Nutella Stuffed Christmas Cookies are rich, soft-centered holiday cookies made with nutty browned butter, chopped semisweet chocolate, and a hidden Nutella filling, then finished with flaky sea salt for a balanced sweet-salty bite.
These cookies are a great choice when you want something a little more special for a Christmas cookie tray without using complicated decorating techniques. The filling does most of the work, giving every cookie a soft chocolate-hazelnut center once you break it open.
Browning the butter brings a deeper, toasted flavor to the dough, while finely chopped semisweet chocolate creates small pockets of chocolate throughout each cookie. A quick chill also makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies keep their shape around the filling.
They do require a few chilling and freezing stages, but each step has a purpose. Preparing the Nutella portions first and keeping the assembled cookies cold makes it much easier to get a generous center without having the filling escape during baking.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter: Browning the butter creates the toasted, slightly nutty flavor that makes the cookie dough especially rich.
Brown sugar: Adds sweetness while helping create a softer, chewier cookie texture.
Granulated sugar: Balances the brown sugar and encourages lightly golden edges as the cookies bake.
Large eggs: Bind the dough together and provide the moisture needed for a tender cookie.
Vanilla extract: Adds a warm background flavor that pairs naturally with chocolate and browned butter.
All-purpose flour: Provides the main structure for the cookies and keeps the Nutella enclosed during baking.
Cornstarch: Helps keep the centers tender instead of overly crisp.
Baking powder and baking soda: Work together to give the cookies a little lift while allowing them to spread properly.
Salt: Keeps the rich butter, chocolate, and sugars from tasting overly sweet.
Semisweet chocolate: Finely chopped chocolate distributes small melted pieces throughout the dough.
Nutella: Forms the soft chocolate-hazelnut center hidden inside each cookie.
Flaky sea salt: A small amount on top contrasts with the sweet filling and chocolate.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Cut the butter into manageable pieces and melt it in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, increase the heat slightly and continue cooking, swirling and stirring regularly. Watch closely as the milk solids begin to brown. Remove the butter as soon as it turns golden-brown and smells toasted and nutty. Transfer it to a heatproof bowl and let it cool for about 25 to 30 minutes.
STEP 2: While the butter cools, portion the Nutella into small mounds of approximately 2 teaspoons each on a wax-paper-lined tray. Freeze them until firm. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 375°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
STEP 3: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled browned butter. Stir until evenly combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time, making sure the first is fully incorporated before adding the second. Stir in the vanilla until the mixture looks smooth and uniform.
STEP 4: Gradually add the dry mixture to the browned-butter mixture. Stir only until a cohesive dough forms and you can no longer see dry streaks of flour. Fold in the finely chopped semisweet chocolate so it is distributed throughout the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 15 to 20 minutes.
STEP 5: Scoop heaping 1 1/2-tablespoon portions of chilled cookie dough. Flatten one portion slightly, place a frozen Nutella mound in the center, and carefully bring the dough up and around the filling. Pinch any seams closed and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
STEP 6: Arrange the stuffed cookie dough balls on a tray and freeze them for about 15 minutes. Place the chilled balls on the prepared baking sheets with at least 2 inches of space between them. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, removing them when the edges are beginning to turn golden while the centers still look soft. Sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Serving Ideas for Nutella Stuffed Christmas Cookies
These cookies work especially well as part of a holiday dessert spread because their chocolate-hazelnut center gives them enough richness to stand on their own.
Serve them alongside cold milk or hot coffee for a simple afternoon treat. The slightly bitter notes of coffee are particularly good with browned butter and semisweet chocolate.
Add them to a Christmas cookie platter with simpler butter, sugar, or almond cookies. Their filled centers provide a nice contrast to thinner or crisper cookies.
For dessert, serve a slightly warm cookie with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just warm the cookie gently so the center softens without overheating the Nutella.
How do I keep Nutella from leaking out?
Make sure the Nutella portions are thoroughly chilled before placing them inside the dough. Completely surround the filling with cookie dough and pinch any visible openings closed. Freezing the finished dough balls for 15 minutes before baking also helps the cookies hold together as the filling warms.
