Want to take your cookies to the next level? Then try these Nutella Stuffed Cookie Bars! Two layers of golden chocolate chip cookie filled with chocolate hazelnut spread. The perfect dessert served warm with ice cream and chocolate sauce.
There are a few things in life that I just can’t say no to.
The smell of just baked bread, homegrown freshly picked berries and warm from the oven chocolate chip cookies!
Close your eyes and just think about that warm buttery cookie smell, with gooey chocolate chips on top. Think about that first bite of the soft and chewy cookie, and when the warmth gives you a big hug from the inside.
It’s the best, right?
What’s even better, is a chocolate chip cookie dough isn’t really that hard to make.
But what if I told you there was an even easier way to get warm cookies straight from the oven.
And by easier, I mean quicker. Let’s not bother with all the scooping and dough balling; why not just but the dough straight in a pan and bake it? Maybe stuff it with something for extra easy indulgence?
Can you see where I’m going here?
Not only are you going to love these Nutella stuffed cookie bars for yourself, but they are also perfect for gifting… if you can give them up!
Why you’ll love these cookie bars?
If I haven’t already tempted you, and you need some gentle persuasion, then these cookie bars are…
- Extra soft and chewy, with a buttery caramel flavour
- Made with store cupboard ingredients and in one bowl
- A quick no-chill and no-spread recipe
- Soft and chewy for up to 3 days… if you can make them last that long
Why Nutella?
And why not? From what I hear over on the Crumbs and Corkscrews Facebook page, Nutella is high up everyone’s favourite food list. And it’s not just those guys!
Apparently, it’s on the World’s favourite food list, with a jar selling every 2.5 seconds, equating every year, to enough Nutella to go around the World 1.8 times, or cover the Great Wall of China 8 times.
That’s a serious amount of chocolate hazelnut spread
So it seemed like the perfect accompaniment to our soft and chewy cookie bars.
Do I have to use Nutella?
No, you don’t have too!
If for any reason you’re not a fan of Nutella, or like me you can’t have nuts, then go ahead and switch the Nutella out for something else.
In fact, there are lots of alternatives out there. Whether it’s store own brand hazelnut chocolate spread or just a chocolate spread, you can switch things around.
Here are some of my favourite substitutions:
- Cadbury Dairy Milk spread – Pure unadulterated chocolate spread with all the chocolatey goodness of Dairy Milk. The only thing is making sure you don’t eat it all by the spoonful before adding between the cookie dough layers.
- White Chocolate Spread – Switch out the milk chocolate chips and add white chocolate chips instead. Then add a generous helping of a white chocolate spread between the cookie dough.
- Chocolate Caramel Spread – For an extra caramel flavour, why not try using a duo spread, and try caramel chips or chunks in your cookie dough. If you can’t find a caramel spread, you could always add a layer of thick caramel sauce.
What you’ll need to make this recipe
I love these cookie bars, as the recipe just works! In fact, you could even try it out with regular cookies rather than bars.
It gives a really nice soft dough but one that doesn’t just spread and spread when it’s baking, so they hold their shape really well.
If you’re ready to give them a try, here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter – I go for slightly salted butter, that way I don’t need to add extra salt. But if you can only get unsalted, then add about half teaspoon of flakey salt to the recipe.
- Soft Light Brown Sugar – The light brown sugar helps make the buttery cookie bars thick and chewy. But it will also help give it them the beautiful golden colour you’re looking for and a touch of extra caramel flavour
- Caster or Superfine Sugar – This is in addition to the light brown sugar, and helps the cookie bars form those crispy, crunchy edges that everyone fights over.
- Plain or All-Purpose Flour – Gives you the ideal cookie texture. A self-raising flour would add too much lift to the cookie dough and you’d end up with a more cake-like texture.
- Baking Soda – We want just a little lift in our cookie dough to help keep them light, rather than heavy and dense.
- Corn Flour or Cornstarch – This seems odd but trust me it works! Adding just a touch gives the cookie a little extra chewiness but keeps it very soft, so they melt in your mouth.
- Egg – You need something to bind all the ingredients together! Remember to take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before you want to use them so they come to room temperature.
- Chocolate Chips – I love these Belgian milk chocolate ones, they taste so chocolatey!
- Nutella – They wouldn’t be Nutella stuffed without it!
Recommended equipment
View my Amazon shopping list with equipment and ingredients.
How to make Nutella stuffed cookie bars
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card
These golden cookie bars are an absolute delight to eat, but also to make! You can get all in and use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, but there’s nothing simple than making them by hand!
Ok, so you’ll need to put a little bit of elbow grease in there to bring the dough together, but what more do you want than a recipe that uses one bowl, a whisk and a wooden spoon! And here’s how to do it…
In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter and both sugars then whisk them together. Then add the egg and whisk again until well combined. You’ll end up with a thick, caramel colour mixture.
Next, sieve the flour, baking soda and cornflower into the wet mixture. Add in the chocolate chips and fold everything together with a sturdy spoon until it forms a thick cookie dough.
