Irresistible Brown Butter Nutella Bars: Easy, Chewy & Pure Chocolate Hazelnut Bliss
Prepare to fall in love with these utterly irresistible Nutella bars! Imagine a soft, super chewy cookie base, generously studded with melty chocolate chips, and hiding a glorious, gooey center of warm, creamy Nutella. The secret ingredient? Rich, nutty brown butter that elevates the flavor profile to a whole new level of deliciousness. The best part? This recipe is incredibly easy to make—no stand mixer, no tedious dough chilling, and these divine treats are ready to come out of the oven in just about an hour. They are truly the perfect indulgence for any Nutella enthusiast!
Inspired by beloved recipes like my Nutella-filled cookies and decadent Biscoff brownies, this cookie bar recipe utilizes only simple, readily available ingredients. You won’t even need an electric mixer, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels. If the sweet, nutty, chocolatey embrace of hazelnut spread speaks to your soul, then these rich, flavorful Nutella cookie bars are definitely calling your name!
Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dessert, a crowd-pleasing treat for a gathering, or simply a delightful snack to satisfy your sweet cravings, these easy Nutella bars deliver every single time. Their straightforward process combined with their spectacular taste makes them an instant classic. Get ready to bake up a batch of pure bliss!
Table of Contents
The Secret Behind the Best Nutella Bars: Brown Butter
What truly sets these Nutella bars apart is the use of brown butter. If you’re new to this technique, prepare for a game-changer! Browning butter involves gently cooking unsalted butter until the milk solids toast and turn a beautiful golden-brown color, releasing a wonderfully nutty, caramel-like aroma and flavor. This simple step adds incredible depth and complexity to your cookie bars, complementing the rich hazelnut notes of Nutella perfectly. It’s an extra five minutes of effort that yields a massive payoff in taste, transforming ordinary cookie bars into something truly extraordinary.
Don’t be intimidated by browning butter – it’s easier than it sounds! The key is to keep an eye on it and stir frequently to prevent burning. The result is a richer, more nuanced base for your cookie dough that will make everyone ask for your secret ingredient. Trust me, once you’ve tried brown butter in your baked goods, there’s no going back!
Essential Ingredients and Smart Substitutions for Your Nutella Bars
Crafting these delicious Nutella bars requires a handful of common baking staples, most of which you likely already have in your pantry. Each ingredient plays a vital role in achieving that perfect chewy texture and rich flavor. Let’s dive into what you’ll need and how you can adapt the recipe to your liking.
Egg yolk: The addition of an extra egg yolk is a secret weapon for achieving that wonderfully chewy, soft, and moist texture. The extra fat content from the yolk helps to bind the ingredients and contributes to a rich, fudgy consistency, much like in my Nutella-filled cookies. Don’t skip this for truly gooey bars!
Nutella: The star of the show! While the classic Nutella brand is fantastic, any high-quality chocolate hazelnut spread will work beautifully. You won’t use the entire jar for this recipe, so plan to use any delicious leftovers to make other treats like my popular Nutella muffins or simply spread it on toast!
Brown sugar: Both light and dark brown sugar can be used, but either choice is crucial for the bars’ signature moist and chewy texture. Brown sugar contains molasses, which adds moisture, a subtle caramel note, and helps keep the bars soft and tender. The molasses also contributes to the rich, golden-brown color of the baked bars.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: These add delightful pockets of melted chocolate throughout the bars. Feel free to substitute them with other varieties such as white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks for a more intense flavor, or even milk chocolate for a sweeter profile. Chopped chocolate bars also work wonderfully and can create more irregular, satisfying puddles of chocolate.
Butter: As discussed, we are using brown butter for an incredible depth of flavor! If you’re looking for a more in-depth guide, I’ve written an entire resource on how to make brown butter that covers everything you need to know. It’s a simple step that yields profound results!
All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cookie dough. Make sure to measure it correctly using the spoon and level method, or even better, a kitchen scale, to avoid dry or cakey bars.
Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with the crisp edges and overall structure of the bars, balancing the chewiness from the brown sugar.
Vanilla extract: A touch of vanilla enhances all the other flavors, adding a warm, aromatic note that complements both the chocolate and hazelnut beautifully.
Fine sea salt: A pinch of salt is essential in baking to balance sweetness and bring out the rich chocolate and nutty flavors. Don’t underestimate its importance!
You’ll find the full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions conveniently laid out in the recipe card below!
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions for Gooey Nutella Bars
Creating these delightful Nutella bars is a straightforward process, designed for maximum flavor with minimal fuss. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a batch of warm, gooey, chocolate-hazelnut perfection in no time!
Step 1: Freeze the Nutella. This crucial step ensures a perfectly gooey Nutella center that won’t completely melt into your cookie dough during baking. Start by lining your baking pan with parchment paper, creasing it well to get a clear outline of the pan’s base. Spread the specified amount of Nutella evenly within these creases to form a solid slab. Then, transfer this parchment with the Nutella to the freezer until it’s firm, typically 15-20 minutes. This frozen layer will remain distinct during baking, creating that delightful hidden core.
Step 2: Brown the butter. In a light-colored pan (this helps you see the color change), melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns amber and nutty brown solids form at the bottom. The aroma will be incredible! Immediately scrape the brown butter, including all the delightful browned bits, into a heatproof bowl. Let it cool completely to room temperature before adding it to your other ingredients. This cooling step is critical to prevent it from scrambling the eggs or melting the chocolate chips prematurely.
Step 3: Whisk the wet ingredients. In a spacious mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the brown sugar, white granulated sugar, the whole egg, the extra egg yolk, and the vanilla extract. Whisk for a minute or two until the mixture is light in color and fluffy. This aeration helps create a tender crumb. Then, gradually stream in the cooled brown butter, whisking continuously until everything is well combined and smooth. The cooled butter ensures a proper emulsion and prevents the eggs from cooking.
Step 4: Mix in the dry ingredients. To the wet mixture, add the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, and mini chocolate chips. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and lead to tough, rather than chewy, bars. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain, even if a few chocolate chips aren’t perfectly distributed—they’ll spread during baking.
Step 5: Layer the Nutella. Press about half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, forming the bottom layer. Then, carefully retrieve the frozen Nutella slab from the freezer and place it directly on top of the dough. Finally, spread the remaining cookie dough over the top of the Nutella layer, gently pressing it down to create an even top. Take care to cover the Nutella completely to prevent it from burning or drying out during baking.
Step 6: Bake! For an extra touch of beauty and flavor, spoon dollops of slightly warmed Nutella over the top of the unbaked bars and use a toothpick or knife to create attractive swirls. This adds a lovely marbled effect and an extra burst of Nutella goodness. Transfer the pan to your preheated oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, indicating a perfectly soft and chewy interior. Once baked, let the bars cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to cut them. Patience is key here – cutting warm bars can lead to a messy, crumbly outcome!
Expert Tips for Perfectly Chewy Nutella Bars
Achieving bakery-quality Nutella bars is easier than you think with a few pro tips. These simple guidelines will help you avoid common baking pitfalls and ensure your bars are perfectly chewy, moist, and utterly delicious every time.
Use a kitchen scale. This is, without a doubt, my #1 baking tip for consistent and successful results! Flour can compact easily, and scooping it directly with a measuring cup often results in using too much. Excess flour makes your bars dry, dense, and cakey instead of perfectly chewy. Weighing your ingredients ensures precision, leading to the ideal texture every time. If you don’t have a scale, use the “spoon-level” method: fluff your flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, and then level it off with a straight edge without packing it down.
Cool the butter. After browning your butter, it’s absolutely crucial to allow it to cool to room temperature before incorporating it into the wet ingredients. Adding hot butter will cook the eggs, leading to a scrambled texture in your dough (and in your final bars!). Furthermore, warm butter will prematurely melt the chocolate chips, creating a greasy dough rather than distinct pockets of chocolate goodness. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the bowl in an ice bath or chilling it in the fridge, stirring every 5 minutes until it’s cool but still liquid.
Use a metal square pan. For the best and most consistent results, a metal 8×8 inch baking pan is highly recommended. Ceramic and glass pans conduct heat differently—they retain heat longer and distribute it less evenly, which can lead to longer baking times and potentially overbaked edges or an underbaked center. Metal pans heat up and cool down quickly, providing a more consistent bake for chewy bars.
Don’t overbake! This is perhaps the most important tip for achieving truly gooey and chewy Nutella bars. Bars will continue to cook slightly as they cool, so it’s best to pull them out of the oven when the edges are golden brown and set, but the center still looks a little soft or slightly underbaked. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs, not raw batter, but definitely not completely clean. Overbaking will result in dry, crumbly bars rather than the desirable chewy texture.
Let them cool completely. I know, it’s hard to resist! But for clean cuts and optimal texture, allow your Nutella bars to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Warm bars are much more fragile and prone to crumbling, and the Nutella center will be too liquidy to hold its shape. Patience truly is a virtue when it comes to cutting perfect bars.
