Super duper fudgy brownies stuffed with a generously THICK layer of rich chocolatey Nutella!
Ok guys, I’m just gonna cut to the chase.
These brownies are UN-FREAKING-REAL.
Tell me, have you seen a brownie quite as fudgy as this? Not to mention, it’s absolutely LOADED with Nutella, AKA, the spread of the Goddesses. Although I’ve made my fair share of brownies over the years, I have to say that these Nutella Stuffed Brownies are a major step above every other brownie out there. I mean, just look at them!
You’d be insane not to try these. Absolutely INSANE. Especially since these brownies are really simple to make! Seriously!! The first step is freezing the Nutella. Simply line an 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, then spread a whole jar of Nutella evenly into the bottom of the pan. Yep, you read that correctly–THE WHOLE JAR. So don’t get stingy with the Nutella!
Freezing the Nutella into a square slab will not only make it much easier to place on top of the soft brownie batter, but it will also ensure that it creates its own separate layer between the brownie layers. As it bakes in the oven, the slab of Nutella thaws out, creating a distinct layer within the brownies.
The brownie batter is an easy peasy one-bowl recipe. You’ll start off by heating some butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave until completely smooth and melted. Then you’ll whisk in some granulated sugar and brown sugar. While most brownie recipes only ask for granulated sugar, I like to add a little brown sugar since the molasses not only enriches the brownies, but it also makes them extra moist and chewy.
After the sugars have been added, it’s time to add the eggs and vanilla. For these brownies, I went with 3 whole eggs and one egg yolk. That extra yolk creates a richer, denser brownie, and removing the egg white will prevent these brownies from being cakey. That’s a no bueno when it comes to brownies!
Now it’s time to add the dry ingredients–all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and instant espresso powder. As with most of my chocolate desserts, I like to add just a little bit of espresso powder to intensify the flavor of the chocolate. You won’t actually taste any coffee since very little is added. All you’ll taste is an EXPLOSION of chocolate in your mouth.
Now that you’ve got your brownie batter and your frozen slab of Nutella, it’s time to assemble everything. First, remove the now-frozen slab of Nutella from the pan, peeling off the parchment paper and re-lining the pan with it. Pour half of the brownie batter into the pan, spreading it out evenly. Then place your Nutella slab on top of the batter. Take the remaining brownie batter, spread it over the Nutella slab, then pop the whole thing in the oven.
Since there’s a layer of Nutella in the center of these brownies, you can’t really use a toothpick to check for doneness. I kept my brownies in the oven for about 35 minutes. The top of the brownies should look set, and there shouldn’t be any jiggle in the center when you gently wiggle the pan.
Although your first instinct will be to tear right into these brownies after they come out of the oven, you need to wait at least an hour. Sorry!! I’m sure it seems rather torturous to make you wait a whole hour, especially since your house is now filled with the heavenly aroma of freshly-baked brownies. HOWEVER, the wait will be well worth it once you cut into the cooled brownies to reveal that perfect layer of Nutella between the two fudgy brownie layers. It’s honestly more beautiful than the Mona Lisa…
Nutella Stuffed Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup Nutella (one 13-ounce jar)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped or chips
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on both sides. Scoop the Nutella into the pan and spread evenly into the pan. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until solid.
- Using paper overhang, remove Nutella slab onto a plate, peeling the parchment paper off of the slab. Return Nutella slab to the freezer and place the parchment paper back into the pan. Spray pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the butter and chocolate into a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, remove, stir, then return to the microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir mixture until smooth and silky. If mixture still has lumps, continue microwaving at 30-second increments and stirring until completely smooth.
- Add both sugars to the butter mixture and whisk vigorously until combined. Allow to cool until just barely warm.
- Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and espresso powder until just combined.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread out into an even layer. Carefully place the frozen Nutella slab on top of the batter. Pour remaining batter on top, covering Nutella slab completely.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until brownies look set, and there's no jiggle in the center when you gently wiggle the pan. Allow to cool in the pan for 1 hour* before slicing and serving.
- Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes