Swirled Nutella Blondies
These Nutella Blondies are a harmonious marriage of thick, nut-scented blondies with a rich Nutella swirl. They are chewy in all the right places, with butterscotch and caramel overtones from brown butter in the batter.
I was originally inspired to develop this Nutella blondie recipe for National Chocolate Day, but you don’t need a national holiday. They are quick and easy to make on any day of the week.
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Ingredients
The base for these Nutella cookies is my go-to chocolate chip cookie. It’s modified just a bit for this Nutella blondie recipe.
Using melted or brown butter can cause drop cookies to spread, which is why you often chill them before baking. But spread is not an issue when making bar cookies or brownies because you use a pan. And the nutty flavor of brown butter pairs really well with Nutella.
This blondie recipe uses mostly dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar increases the richness of the Nutella blondie batter and simplifies the base recipe.
Nutella is, of course, a delicious spread make of hazelnut and chocolate. I love using Nutella to swirl into baked goods like my Nutella banana bread, Nutella babka, Nutella waffles, or Nutella pop tarts. If you want to control the amount of sugar, you can make a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread to use in this recipe.
Variations and substitutions
- It’s ok to use light brown instead of dark brown sugar. Here’s a bit of explanation about the difference between light and dark brown sugars.
- Add a half cup of hazelnuts to the blondie batter. Toast the nuts for a few minutes, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel, and then rub them against each other to use the friction to remove the skins.
- Add both a half cup of chopped hazelnuts and half cup chocolate chips to make chocolate chip Nutella blondies. Make the recipe in a 9″ by 13″ pan, increase the Nutella to three-quarters cup, and bake for a few minutes longer.
- If you don’t have or don’t want to use Frangelico, use 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of whole milk.
Recipe tips and tricks
You can make these Nutella bars either by hand or with a hand or stand mixer.
If you’ve never browned butter before, the secret is to cook it slowly over medium-low heat, and listen for the popping to stop.
Step 1: Line the baking pan with parchment to make it easier to cut the blondies.
Step 2: Mix together the brown butter and sugar (Panels #1 and #2).
Step 3: Then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by a tablespoon of hazelnut liqueur (Panel #3).
Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients just until mixed (Panel #4).
Step 5: Making the Nutella swirl is super easy. First, put the cookie base into the prepared pan (Panel #1). Dollop the Nutella on top (Panel #2). Use a knife to swirl the Nutella into the batter by scooping a small amount of Nutella and batter together (Panel #3) and flip the knife over (Panel #4), being careful not to scrape down to the bottom of the pan.
Don’t worry if the swirl doesn’t look perfect. It’s better to leave it as is than mix so much that you lose your swirl.
If your blondies look a bit lumpy bumpy after swirling (Panel #5), just give the pan a few thwacks on the counter to settle out those peaks (Panel #6).
Step 6: Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the Nutella blondies comes out clean and the blondies are just slightly firm to the touch. If you used parchment paper, let your Nutella cookie bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to remove the blondies to a rack.
Recipe FAQs
There is so much variation in how people measure that you are much more likely to get a reliable result if you weigh your ingredients. I always weigh out ingredients.
You can either butter your baking pan or you can line your pan with parchment paper. Either one will work to prevent your blondies from sticking to the pan. Lining the pan with parchment paper just allows you to lift out the baked blondies and cut them without scratching your pan.
Yes. These blondies would freeze well. Just cut the baked blondies into individual sized pieces before freezing.
Related cookie and bar recipes
Check out other Ugly Duckling Bakery recipes for cookies, brownies, and bars like:
Know what else has hazelnuts? Make a Frangelico sour to drink alongside these Nutella blondies!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.
Nutella Blondies
Equipment
- 1 Mixer optional
- 1 9 inch square baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams or 8.8 ounces) bleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams or 8 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (192 grams or 6.6 ounces) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams or 1.8 ounces) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur
- ½ cup Nutella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 inch square pan or line the pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper.
- Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium sized bowl.2 cups (250 grams or 8.8 ounces) bleached, all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to darken and the "popping" sound stops.1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams or 8 ounces) unsalted butter
- Add the sugars to a mixing bowl, add the brown butter without scraping the bits at the bottom of the pan, and beat until combined. Let cool slightly.1 cup (192 grams or 6.6 ounces) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams or 1.8 ounces) granulated sugar
- Beat in the eggs for one minute, one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.2 large eggs
- Beat in the hazelnut liqueur.1 tablespoon Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur
- Mix in the dry ingredients just until uniform.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Dollop the Nutella on top of the batter. Then use a knife to swirl the Nutella into the batter, being careful not to go to the bottom of the pan.½ cup Nutella
- Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the blondies comes out clean and the blondies are just slightly firm to the touch.
- If you used parchment paper, let the blondies cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to remove the blondies to a rack.
- Store at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
This Nutella blondie recipe was first posted October 28, 2021. It was last updated May 26, 2023.
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These were fantastic and so easy. Best blondie texture I’ve ever achieved. They are dangerously addictive and even better the next day. Thanks so much for this recipe, I know I will make it many many times.
Ericka, thanks so much for letting me know you loved these Nutella blondies as much as we do! Joanne