Storage and Freezing Your Nutella Bar Delight
These Nutella bars are so delicious, they might not last long! But if you happen to have any leftovers, proper storage will keep them fresh and tasty for longer. They’re also fantastic for meal prepping desserts or enjoying later.
Storage: To maintain their chewiness and flavor, store leftover Nutella bars in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully fresh and delicious for 3-4 days. Avoid refrigerating them, as the cold can cause the bars to dry out and harden, diminishing their desirable chewy texture.
Freezing: These bars freeze beautifully, making them perfect for future cravings or unexpected guests. You can freeze them either as a whole slab (after cooling completely, of course!) or cut into individual bars. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze solid first, then transfer them to an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for a few hours, or pop a single bar into the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a warm, gooey treat.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nutella Bars
Got questions about making these sensational Nutella bars? We’ve got answers! Here are some common queries to help you achieve Nutella bar perfection.
Absolutely! While Nutella is the star here, you can certainly experiment with other spreads. Peanut butter would be a fantastic alternative, creating a delicious peanut butter chocolate bar. Almond butter or even a Biscoff spread could also work well for different flavor profiles. Keep in mind that the consistency and sweetness might vary slightly, so you might need minor adjustments, but the core recipe structure will hold.
For perfectly clean and neat slices, ensure your bars are completely cooled before cutting. Once cool, carefully pull up the sides of the parchment paper to lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan and onto a sturdy cutting board. To get those beautiful, distinct cuts, use a sharp knife. For even cleaner slices, run the knife under hot water, wipe it completely dry, and then make your cut. Repeat this hot water and wipe process between each slice to prevent sticking and dragging crumbs.
This usually happens if your Nutella layer wasn’t sufficiently frozen before baking. The coldness of the Nutella slab helps it maintain its shape and gooey integrity during the initial stages of baking, preventing it from completely melting and mixing into the cookie dough. Ensure it’s firm to the touch before layering.
Yes, absolutely! These Nutella bars are quite versatile. Consider adding chopped nuts (like hazelnuts or walnuts), pretzels for a sweet and salty crunch, or even different types of chocolate chips (like butterscotch or white chocolate). Just be mindful not to add too many, as it can alter the dough’s consistency and baking time.
More Irresistible Cookie Bars to Try
If you’re a fan of easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing cookie bars, then you’re in the right place! Beyond these glorious Nutella bars, there’s a whole world of delicious bar recipes waiting to be discovered. Here are some of my other favorite cookie bar creations that I highly recommend you try next. They’re perfect for potlucks, parties, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth any day of the week!
- Peanut M&M Cookie Bars: A colorful and flavorful medley of peanut butter, oats, M&M’s, and chocolate chips.
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies: Another fantastic recipe that harnesses the power of brown butter for a rich, chewy, and deeply flavorful treat.
- Cookie Dough Crunch Bars: Layers of delicious cookie dough, chocolate, and a crunchy surprise – pure indulgence!
- Brownie Blondies: The best of both worlds! A delightful fusion of fudgy brownies and chewy blondies, often with an espresso kick.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out and share your creations!
Brown Butter Nutella Bars
Equipment
- square 8×8 baking pan
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup Nutella, or chocolate hazelnut spread
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons Nutella, warmed in 5 second increments in the microwave
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside of a square 8×8 baking pan, creasing the bottom edges well so that when you remove it from the pan it has an outline of the size of the pan.
- Spread the Nutella over the parchment within the creased lines. Chill the Nutella layer in the freezer, it must be firm before using.2/3 cup (210 g) Nutella
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper on all four sides, then set it aside.
- Brown the butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat until the bottom is covered in brown butter solids. Scrape the butter into a bowl and cool to room temperature. You can chill it in the fridge or freezer, stirring every 5 minutes, until it’s ready. Just keep an eye on it!1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Then stream the butter into the bowl, whisking until combined.1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 (110 g) large eggs, 1 (18 g) large egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients. Spread half (about 450 g) of the cookie dough into the pan. Then place the slab of Nutella on top of the dough. Spread the rest of the cookie dough over the top.1 3/4 cup (166 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 cup (50 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Spoon dollops of the warmed Nutella on top of the cookie dough and swirl it with a toothpick. Bake the Nutella bars for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs.2 tablespoons Nutella
- Let the cookie bars cool completely on a wire rack, then cut into 16 bars. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.