These chocolate hazelnut stuffed cookies have a soft brown sugar dough wrapped around a frozen center of chocolate hazelnut spread, so every bite ends in a molten surprise.
The dough comes together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients. Freezing the spread first is the trick that keeps the filling from leaking, and a short chill makes the dough easy to shape. Serve them warm and the middle turns gooey in the best way.
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Why This Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies Recipe Works
Freezing the spread into small mounds makes them firm enough to wrap without smearing, and the cold center melts slowly as the cookie bakes.
Brown sugar and a teaspoon of honey keep the dough soft and chewy, while dark chocolate chips balance the sweet spread with a little bitterness.
The dough needs only one bowl and a short chill, so the whole batch moves along faster than most filled cookies.
Ingredients for Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 10 tablespoons chocolate hazelnut spread, slightly heaped, for the centers
Chocolate hazelnut spread: Use a thick spread so it holds its shape when frozen into mounds. A runny spread will leak.
Dark chocolate chips: They add a bittersweet contrast and little pockets of melted chocolate in the dough.
Brown sugar and honey: Together they make the dough tender and chewy and help the cookies stay soft for days.
Butter: Softened but still cool butter creams into a smooth base and keeps the cookies from spreading too much.
Baking soda: A small amount gives lift and helps the surface brown.
How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies
1. Freeze the filling. Line a small tray with parchment and scoop 10 mounds of spread, about 1 tablespoon each. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Cream the base. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg, honey, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then stir them into the butter mixture until just combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate. Fold in the dark chocolate chips, cover the bowl, and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
6. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
7. Wrap the centers. Flatten about 3 tablespoons of dough in your palm, set a frozen mound in the center, and fold the dough up around it to seal. Roll into a smooth ball.
8. Bake. Space the balls 3 inches apart and bake 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Let them rest on the sheet for 10 minutes before moving.
How to Serve Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies
Serve these cookies warm with a glass of cold milk. They are great on a dessert board with soft double chocolate chip cookies and coconut chocolate chip cookies, or next to a plate of fudgy chocolate chunk brownies. Pair them with a cold strawberry blueberry kefir smoothie for a bright contrast.
How to Store and Reheat Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies
Cool completely and store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature. Warm each cookie for a few seconds in the microwave to melt the center again.
Tips and Variations for Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies
Freeze the filling hard: Soft spread squishes out, so freeze until the mounds feel solid before wrapping.
Work in batches: Keep the frozen mounds in the freezer and pull out only a few at a time while you shape.
Seal the dough well: Pinch the seam and roll the ball so the dough has no cracks where the filling can escape.
Use a cookie scoop: A three tablespoon scoop keeps all the cookies the same size so they bake evenly.
Add flaky salt: A tiny pinch of flaky salt on top of each warm cookie balances the sweetness.
Try other fillings: Peanut butter or caramel also freeze well into mounds, and the baking time stays the same.
Dust with powdered sugar: A light dusting on warm cookies makes them look bakery fresh.
Skip raw dough: Do not taste the raw dough because it contains raw egg. For general food safety guidance, see the Texas AgriLife Extension food safety guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies
What are chocolate hazelnut stuffed cookies?
They are soft brown sugar cookies with a core of melted chocolate hazelnut spread. Freezing the spread first keeps it contained.
How do you keep chocolate hazelnut stuffed cookies from leaking?
Freeze the mounds until solid, wrap them in a thick layer of dough, and seal the seam. Chilled dough also helps.
Can I make chocolate hazelnut stuffed cookies ahead of time?
Yes. Shape the filled dough balls, freeze them on a tray, and bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two.
Can I use another spread?
Yes, as long as it is thick. Peanut butter and cookie butter both work.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
The edges should be lightly golden and the centers should look slightly soft. They continue to set as they cool.
Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter softened and cubed
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 10 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread slightly heaped, for the centers
Instructions
Cooking
- Freeze. Scoop 10 mounds of spread onto parchment and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Mix. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the egg, honey, and vanilla, then stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chips.
- Chill. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Fill. Wrap about 3 tablespoons of dough around each frozen mound and roll into a ball.
- Bake. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