Line a brownie pan or 8-inch square baking pan with baking parchment, and place half the dough mixture in the bottom. Use your fingers to push the dough out to the edges of the pan and level it off.
Spread the Nutella over the top of the cookie dough, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge. This stops the Nutella leaking out when baking. If you have an offset spatula, this is great for getting an even spread.
With the remaining cookie dough, press it out into a sheet large enough to sit over the top of the Nutella, and then place on top. If you try and push the dough out directly on the chocolate spread, it will squeeze it out to the sides.
Finally, bake for about 25 minutes at 180C/350F until golden and starting to get crispy at the edges.
Step by step live video
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can! There are lots of alternatives available, but a regular chocolate spread works perfectly.
An 8-inch square pan will make 16 slices.
A 9-inch square pan will make 25 slices.
The cookies are best stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.
The cookies will keep fresh for up to 3-4 days.
Yes. Once the cookies have cooled, slice up into bars and stack them together to a piece of baking parchment or greaseproof paper between them. Wrap well in clingfilm or plastic wrap before freezing. Defrost thoroughly before eating.
Definitely! In fact, warm is the best way to eat them. Pop in the microwave and reheat in 30 seconds blasts, or pop on a baking sheet and place in a warm oven for 5 minutes.
Top tips for the most awesome cookie bars
To make these really easy cookie bars even better, here are a few handy tips that are worth checking out:
- Always use butter – There are so many different alternatives out there, but if you can eat butter, then always go for full-fat butter. Avoid spreads and baking blocks as these have higher water content and often additional oil in them, and will result in a denser, drier cookie as they bake. Real butter will give you a richer, softer cookie.
- Add an extra egg yolk – The recipe calls for 1 medium egg, but for a little extra softness and richness in the flavour, add an extra egg yolk into the dough mixture.
- Line the pan with baking parchment – This is a key top tip! If you miss lining the pan, the cookie dough will stick in the pan when baking. I use baking parchment and leave excess on the sides, which help you lift the cookie bars out of the pan easily.
- Cut the perfect cookie bars – You might be templated to cut the bars when the cookies are still warm, but they can crumble easily. Instead, let the cookies cool first then with a sharp knife, start slicing from the middle of the cookie and press firmly through – glide the knife rather than ‘saw’.
How to serve Nutella stuffed cookie bars?
If I’m totally honest, for me, there is only one way to serve these and that’s warm from the oven, with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce poured over the top!
But if that doesn’t take your fancy, here’s a couple of other ways to eat them:
- Go for a classic combo – Is there anything more comforting than a cookie and a glass of fridge-cold milk? I don’t think so, and there’s nothing to stop you do so with these cookie bars either.
- Use them in an ice cream sundae – Soft and chewy cookie bars make the perfect base for an ice cream sundae. Crumble up into pieces and add into the bottom of a sundae glass before piling the ice cream on.
- Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream – Chocolate and berries go so well together, especially raspberries! Add a touch of whipped vanilla cream and you have a fantastic, easy dessert.
More cookie recipes to try
If you liked this Nutella stuffed cookie bars recipe here are some other recipes that I think you’d enjoy…
Nutella Stuffed Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 170 g Butter Melted
- 150 g Light Soft Brown Sugar
- 100 g Caster Sugar or Superfine Sugar
- 1 Eggs Medium
- 1 Egg Yolks Optional
- 280 g Plain Flour or All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1.5 tsp Corn Flour or Cornstarch
- 150 g Milk Chocolate Chips
- 100 g Nutella or Chocolate Spread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180ºC/ 350F, and line an 8 inch baking pan or brownie pan with baking parchment.
- To make the cookie dough: Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat or in a microwave in 30 second blasts. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, caster sugar and melted butter. Whisk together until everything combines. You can use a handheld mixer, stand mixer or balloon whisk.
- Add the whole egg, and optional egg yolk if using, and whisk again. The mixture will be thick and a caramel colour.
- Sieve the plain flour, baking soda and corn flour together, into the wet mixture and gently begin to fold in with a silicone spatul or wooden spoon.
- Add the chocolate chips into the cookie dough and continue to mix together until you get a thick cookie dough.
- Assemble the cookie bars: Split the cookie dough into two equal amounts, and place one half of the dough mixture into the lined baking pan. Use your fingers to press the dough out to the edges of pan. Try to make sure the dough is evenly spread.
- Spread the Nutella over the top of the cookie dough layer, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge to stop the Nutella leaking out when baking.
- Press the remaining cookie bar out into a sheet large enough to cover the Nutella layer, and place on top. Don't be tempted to push the dough directly on top of the Nutella as it will squeeze out the sides.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden in colour and the edges are slightly crispy.
- Leave the cookie bars in the tin to cool for 10 minutes, before lifting onto a cooling rack to cool completely, then slice.
Notes
- The cookies are best stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.
- The cookies will keep fresh for up to 3-4 days.
- Yes. Once the cookies have cooled, slice up into bars and stack them together to a piece of baking parchment or greaseproof paper between them. Wrap well in clingfilm or plastic wrap before freezing. Defrost thoroughly before eating.
Nutrition
DISCLAIMER
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
