Nutella Stuffed Sugar Cookies

Imagine cracking open a still-warm cookie to reveal a ribbon of glossy, hazelnut-chocolate filling, its aroma cozy as toasted nuts and vanilla drifting from a soft, sugar-dusted shell.

The edges are delicate and just-set, the centers plush like a pillow—comfort in every bite. These Nutella Stuffed Sugar Cookies matter to me because they’re a small promise kept: a simple pantry dough that hides a luxurious surprise.

They’ve turned ordinary afternoons into celebrations and soothed long days with a familiar sweetness. Perfect for bake sales, after-school treats, busy weeknights when you need a quick win, or Sunday suppers when you want something special without fuss.

One winter evening when power flickered and spirits dipped, these cookies—prepped ahead with frozen Nutella centers—baked up fast and brought the room back to life.

They’re reliable, crowd-pleasing, and quietly spectacular. Ready? Let’s cook!

Why You’ll Love It

• Delivers gooey Nutella centers in soft, chewy sugar cookies
• Uses simple pantry staples and basic baking equipment
• Freezes beautifully for make-ahead convenience and easy gifting
• Stays thick and tender with minimal chilling and effort
• Customizable with cinnamon or almond extract for flavor twists

Ingredients

• 1 cup Nutella, chilled — freeze in teaspoon mounds for easy stuffing
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour — spoon and level for accuracy
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder — check it’s fresh for proper lift
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda — guarantees spread and tenderness
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt — balances sweetness
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened — room temp for aeration
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar — for creaming structure
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling — creates crackly exterior
• 1 large egg, room temperature — blends more evenly
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature — adds richness and chew
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract — use pure for best flavor
• 2 tablespoons milk — loosens dough slightly for mixing

Step-by-Step Method

Chill the Nutella

Line a small tray with parchment. Scoop 24 level teaspoons of Nutella onto it. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Keep them chilled while you prep the dough so they stay solid during shaping. If they soften, return to the freezer briefly to re-firm before filling.

Combine Dry Ingredients

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Break up any lumps for an even mix. Set aside. This guarantees leaveners are evenly dispersed and prevents overmixing later. Keep the bowl nearby so you can add it quickly to the wet mixture.

Cream Butter & Sugar

Beat softened butter with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed. Proper creaming aerates the dough, giving tender cookies. Use medium speed on a stand or hand mixer to avoid overbeating. Aim for a pale, creamy texture.

Add Eggs & Vanilla

Beat in the egg, then the egg yolk, until smooth and cohesive. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Scrape down the bowl to incorporate any streaks. This step builds structure and richness. Mix just until glossy and uniform without overworking the batter.

Mix in Milk

Pour in the milk and beat briefly to blend. The dough may look slightly looser, which is expected. Don’t overmix. You want a smooth, cohesive base that will accept the dry ingredients without becoming tough. Stop as soon as the milk disappears.

Incorporate Dry Mixture

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low just until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing, which can make cookies dense. Finish with a few folds using a spatula to ensure even hydration and a tender crumb.

Chill the Dough

Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the butter and reduces stickiness, making shaping easier. It also helps cookies bake thicker. If dough still feels sticky after chilling, give it an extra 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.

Prep the Pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Set up a small bowl with 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling. Keep a wire rack ready for cooling. Work in batches, baking one tray at a time for even heat and consistent results.

Portion the Dough

Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the dough into 24 portions. Keep portions covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. If the kitchen is warm, return portions to the fridge between steps. Uniform scoops ensure even baking and consistent size.

Flatten & Fill

Flatten one dough ball into a 2.5-inch round in your palm. Place a frozen Nutella mound in the center. Fold the dough up and over the filling. Pinch seams to seal completely so the Nutella stays contained. Return any soft Nutella to the freezer as needed.

Seal, Smooth & Sugar

Roll the filled dough gently between your palms to smooth and round, checking for cracks. Roll the ball in the bowl of sugar to coat evenly. This adds crunch and sparkle. Place coated dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake Until Just Set

Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and tops are pale with slight cracks. Don’t overbake; the centers should look just set. Rotate the pan once if needed for even browning. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.

Cool & Repeat

Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes to firm up. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat shaping, coating, and baking with remaining dough and Nutella centers. Keep unused Nutella mounds in the freezer and dough covered between batches.

