I’m the kind of person who can’t keep a jar of nutella in the pantry without (regrettably) devouring the whole thing. I’m convinced that nutella tastes good on everything, it’s dangerous.
For that reason, I make it a special occasion to buy that delicious chocolate hazelnut spread when I’m planning to make these brownies. If you’re looking for a recipe for the most decadent, chocolatey, and delicious brownies out there, you’ve found it!
This recipe features 3 different types of chocolate- cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and creamy nutella. The subtle hazelnut flavor and hint of salt complement the fudgy richness of the chocolate. You’re going to have a hard time not digging into the warm brownies when they come out of the oven!
These indulgent treats are easy to make, take less than an hour, and will satisfy any nutella-lover’s sweet-tooth! What are you waiting for? Get baking!
Before You Get Started Baking
Take the refrigerated ingredients (eggs and butter) out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to bake time so that they’re at room temperature when you need them. This ensures that your batter has the right consistency so the brownies bake with the perfect texture.
Gather the rest of your ingredients and all tools or equipment before starting so that they’re on-hand for quick preparation.
For this recipe, you will need a 9” x 9” baking pan. Also, you will need 2 large mixing bowls, a rubber spatula, a wooden spoon or whisk, and an electric hand mixer. A stand mixer will work too if that’s what you’d prefer to use!
Suggested Equipment/Appliances
- 9” x 9” square baking pan
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- 2 Large mixing bowls
- Whisk or wooden spoon
Recipe Cook Time and Yield
- Recipe Yield: 16 brownies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: about 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature or melted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup of nutella plus 1⁄4 cup, divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Make sure to adjust your oven racks so that you have 1 rack in the center before preheating.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare your 9” x 9” square baking pan by buttering or greasing it in a coat of non-stick cooking
spray. If you have parchment paper around, lay it into the pan so that 2 sides have excess sticking out. You can use the excess parchment paper to pull the brownie sheet cleanly out of the pan after baking. - In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt using a whisk or wooden spoon. Set this aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add in the eggs, brown sugar, nutella, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer on medium speed until everything is mixed, smooth, and creamy. This should take between 1-3 minutes.
- Setting the hand mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and the butter in pieces until everything is fully combined. Stop mixing the batter once it’s evenly combined, or else you will end up with dense, tough brownies!
- Spread the brownie batter into the greased baking pan and even it out using a rubber spatula. Add the remaining 1⁄4 cup of nutella to the top of the batter in spoonfuls and swirl the nutella around the top layer of the batter using a butter knife or small spoon.
- Bake the brownies for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick shoved into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Once the brownies are ready, take them out of the oven and let the pan cool completely before removing the brownies (this could take up to 2 hours). You can get the brownies out easily by pulling and lifting the excess parchment paper tabs. Don’t cut the brownies until after they have cooled completely!
Brownie Baking Tips and Tricks
- For optimal baking and perfect brownie texture, keep the oven door closed during the cooking time and center the baking tin on the middle rack.
- The nutella brownies will keep for up to 4 days if stored at room temperature in an airtight bag or container.
- These brownies will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the frozen brownies thaw overnight in the refrigerator then take them out 30 minutes before serving.
- Consider salting the nutella-swirled batter before putting it in the oven. A touch of salt balances perfectly with the sweet, rich nutella and chocolate chips.
- If using salted butter instead of unsalted, use 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt in the batter instead of the 1⁄2 listed in the recipe.
- Feel free to add 1⁄2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts to this recipe if you like some crunch in your brownies! Add them in along with the chocolate chips or sprinkle them on top of the batter before baking.
Substitutions
The following ingredients can be swapped out for your desired alternative at the same quantity included in the recipe:
- Brown sugar can be swapped out for granulated (white) sugar, coconut palm sugar, or raw cane sugar.
- Unsalted butter can be swapped out for vegetable oil or canola oil, though the butter does add a nice flavor to the brownies.
- The 1⁄4 cup nutella swirl can be swapped out for 1⁄4 cup of peanut butter. Creamy or crunchy peanut butter…you choose! To thin the peanut butter before swirling it into the batter, microwave it for 10-20 seconds and stir, repeating a couple of times if necessary.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be swapped out for milk chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips! If you don’t have any chocolate chips, you can make the recipe without them and they will still be delicious!
