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 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!
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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 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 Nutella bar cookies or other blondies or brownies because you use a pan. And the nutty flavor of brown butter pairs really well with Nutella.
Nutella is, of course, a delicious spread make of hazelnut and chocolate. I love using Nutella to fill or swirl into baked goods like my Nutella thumbprint cookies, 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.
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
- 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 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
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 Nutella 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 blondie 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 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 (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 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 Nutella blondies from sticking to the pan. Lining the pan with parchment paper just allows you to lift out your baked blondies or salted caramel brownies and cut them without scratching your pan.
Yes. These blondies would 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 9 inch square baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) bleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (192 grams) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) 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) 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) 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) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) 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
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