Ingredient Swaps

• Butter: use vegan butter or refined coconut oil (firm) for dairy-free; or salted butter and reduce added salt to a pinch.
• Eggs: replace 1 egg + 1 yolk with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce + 1 tablespoon neutral oil, or 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water).
• Flour: sub 1:1 gluten-free baking blend; for chewier cookies use half AP and half bread flour; for nuttier flavor, swap 1/4 cup AP with almond flour.
• Sugar: coconut sugar works 1:1 (cookies will be darker/caramel notes); caster sugar gives finer texture; roll in coarse sugar or sanding sugar for sparkle.
• Milk: any unsweetened non-dairy milk.
• Nutella: use any chocolate-hazelnut spread, store-brand for budget; dairy-free/vegan chocolate spread for vegan; peanut butter, almond butter, or Biscoff for a twist (freeze scoops well).
• Vanilla: sub 1:1 with vanilla paste; add 1/2 tsp almond extract or 1/2 tsp cinnamon for flavor variation.

You Must Know

Doneness • If cookies look puffed with matte tops and fine hairline cracks but no browning at the edges, pull them; they’ll finish on-sheet carryover for 5 minutes—this keeps the centers gooey and avoids dry, hollow pockets.

Troubleshoot • When Nutella leaks or off-centers, re-chill both dough balls and cores for 5–10 minutes, then double-seal by pinching and rotating until seams disappear—feel for a uniform sphere with no soft “thin spots.”

Scale • For bakery-size (about 12 cookies), use 3 tablespoons dough and 2 teaspoons Nutella per cookie; extend time to 11–13 minutes, spacing 3 inches apart so spread doesn’t cause merging.

Flavor Boost • For deeper nutty notes, swap 1/2 cup of the flour for toasted milk powder or finely ground toasted hazelnuts (by weight, 60 g total swap); expect slightly less spread and a richer aroma.

Make-Ahead • To streamline, form sugar-coated stuffed dough balls and freeze solid on a tray, then bag up to 2 months; bake from frozen at 350°F adding 1–2 minutes, watching for the same pale, set edges cue.

Serving Tips

• Serve slightly warm with a glass of cold milk or vanilla ice cream.
• Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with sliced strawberries or raspberries.
• Plate with a drizzle of warm Nutella and a sprinkle of sea salt.
• Pair with espresso, cappuccino, or hot chocolate for a cozy dessert.
• Create a cookie sundae: broken cookie, ice cream scoop, whipped cream, chocolate drizzle.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store cookies airtight at room temp 3–4 days or in the fridge up to 1 week.

Dough can be made 2 days ahead; keep covered and chilled.

Freeze unbaked, filled dough balls or baked cookies up to 2 months.

Bake from frozen adding 1–2 minutes, or thaw at room temp.

Reheating

Reheat gently: microwave 8–12 seconds for gooey centers.

Oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes to refresh edges.

Stovetop skillet on low, covered, 2–3 minutes, flipping once.

Avoid over-warming.

County-Fair Bake-Off Favorite

Some afternoons, I picture the county-fair tent buzzing as these sugar-dusted domes crack open to glossy Nutella, and I can almost hear the hush before the first bite.

I bring a tin lined with gingham, the cookies still whispering warmth, and judges lean in like they’re listening to secrets.

You’ll taste butter first, then the soft give of the crumb, and finally that cool, velvety center—kept perfectly tucked thanks to frozen scoops and tight seams.

The tops wear a fine sparkle of sugar, so every nibble crackles like gravel under carousel lights.

I stack them in tidy rows, edges just set, centers tender.

They disappear faster than ribbons get pinned, and I always save you one—still warm, still fragrant, still worth the wait.

Final Thoughts

Give these Nutella Stuffed Sugar Cookies a try—you’ll love the gooey center and soft, sugary bite.

Feel free to tweak the dough with a dash of cinnamon or almond extract to make them your own!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make Them Gluten-Free Without Gritty Texture?

Yes. I’d use a quality 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan, add 1 tablespoon milk, and chill longer. I’ll whisk well, avoid overmixing, and bake just set—soft centers, tender crumbs, no grit, only warm, buttery bliss.

How Do High Altitudes Affect Bake Time?

They bake faster and spread more, so I add 2–3 minutes resting, reduce sugar slightly, and watch early. At altitude, I raise oven heat 15°F, add a splash more milk, and pull when edges whisper set.

Can I Stuff With Homemade Hazelnut Spread Safely?

Yes, you can. I use a thick, smooth homemade spread, chill firm dollops, and seal them well. Keep it low-moisture, cooked, and cleanly handled. Frozen centers nestle safely, melting into warm, fragrant pools inside tender cookies.

What’s the Best Way to Ship These Cookies?

Pack them snug in a tin, layers cushioned with parchment. I’ll chill them first, then add cold packs for warm routes. I seal, label “Fragile,” choose two-day shipping—so they arrive tender, fragrant, and beautifully intact.

How Do I Scale the Recipe for 100 Cookies?

Make 100 by quadrupling everything; bake in batches. I’d weigh ingredients for accuracy, freeze extra centers, and keep dough chilled. I’ll rotate sheets, watch pale, crackly tops, and let buttery sweetness perfume your kitchen like a warm hug.