Made with only 4 ingredients, these fudgy, chewy and decadent Nutella Brownies will satisfy your sweet tooth. With an irresistible chocolate hazelnut flavor, you won't be able to stop at one. Make them for your loved ones on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or any special occasion.
Brownies are one dessert that don't need an introduction! It's like someone took an already delicious chocolate cake and made it chewy and gooey on the inside. Yum!
I our home we take our brownies very seriously 🙂 Usually, we make the classic version with flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, eggs and melted chocolate. This recipe cuts that list in half and reduces it down to only 4 ingredients- Eggs, Nutella, flour and chocolate chips.
Fudgy Brownie Recipe
The credit for this easy chocolate brownie recipe goes entirely to my kids! They simply love Nutella! So, they tweaked their favorite brownie recipe and substituted Nutella for the melted chocolate.
In search of the ultimate fudgy brownies, they re-tested this recipe multiple times, trying out different combinations of flour and Nutella, and even adding cocoa powder to see if the results were fudgier. Finally, they came up with this recipe which has now become a regular in our home.
This recipe for Nutella Brownies is really simple to make and comes together in under 30 minutes. Combine the ingredients, bake for 16-18 mins and wait for them to cool- that's it!
What is Nutella?
Nutella, pronounced “New-tell-uh”, is a spread made from the combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa.
This extremely popular spread is used in many breakfast, snack and dessert recipes, like this Nutella Mug Cake, or this breakfast and brunch favorite, Nutella French Toast
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
These brownies can be made with just 3 ingredients- Nutella, eggs and flour. I like to add chocolate chips to make these brownies fudgy. Let's take a look at ingredients and possible substitutions:
- Nutella: This chocolate hazelnut spread is easily available at most supermarkets. You can use your favorite brand. Please note: chocolate sauce is not a good substitute since that has a more runny texture and won't work in this recipe.
- Flour: We just need ½ cup of all-purpose flour here. To make these gluten-free, substitute with your choice of gluten-free flour or almond flour.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs make for a smoother texture after baking, so take them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before ready to bake.
- Chocolate Chips: The chips melt as the brownies cook and then you bite into pockets of melted chocolate, which adds a whole new flavor dimension. And that's why we love and recommend this '4th' ingredient so much 🙂
- Walnuts: Sometimes, we like to add a 5th ingredient to this recipe, chopped walnuts, and that takes it to another level of yumminess! The walnuts provide a nice flavor and texture contrast to the brownies. But that's purely optional.
How to Make Nutella Brownies
Here are step by step instructions and photos on how to make these delicious Chocolate brownies.
Step 1: Take out eggs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making this recipe.
Step 2: Add Nutella or your favorite brand of chocolate hazelnut spread.
Nutella Scooping Tip: Since Nutella is thick and sticky, spray your spoon or spatula with cooking spray or rub a little oil for easy release.
Step 3: Using an electric hand-mixer or a whisk, mix the Nutella with the eggs until the batter is smooth.
Step 4: Using a strainer or flour-sifter, add flour to the chocolate and egg mix. Sifting the flour makes the batter very smooth, which results in even baking.
Step 5: Fold in the flour using a Spatula. Brownies are supposed to have a dense texture. Using an electric mix at this stage will end up incorporating 'unwanted' air into the batter, which is why using a spatula works better. If adding nuts, fold them in right now.
Step 6: Pour and spread the batter in a greased 8" X 8" baking pan. Lift the pan and gently tap it on the counter or a cutting board. Repeat 2-3 times. This helps release and burst any air bubbles in the batter.
Step 7: Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350F for 16-18 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out slightly sticky, you're done! If it comes out wet, pop the pan back in the oven for another 2 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting in squares.
How to Dress-up Nutella Brownies for a Party
We love making these brownies for special occasions, Super Bowl, Valentine's Day and pretty much any day we feel like indulging. If I am making them for an occasion, I like to dress them up a bit.
For Super Bowl, or any game day parties, I make a simple powdered sugar icing, or a cream cheese icing and pipe a football 'stitch' symbol on the brownies. Spread some green sprinkles on a platter and lay the brownies on top.
For Valentine's Day, I mix a drop of pink or red food color in the icing, and pipe cute little hearts on the brownies. A little bit of customization makes them look even more tempting and perfect for the occasion.
