Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Ultra chocolaty with a hint of Nutella. Read the recipe notes on how to get even more chocolate hazelnut flavor.
Texture: Just wow. Outrageously thick, chewy, fudgy, and slightly gooey.
Ease: Easy but there are a few extra steps involved which really make these brownies the best. Just trust me on the recipe, it’s been carefully tweaked and perfected!
Appearance: Perfect squares of heaven!
Pros: Incredible brownies worthy of any occasion.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Absolutely yes.
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Brownies are truly one of my very favorite things to bake, and Nutella Brownies seemed to be the ultimate flavor combination. So I went to work!
Nutella Brownies aren’t all that original. But this recipe is based on my Ultimate Brownie recipe which took SIX+ batches to perfect.
I tweaked that recipe slightly by adding a bunch of Nutella, of course, and some other tweaks like a bit of cocoa powder to absorb some of the extra moisture.
The result is something magnificent. I hope the photos really capture just how rich, fudgy, and gooey these brownies are, thanks to the jar of Nutella!
Homemade Nutella Brownies + a cold glass of milk = my idea of perfect. What’s yours?
If you make this Nutella Brownies recipe, be sure to snap a picture and tag me and #handletheheat on Instagram!
How to Make Nutella Brownies
Ingredients for Fudgy Nutella Brownies:
- Semisweet chocolate chips – You can’t forget the chocolate chips in the best Nutella brownies!
- Butter – I always recommend using unsalted butter in baking, so you’re in control of the total amount of salt used in the recipe.
- Unsweetened chocolate, chopped – I use chopped unsweetened chocolate baking bars. You could also use more semi-sweet chocolate chips instead, just note they won’t melt down as easily. Using semi-sweet chocolate will also sweeten your brownies a little more.
- Granulated sugar – Regular granulated sugar sweetens and moistens the brownies. Sugar does so much more than just sweetening baked goods – learn more about that here.
- Nutella – This chocolate hazelnut spread is the star ingredient of these brownies!
- Eggs & an egg yolk – 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk provides the perfect texture.
- Vanilla extract – Rounds out the flavor perfectly.
- All-purpose flour – Measured accurately! Too much flour can result in a crumbly, dry, or dense texture instead of rich, fudgy brownies.
- Cocoa powder – Again, it’s so important to measure cocoa powder correctly to achieve the best brownie texture. More on this ingredient below.
- Fine sea salt – Balances out the sweetness.
What’s the Best Cocoa Powder for Nutella Brownies?
Since there’s no leavener (baking soda or baking powder) in these Nutella Brownies, you can use Dutch Process OR natural unsweetened cocoa powder. I find that unsweetened cocoa powder creates the perfect chocolate flavor and lets the Nutella shine through.
Learn more about the differences between Dutch Process Cocoa powder vs. Natural Cocoa Powder in this article.
What’s the Best Pan for Brownies?
When baking brownies, I highly recommend using a metal baking pan. I like this baking pan, but any quality metal baking pan that isn’t too dark in color will work just fine. Some tips on pans:
- The darker the color, the more likely you are to burn the edges or have dry brownies.
- Glass or ceramic baking pans will take LONGER to bake these brownies, and the texture may become denser.
- Read more about Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans here!
- Bonus tip: I like to line my pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang so I can easily lift out the entire pan of brownies to cut and serve.
Can this Nutella Brownie Recipe be Doubled?
Yes! You can easily double this Nutella Brownies recipe and bake in a 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan for about 35 to 40 minutes.
How to Cut Perfect Slices of Brownies
I like to use a sharp chef’s knife to cut perfect slices. I have a guide with step-by-step instructions for perfectly cutting brownies – check it out here!
How to Get Crinkly Crusts on Brownies
You know that tissue-thin shiny crust on top of brownies that we all love and want? It’s actually so easy to achieve! Here’s how:
- Basically, you need to beat the eggs and sugar in the brownie batter extremely well to create a sort of foam.
- Simply use a whisk to beat the wet ingredients together extremely well until the batter itself is ultra smooth and shiny.
- I created an entire article dedicated to achieving crinkly crusts in brownies – check it out here!
How to Store & Freeze Nutella Brownies
Store Nutella Brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. Freeze completely cooled slices wrapped in plastic wrap and stored inside an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost by placing in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours.
More Brownie Recipes You’ll Love:
More Nutella Recipes:
Nutella Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 ounces (113 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups (245 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (150 grams)
Nutella - 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (96 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened (25 grams) cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch *metal* baking pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter, and unsweetened chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute then stir. Continue heating in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is melted and smooth but not scorched. Remove from the microwave and let cool slightly. Stir in the Nutella.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until light and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt, folding gently until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick or tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Do not overbake, you want to err on the side of underbaking. Let cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature, warmed, or chilled.
