons; 72g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cups (370g) Nutella, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- optional: 3/4 cup (135g) semi-sweet chocolate chips; a sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan or 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the brownies out of the pan when cool. (If using a 9-inch pan, the bake time will be a few minutes less.) Set aside.
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in 1 cup Nutella and salt. Mix until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. If using chocolate chips, gently fold them in.
- Pour the batter into prepared baking pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of the remaining 1/4 cup Nutella on top. Using a knife, swirl the Nutella into the batter. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Bake the brownies for 32-36 minutes. Keep your eye on them and test with a toothpick to determine doneness. If the toothpick comes out with only a couple moist crumbs, the brownies are done. The brownies may take a few minutes longer; all ovens vary. Mine took 36 minutes.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once cool, lift the foil out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. You can top each with more sea salt if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They won’t last that long!
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the brownies for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):Â 8-Inch Square Baking Pan or 9-Inch Square Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Recipe from The Cookies & Cups Cookbook with permission from author & publisher.
Made it for my moms birthday, showstopper!
Hi great recipe! Can I use salted caramel instead of Nutella on the top of the brownie and if so should I bake it or should I just spread it after baking?
Hi Olympia, we recommend trying these salted caramel turtle brownies!
Did this with almond flour. I only used 4 tablespoons of butter but otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. It was excellent, the hardest part was waiting for it to cool down!
I’m
I can’t wait to make these brownies next week! I love your recipes!
Hi I have a question can i bake these brownies as mini bites instead
Absolutely! Bake time will be less and vary on the size of the mini brownie bite pan that you use.
Made this as a Valentine’s Day treat— I was really wanting to make some delicious brownies and these did not disappoint. They were a snap to make and AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS, just like all your other recipes!
I’ve made your mint brownies more times than i can remember as my family requests them at every occasion (and even for no occasion lol) but I think these need to be on the brownie rotation!
I swapped out the addition of chocolate chips for these Ferraro rocher bars I found randomly and that was a really nice addition imo but would be curious to try again with chocolate chips instead too! Loved the little sprinkle of salt on top too! I had some maldon salt floating around in my pantry so I just used that!
This brownie recipe is so good! But I have a question. Can I add 2 bananas next time I make this?
Hello Sally! I am a big fan of your recipes. Your wholewheat waffle recipe is a staple in my home. I have a question for the nutella brownies. Can we use melted butter instead of creaming it? Thanks.
Thank you so much! I don’t recommend melted butter for this particular recipe.
Perfect recipe! Very easy to throw together with massive chocolatey Nutella flavor…the sea salt is a must.
Hi Sally! Love all your recipes that I’ve tried so far and I’m hoping to make this one in the next day or so. One question, if using the sea salt and choc chips, I assume it’s a mix of both in a measuring cup at 3/4 cup and not 3/4 cup of each?
Hi Dani, 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and then just a sprinkle of sea salt. I’ll change the wording in the recipe right now to make that more clear!
I love this recipe. Can I ask a question? Instead of Nutella can we add dark chocolate. If can how much we need to add please tell me ?
Hi Jayasmi, so glad to hear these are a favorite for you! While you could try replacing the Nutella with melted dark chocolate, it does have a different consistency than Nutella so you’d likely need to tinker with the ingredients a bit. Instead, you could try these brownies, and use chopped dark chocolate and dark chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet chocolates called for. Let us know if you give it a try!
How would you modify the recipe time using the Wilton 12 cavity baking pan? Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bar Baking Pan, 12-Cavity, Steel https://a.co/d/0AuoDfI
We haven’t tested it but let us know if you do, Rose!
My daughter wanted Nutella brownies for her birthday. I found a few online and my gut told me to try this recipe. I’m glad I did! All of my kids LOVED this recipe, especially my super picky eater! I used dark brown sugar instead of light brown because it was what I had and I also used 1/2 cup of Nutella to swirl in at the end. I added the Maldon sea salt flakes right after removing from the oven and testing for doneness. This recipe is now in high demand–It appears that I’ll have to buy Nutella in bulk! Thank you for sharing such a delightful recipe, Sally!
Can I sub gluten free flour?
Hi Lora, we haven’t tested these brownies with gluten-free flour, but let us know if you do!
It is a delicious recipe, thanks. Although I don’t personally care for Nutella, I made this for Nutella lovers and would’ve liked if it had more of a nutella flavor. It was also a bit on the greasy end. Still yummy and chewy though.
I have done this recipe many times. They come out so moist and tasty, my kids love it with ice cream and chocolate syrup on top
These brownies are amazing. I doubled the recipe for a 9×13 pan. It took closer to 40 minutes to bake – not sure why it took so long as i put them into a well preheated oven. I did use a disposable foil pan – maybe that made a difference?
Hi Kate! Doubling the recipe will extend the bake time as well.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
We really recommend sticking with butter here.
I have made this recipe so many time due to requests from friends and family! I personally think it is the most moist brownie I have ever tasted. Definitely a crowd pleaser! I always add the chocolate chips but I use dark chocolate chips. So yummy!
can i use m and m’s instead of chocolate chips?
Absolutely!
Can peanut butter be used in place of nutella?
Hi Chris, we haven’t tested peanut butter in these brownies. Here’s our Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies recipe!
Hi Sally! It’s my first time following one of you recipes. If I’m honest, I was skeptical since I felt it wasn’t enough batter for my pan; but the result is amazing! I added a bit of cocoa powder and wow the flavor! I’m a new fan :3
These were AMAZING. I was worried that they were going to taste too much like Nutella, but I rolled with this recipe because I didn’t have any other chocolate to use for brownies. They do have a Nutella flavor but it’s not overpowering at all. This will probably be my go to brownie recipe from now on!