Powdered Sugar Glaze Recipe
To make a simple Powdered Sugar Glaze icing, I mix together:
- ½ cup of confectioner's sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon of cold water. (Start by adding 1 teaspoon first and add more only if needed. )
- To make it colorful, simply add a drop or two of gel food color of your choice.
Colored Icing Tip: Remember, when adding food color, less is more. Start with a drop, mix and go from there.
How to Pipe Frosting
Using a spoon, fill the icing in a piping bag or a ziplock bag, and push the icing down to a corner. Roll the bag tight so you can squeeze the icing from that corner.
Cut the very tip of the bag to make a very small hole. Now using a firm and steady grip, gently squeeze out the piping and make whatever design you wish.
Recipe Tips for Nutella Brownies
- Take out eggs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making this recipe. Room temperature eggs make for a smoother texture after baking.
- I like to use Nutella, but any hazelnut spread would work in this recipe. I would NOT recommend using chocolate sauce.
- Sift the flour as that makes the batter very smooth, which results in even baking.
- Since Nutella is thick and sticky, spray your spoon or spatula with cooking spray or rub a little oil for easy release.
- Icing TIP: If you're making a colored icing, add only 1 drop of gel food color at a time. Adjust as needed.
- The addition of chocolate chips makes the brownies fudgy and gooey. If you don't care for that texture, you can skip those.
- To make gluten-free brownies, substitute with your choice of gluten-free flour or almond flour.
Common Questions
The fat from the eggs and the correct cooking time makes the brownies fudgy. The brownies continue to cook after you take them out, so insert a toothpick and if it comes out slightly wet, you can remove the brownies and cool them.
You can add your favorite mix-ins to this recipe including, walnuts, pecans, marshmallows, caramel chips or white chocolate chips.
You can use margarine, but know that the brownies won't be as fudgy since margarine has less fat content than butter.
You can spread it on toast, or make this delicious Nutella French Toast or Nutella Mug cake too.
More Decadent Desserts on the Blog
- Instant Pot Fudgy Brownies (box -mix)
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Mini Hot Cocoa Cheesecakes
- Mango Cheesecake
- Blueberry Bread Pudding
- Salted Caramel Lava Cake
- Rice Pudding
- Chocolate Bread Pudding
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Nutella Brownies
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup Nutella hazelnut spread
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Optional add-on
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment liners or spray it with a non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs using an electric beater or a whisk. Add Nutella and mix well.
- Sift in flour and mix everything with a spatula. Add chocolate chips and fold them in.
- If adding chopped walnuts, add them with the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter in a parchment lined pan and bake for about 16-18 minutes.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, you're done! Cool completely then cut into 16 squares. Enjoy the brownies with your favorite accompaniments. Some of our favorites are vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce.
Notes
Recipe Tips for the Best Nutella Brownies
- Try and take out eggs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making this recipe. Room temperature eggs make for a smoother texture after baking.
- I like to use Nutella, but any hazelnut spread would work in this recipe. I would NOT recommend using chocolate sauce.
- Sift the flour as that makes the batter very smooth, which results in even baking.
- Nutella Scooping Tip: Since Nutella is thick and sticky, spray your spoon or spatula with cooking spray or rub a little oil for easy release.
- Icing TIP: If you're making a colored icing, add only 1 drop of gel food color at a time. Adjust as needed.
- The addition of chocolate chips makes the brownies fudgy and gooey. If you don't care for that texture, you can skip those.
- To make gluten-free brownies, substitute with your choice of gluten-free flour or almond flour.
Nutrition
This recipe was recently updated with new photos, helpful information, tips and step-by-step photos.
Carrie says
This was just OK. I like brownies to be a bit more fudgy and a smudge sweeter. Ended up dusting it with powdered sugar. If I make it again, I would increase the chips to at least a 1/2 cup.
Aneesha says
Hi Carrie, sure! when it comes to brownies everyone likes them a certain way. I'm sure you'll enjoy them more after your customization next time.
Divya says
This sounds fantastic. How would you change the servings if you were to make it in a mug?
Aneesha says
Hi Divya, thank you. Mug recipes need different proportions and times, I wouldn't be able to convert this to a mug recipe without testing it first. Sorry!