These Nutella brownies are excellent. I baked them for 34 minutes. My husband said one of the best brownies ever!
So excited to hear that you love these brownies, Candace – and what a great compliment from your husband!! So wonderful to hear 🙂
This Nutella recipe has been to venues in Minnesota, Lake Erie and Lake Superior for family gatherings and reunions and you made me look like a five star pastry chef!! Rave reviews at every gathering so needless to say it’s a keeper and I always have a stock in my freezer for impromptu visits…thank you for sharing these delicious brownies.
Hi Judy! Wow, what a compliment!! We are so thrilled to hear that these brownies have been such a hit! Thank you so much for the comment 🙂
I should add that I iced mine with a ganache topping…yum more chocolate!
Can you use coconut flour instead of the all purpose?
Hi Domenica! We haven’t tried that, so I couldn’t say for sure, but I don’t think it would work as well. Coconut flour doesn’t contain the same protein levels, binding agents and structure-building agents that regular all-purpose flour does, so the texture and chemistry of the recipe would be thrown way off. Feel free to experiment and see what works for you, though! 🙂
Loved it. I added some chopped hazelnuts on top of the brownie and it accentuated the nutella flavour even more. I’ve made this twice already and will definitely make them again!
So happy to hear you love these brownies, Namrita!!
These look intimidating, have no fear though, these brownies will amaze you. My neighbors loved them. They did take about 45 minutes to cook because I had only a glass pan. I also added about a teaspoon of instant espresso powder and cut the sugat 1/4 a cup. I will never make another brownie recipe. I also added additional dollops of Nutelka to the top of the batter and swirled into the top layer. I did have to cover them after about 10 mibutes as they started to get to dark. Nice jobb to the chef. The only con…you will want to eat he whole pan by yourself.
Del.ici.ious- I wasn’t a brownie fan before I tried your recipes!!
Yay!! So happy you love them!
I’ve made these before and they truly are excellent I’m making them again next week but would like to put a frosting on them too. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Ooo that’s a tough one, as so many would be delicious! How about our Best Buttercream? We include a bunch of flavor add-ins above the recipe…I personally think strawberry would be delicious, though there’s quite a few options to choose from 🙂 Making the brownies and then piping the buttercream on each brownie square would look so pretty! If you follow Handle the Heat on Instagram, be sure to use the hashtag #handletheheat so Tessa can see your brownies! Enjoy!
I wanted to add some nuts, what do you suggest? Do I need to adjust the ingredients?
Hi Val! Tessa actually added a note about this at the bottom of the recipe! Add a cup of toasted chopped hazelnuts to the batter! No other adjustments are needed. Let us know what you think once you have given these brownies a try! 🙂
To be honest, I was skeptical about using this recipe after seeing a couple of bad reviews. But thought I’d give it a go anyway since there were good reviews too and thought it could be the bakers’ problem not the recipe’s and I’m glad I did because they turned out really well- so chocolatey and fudgey!
Happy you loved this recipe! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Hi Tessa. Unsweetened chocolate is not an easy ingredient to get where I’m living. What can I substitute that with? Thank you.
Hi there! We haven’t tried other chocolate in the recipe, so I can’t say for sure. Other readers have used semisweet, reducing 1 tablespoon of sugar per ounce and it worked for them. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Hi, how long this brownies can be kept in room temp & in refrigerator? I planned to make one and send one to my sister in different city that takes 1-2days delivery. Thanks!
Hi Azkiah! So glad you asked, I just added that to the instructions! The brownies are best the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They are even more fudgy when they’re chilled 🙂
I’ll admit I’m not a huge nutella fan, but my husband LOVES it. I’ve made him nutella brownies before and wanted to do it again for his birthday. I came here because Handle the Heat is quickly replacing all my ‘favorite’ recipes I’ve used forever (sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies) and this one was no different. I’ve purged my other nutella brownie recipe and will only use this one from now on. Super moist, super delicious.
So amazing to hear, Katie! Thrilled you’re enjoying our recipes so much! Thanks for taking the time to comment, we appreciate it! 🙂
Baked for 35 mins came out dry, cakey and not very chocolatey at all. Did not taste any hazelnut. Would not try again and will probably have to toss. Very disappointing. Would prefer literally any box mix to these.
Sorry you experienced issues with your brownies, Samara! Do you use a digital scale to measure your ingredients? Dry, cakey brownies typically happen when too much flour is added. What kind of pan did you use to bake them in? These brownies are incredibly fudgy and chewy, I’d love to figure out what happened and hope you try this recipe again so you can enjoy them the way they’re meant to be! Please let me know if you’d like help further troubleshooting what happened.