Can I prepare the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the dough and refrigerate it tightly covered before assembling the cookies. For the easiest shaping, allow very cold dough to sit at room temperature briefly if it becomes too firm to flatten around the frozen Nutella portions.
Why do I need to cool the browned butter?
Adding sugar and eggs while the browned butter is still hot can affect the texture of the dough and may partially cook the eggs. Cooling it for about 25 to 30 minutes allows you to keep the deeper browned-butter flavor without making the mixture excessively warm.
Can I freeze the stuffed cookie dough?
Yes. Once the Nutella-filled dough balls have been assembled, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Keeping them frozen individually prevents them from sticking together and makes it easy to bake only the amount you need.
How do I know when the cookies are finished baking?
Look at the edges rather than waiting for the entire cookie to become golden. The edges should look set and should just begin to brown after approximately 12 to 13 minutes. The centers can still appear soft because they continue setting as the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet.
Helpful Tips
- Watch the browned butter carefully. Once the milk solids begin changing color, the butter can move from golden to burned quickly. Remove it from the heat as soon as it develops a nutty aroma and deep golden-brown appearance.
- Keep the Nutella cold. Firm filling portions are much cleaner and easier to wrap than soft Nutella, especially once your hands begin warming the cookie dough.
- Avoid overbaking. Removing the cookies while the centers remain soft helps preserve the contrast between the lightly golden exterior and the rich filling.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days. Separating layers with parchment paper can help prevent the cookies from sticking together if they are especially soft.
For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
The unbaked stuffed cookie dough balls can also be frozen. Freeze them individually until firm, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. This is particularly convenient during the holidays because you can prepare a batch in advance and bake fresh cookies as needed.
To bring back the soft-centered texture of a baked cookie, warm it very briefly in the microwave or place it in a low oven for a few minutes. Use gentle heat rather than reheating for too long, since the Nutella center can become very hot before the outside of the cookie feels warm.
Nutella Stuffed Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate bar chopped very finely for consistent distribution
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs brought to room temperature, approximately 70°F
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour reserved for dusting
For the Filling and Topping:
- 1 cup Nutella gently warmed if needed for easier handling
- Flaky sea salt as needed for sprinkling
Instructions
- Slice the unsalted butter into tablespoon-sized portions and transfer the pieces to a medium saucepan.
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat. After it has completely liquefied, raise the heat to slightly above medium.
- Frequently swirl the saucepan while scraping along the sides with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula.
- Continue cooking and stirring until the butter develops a golden-brown color and gives off a distinct nutty fragrance.
- Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof mixing bowl. Leave it to cool for 25–30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cover the cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Spoon the Nutella into 2-teaspoon portions on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Transfer the tray to the freezer and allow the portions to firm.
- In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the 2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- When the browned butter has sufficiently cooled, add the brown sugar and granulated white sugar. Stir until the ingredients are evenly blended.
- Incorporate the eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after adding each one.
- Pour in the vanilla extract and continue stirring until it is completely distributed throughout the mixture.
- Add the prepared dry ingredients gradually to the butter mixture, stirring until a cohesive cookie dough forms and no dry flour remains.
- Finely chop the semisweet chocolate bar, then fold the chocolate pieces evenly into the dough.
- Refrigerate the completed dough for 15–20 minutes so it becomes firmer and easier to shape.
- Take the firm Nutella portions from the freezer and remove the chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator.
- Scoop out heaping 1 1/2-tablespoon portions of dough. Press one frozen Nutella portion into the center of each piece.
- Carefully bring the cookie dough around the filling until the Nutella is completely enclosed, then gently roll the dough into a uniform ball.
- Continue the process until every Nutella portion has been fully wrapped in cookie dough.
- Place the assembled dough balls in the freezer for 15 minutes so they remain firm enough to retain their shape during baking.
- Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a minimum of 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 12–13 minutes, stopping when the outer edges are just beginning to become golden brown.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, lightly scatter sea salt over their tops.
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheet until they have cooled completely before removing them.