Here’s a simple, warm cookie idea for your next treat or party.
introduction
These Nutella Crinkle Cookies are soft, chocolatey, and filled with extra Nutella. They crackle on top like a classic crinkle cookie and hide a creamy center. The cookies are easy to make, and many people like them because they combine hazelnut and chocolate in one bite. If you enjoy holiday-style crinkle cookies, try this Christmas crinkle cookies recipe for a festive twist. This page will guide you step by step, with simple words and clear tips.
Why You’ll Love This Nutella Crinkle Cookies
You will love these cookies for many small reasons. They are soft and tender inside. The outside gets a light crackle and a powdered sugar coat that looks nice and tastes sweet. Each cookie has a little pool of Nutella inside. That gooey center gives every bite a rich, smooth texture. The chopped hazelnuts add a small crunchy contrast. The dough is made with common ingredients that you likely have or can find at any grocery store. These cookies also store well and travel nicely, so they are good for gifts or potlucks.
Why Make This Recipe
This recipe balances ease and taste. The steps are simple and clear. You do need to chill the dough, but that step makes the cookies hold their shape and bake better. The cream of butter and sugar makes the cookies light. Adding Nutella to the dough and filling each cookie with more Nutella gives a double hit of flavor. Toasting the hazelnuts first is optional but worth the extra flavor it brings. The recipe yields cookies that look pretty and taste special without a lot of work.
What You Need for Nutella Crinkle Cookies
You do not need fancy tools. The main tools are a mixing bowl, a mixer (hand or stand), a baking sheet, parchment paper or a silicone mat, and a cooling rack. A small cookie scoop or spoon helps make even cookies. You also need a sieve or sifter for a fresh dusting of confectioners’ sugar if the first coating absorbs into the warm cookie.
Basic equipment:
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Mixing bowls (medium and large)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheet(s)
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Cooling rack
- Small bowls for rolling sugars
How to Make Nutella Crinkle Cookies
Follow the steps below. Read them all before you start. Chilling the dough is required. The dough will be sticky, but chilling makes it easy to handle.
Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3/4 cup (225g) Nutella, 3/4 cup (94g) chopped hazelnuts, 1/3 cup (100g) Nutella, 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar, 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed to sift on top
Directions:
- This first step is optional, but I highly recommend it for best hazelnut flavor. Spread the chopped hazelnuts on a lined baking sheet. Bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 5–7 minutes, or until slightly darkened. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before using in the dough in step 4.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and beat until incorporated. Add the Nutella, then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined. Add the chopped hazelnuts and beat on low until incorporated. The cookie dough will be very thick, soft, and sticky. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this soft cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl and the confectioners’ sugar in another bowl, for rolling. Set aside.
- After chilling in the refrigerator, the cookie dough will be very crumbly and that’s ok. The warmth of your hands quickly makes the dough workable. Scoop dough and roll into balls, a very scant Tablespoon (17g) of dough each. Make an indent with your finger or thumb in the center of each dough ball, and pinch and mold until they resemble small “bowls.” Add a scant 1/2 teaspoon of Nutella into the indent of half of the dough “bowls.” Place the other (empty) bowl-shaped pieces of dough over the top of the Nutella-filled pieces, and gently pinch the sides together to seal. Gently roll each of the stuffed dough balls in your hands to smooth out into a nice round ball.
- Roll the cookie dough ball first in the granulated sugar, then very generously in the confectioners’ sugar. (Altogether, each filled and sugared dough ball should weigh about 40g.) Place the dough balls 3 inches apart on the lined baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 11–12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft.
- Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. You’ll notice the confectioners’ sugar coating is quite sticky while the cookies are warm, and it may absorb into the cookie a bit. The coating may take on a yellow tint because of this. You can use a sieve to sift a little more confectioners’ sugar on top once the cookies have cooled, for a fresh white coating.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Best Ways to Serve Nutella Crinkle Cookies
Serve these cookies at room temperature. The center stays soft and slightly gooey when the cookie cools. They pair well with coffee, milk, or a mild black tea. For a dessert plate, place them with a few whole hazelnuts and a small dish of extra Nutella for dipping. You can warm one cookie for a few seconds in the microwave for an extra melty center. Bring them to parties in a shallow box with parchment lining so the sugar stays on the cookies. These cookies also travel well in a cookie tin and make a nice gift.
How to Store Nutella Crinkle Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If they sit in a warm area, the Nutella can soften more. You can refrigerate them to keep the filling firmer; bring to room temperature before serving so they are soft again. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a tray until firm, then place in a freezer bag or container. Thaw at room temperature and, if the powdered sugar has gone flat, sift a little fresh confectioners’ sugar on top before serving.
Easy Tips to Make Nutella Crinkle Cookies
- Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off; this keeps dough from becoming too stiff.
- Chill the dough at least 2 hours. Chilling is the key step for shape and texture.
- If Nutella is too stiff to spoon, warm the jar a bit in a bowl of warm water to loosen it.
- Make the small Nutella filling portion very small (a scant 1/2 teaspoon) so it does not leak out.
- If the dough is too sticky to handle after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and then roll.
- Use a small cookie scoop or weigh the dough for even results.
- If the powdered sugar absorbs into the warm cookie, sift a little more on top after cooling for a bright look.
Try These Variations of Nutella Crinkle Cookies
- Add 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips into the dough for extra chocolate bits.
- Use peanut butter in place of Nutella for a peanut butter crinkle.
- Mix in orange zest (1 teaspoon) into the dough for a chocolate-orange flavor.
- Swap hazelnuts for chopped almonds or pistachios for a different crunch.
- Make them larger by using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop and increase bake time by a few minutes.
Common Questions About Nutella Crinkle Cookies
Q: Can I make the dough ahead and freeze it?
A: Yes. After forming the dough balls, you can freeze them on a tray until firm and then move them to a sealed bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Q: My filling leaks out while baking. How do I stop that?
A: Make sure you seal the dough edges well around the Nutella. Use a scant amount of filling and press the seams together gently until they hold.
Q: Can I skip the hazelnuts?
A: Yes. The cookies will still be tasty without hazelnuts. You can leave them out or replace them with other nuts or extra chocolate chips.
Q: Why do the cookies flatten too much?
A: If the dough gets too warm before baking, cookies can spread. Chill the dough well, and bake on a cool baking sheet.
Q: Can I use dark cocoa instead of natural cocoa?
A: You can, but flavor and color will change slightly. Natural cocoa gives a familiar crinkle taste.
Final Thoughts
These Nutella Crinkle Cookies are a small but rich treat that works for holidays, snacks, and gifts. The recipe is simple and uses common pantry items. The small extra steps, like chilling the dough and toasting hazelnuts, improve the final cookie. Give the recipe time and follow the tips for the best result.
Ready to Give It a Try?
Gather your ingredients and tools, chill the dough, and enjoy the warm, soft centers. These cookies are a lovely mix of texture and flavor and make a great homemade gift or party treat.
Print
Nutella Crinkle Cookies
- Total Time: 132 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft, chocolatey cookies filled with Nutella and topped with a sweet powdered sugar coating.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (225g) Nutella
- 3/4 cup (94g) chopped hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup (100g) Nutella
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Optional: Toast hazelnuts in the oven for 5-7 minutes and allow to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, then add Nutella.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in chopped hazelnuts.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Scoop and form balls of dough, making an indent to fill with Nutella.
- Roll in granulated sugar, then confectioners’ sugar.
- Place on baking sheets and bake for 11-12 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
Chilling the dough is essential for maintaining the cookie shape during baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg