Swirled Nutella Blondies
These Nutella Blondies are a harmonious marriage of thick, nut-scented blondies with a rich Nutella swirl. The recipe makes a quick and easy Nutella cookie bar that’s chewy in all the right places, with butterscotch and caramel overtones from brown butter.
So read on for all the detailed tips and tricks for this recipe. Or grab your jar of Nutella, hit that Jump to Recipe button, and let’s make this Nutella blondie recipe!
Ingredients
The base for these Nutella cookies is my go-to chocolate chip cookie. It’s modified just a bit for this Nutella bar 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 these Nutella bar cookies or other blondies or brownies because the pan keeps them in control. And the nutty flavor of brown butter pairs really well with Nutella.
Nutella is, of course, a delicious chocolate hazelnut spread. I love using Nutella to fill or swirl into baked goods like my Nutella thumbprint cookies with Nutella ganache, Nutella banana bread, Nutella babka, Nutella waffles, or Nutella pop tarts. You can use a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread in this recipe.
Know what else has hazelnuts? Make a Frangelico sour to drink alongside these Nutella blondies!
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and substitutions
- Add a half cup of blanched hazelnuts to the Nutella cookie bar batter.
- 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.
- Use Biscoff cookie butter instead of Nutella to make Biscoff blondies.
Recipe tips and tricks
Start by browning the butter because it’s got to cool a bit. 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.
Once the brown butter is cooling, you can do all the prep stuff for the recipe like heating your oven and lining your pan with parchment paper. You just want the butter cool enough so it doesn’t cook your eggs when you add them!
Making the Nutella swirl is super easy. First, put the blondie base into the prepared pan. Dollop the Nutella on top, then use a knife to swirl the Nutella into the batter by scooping a small amount of Nutella and batter together and flip the knife over. Just be careful not to scrape down to the bottom of the pan.
Don’t worry if the Nutella swirl doesn’t look perfect. It’s better to leave it as is than mix so much that you lose your swirl. If your Nutella bars look a bit lumpy bumpy after swirling, give the pan a few thwacks on the counter to settle out those peaks.
Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the Nutella blondies comes out clean and the blondies are slightly firm to the touch. If you used parchment paper, let your Nutella bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to remove the Nutella blondies to a rack.
Recipe FAQs
You can either butter your baking pan or you can line your pan with parchment paper. Either one works to prevent the Nutella blondies from sticking. Lining pans with parchment paper allows me to lift out fancy-topped treats like these salted caramel brownies without messing up the top. And I can cut them without scratching my pans.
Keep your Nutella blondies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week. These blondies also freeze well. Just cut the baked Nutella bars into individual sized pieces before freezing.
Related cookie bar recipes
Check out other Ugly Duckling Bakery recipes for cookie bars and brownies like:
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.
Recipe
Nutella Blondies
Equipment
- 1 Mixer optional
- 1 8 inch or 9 inch square baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (250 grams) bleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (192 grams) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to darken and the "popping" sound stops. Let cool until it is just warm to touch.1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams) unsalted butter
- Heat 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) bleached, all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Add the sugars to a mixing bowl, add the brown butter without scraping any very dark bits at the bottom of the pan, and beat for a few minutes until well-combind.1 cup (192 grams) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- Beat in the hazelnut liqueur. Then beat in the eggs for one minute, one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.2 large eggs, 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 or other chocolate hazelnut spread
- Bake for 30 to 35 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 up to one week.
Notes
Nutrition
You’re an adventurous home cook looking for inspiration in your weeknight meals and weekend baking. Get that inspiration here:
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