These thick, fudgy Nutella crinkle cookies are loaded with chopped hazelnuts and an optional molten center that oozes when you bite in. I first made these on a rainy Saturday when Emma kept asking for "the fancy cookies from the bakery," and honestly, these turned out even better. The double sugar coating creates those dramatic crackled edges, and the hazelnut chocolate combo tastes like you're eating a cookie version of Nutella straight from the jar.
They're surprisingly simple to make, and if you love rich chocolate desserts like my Creme Brûlée Cookies Recipe | Easy & Addictive, you're going to want these in your regular rotation too. Also great for holiday cookie trays or gift boxes, or just because you need something intensely chocolatey on a Tuesday.
If you're looking for more showstopping treats, try my Lemon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe | Soft, Tangy & Easy or the crowd-favorite Easy Pistachio Cookie Bars | 40-Minute Dessert Recipe.
Why You'll Love This Nutella Crinkle Cookies
These Nutella Crinkle Cookies check every box. They're thick and soft-baked with chewy edges, they look absolutely gorgeous with those dramatic crinkles, and the Nutella-hazelnut combo is unbeatable. The dough comes together quickly in one bowl, and while it needs time to chill, the actual hands-on work is easy.
They're also really forgiving. If your crinkles aren't perfect, they still taste amazing. If you skip the Nutella filling, they're still rich and fudgy. And if you can't find hazelnuts, you can swap in other nuts or leave them out entirely.
These homemade Nutella Crinkle Cookies hold up well for gifting. They stay soft for days when stored properly, and they look impressive enough to put in a nice box with a ribbon. Plus, the double sugar coating means they travel without getting sticky or falling apart.
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Nutella Crinkle Cookies Ingredients
Here's what you need to make these thick, Nutella Crinkle Cookies.
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities
Cookie Dough:
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure and keeps the Nutella Crinkle Cookies tender. Make sure to spoon and level your flour so you don't accidentally pack in too much.
- Unsweetened natural cocoa powder: Adds deep chocolate flavor without making the cookies too sweet. Natural cocoa works better here than Dutch-process.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread just enough and creates a soft, chewy texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes all the chocolate flavor pop.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams smoothly with the sugar and creates a rich, tender cookie. Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavor that makes these Nutella Crinkle Cookies extra chewy.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps with the right texture.
- Egg and egg yolk: The extra yolk makes these Nutella Crinkle Cookies richer and more tender. Bring eggs to room temperature so they mix in smoothly.
- Pure vanilla extract: Enhances all the chocolate and Nutella flavors.
- Nutella: This is the star ingredient. It makes the dough incredibly fudgy and adds that signature hazelnut-chocolate taste.
- Chopped hazelnuts: Toasting them first brings out their flavor and adds a crunchy contrast to the soft cookie. You can skip this step if you're short on time, but it's worth it.
For Filling & Rolling:
- Nutella (for filling): Optional but amazing. A little pocket of Nutella in the center melts into gooey perfection when the cookies bake.
- Granulated sugar: The first coating helps the powdered sugar stick and adds a slight crunch.
- Confectioners' sugar: Creates those gorgeous white crinkles. You'll need extra for dusting the tops after baking.
How To Make Nutella Crinkle Cookies
Making these Nutella crinkle cookies is easier than you'd think, just plan ahead for chilling time.
Toast the hazelnuts (optional but recommended): Spread your chopped hazelnuts on a lined baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 6 to 7 minutes until they smell nutty and look slightly darker. Let them cool completely before adding to the dough. This step makes a big difference in flavor.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until everything's evenly combined. Set this aside.
Cream the butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. The mixture should look light, fluffy, and pale. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then add the Nutella and beat on high speed until it's fully mixed in and the dough looks glossy. Scrape the bowl again to make sure everything's incorporated.
Combine everything: Add your dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in the toasted hazelnuts gently. The dough will be thick, soft, and a little sticky, which is exactly right.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but you can leave it up to 3 days. Chilling is not optional here. It firms up the dough so you can shape the cookies and helps develop the flavor.
Get ready to bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set out two small bowls, one with granulated sugar and one with confectioners' sugar.
Shape and fill the cookies: Scoop about a tablespoon (17g) of dough and roll it into a ball. Press your thumb into the center to make a little bowl shape. If you're adding the Nutella filling, place a scant half teaspoon of Nutella into half of your dough bowls. Top each filled dough bowl with an unfilled one, pinch the edges to seal, and roll into a smooth ball. Each finished ball should weigh around 40g.
Coat generously: Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar, making sure it's fully covered. Then roll it in confectioners' sugar, coating it really well. Don't be shy with the powdered sugar or your crinkles won't show up as dramatically. Place the coated cookies 3 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets.
Bake: Bake for 11 to 12 minutes. The edges will look set, but the centers should still appear soft and slightly underdone. They'll firm up as they cool, so don't overbake or they'll be dry instead of fudgy.
Cool and finish: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they set up without breaking. Then move them to a cooling rack. Once they're completely cool, sift a little extra confectioners' sugar on top if the coating baked off in spots.
Store properly: Keep your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay soft and delicious for up to a week.
Equipment For Nutella Crinkle Cookies
You don't need anything fancy for these soft Nutella Crinkle Cookies just basic baking tools.
An electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment) makes creaming the butter and sugar much easier. You could do it by hand, but it'll take a lot longer and won't get as fluffy.
Use glass or metal mixing bowls, one medium for dry ingredients and one large for the dough.
A whisk helps combine your dry ingredients evenly so you don't get pockets of baking soda or cocoa.
Baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats prevent sticking and help the cookies bake evenly.
A cooling rack lets air circulate around the cookies so the bottoms don't get soggy.
A fine mesh sieve is perfect for sifting that final dusting of confectioners' sugar over the cooled cookies.
Substitutions and Swaps
These Nutella Crinkle Cookies are pretty flexible if you need to make changes.
No hazelnuts? You can use chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds instead. Or leave the nuts out completely if you need a nut-free version. The cookies will still be delicious, just less crunchy.
Don't have brown sugar? You can use all granulated sugar, but the cookies won't be quite as chewy. Brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper flavor.
Need a different nut butter? You could try almond butter or even peanut butter in place of some of the Nutella, but it'll change the flavor pretty significantly. Nutella's hazelnut-chocolate combo is really what makes these special.
Want to skip the filling? Absolutely fine. The cookies are still rich and fudgy without the Nutella center. You'll just skip the step where you make little dough bowls and seal them together.
Don't have natural cocoa powder? Dutch-process will work in a pinch, but natural cocoa gives a slightly better flavor and texture with the baking soda.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These Nutella Crinkle Cookies store beautifully, which makes them perfect for holiday baking or gifting.
At room temperature, keep the cookies in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper between layers so they don't stick together. They'll stay soft and chewy for up to a week.
In the freezer, you can store baked cookies for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Freeze the dough if you want to bake fresh cookies later. Shape and coat the dough balls, then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you can make it ahead and bake cookies as needed. This actually makes the flavor even better since everything has more time to meld together.
Expert Tips
Don't skip the chilling. The dough needs at least 2 hours in the fridge or it'll be too soft to shape and coat properly. If you're in a rush, you can pop it in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes instead.
Coat generously with powdered sugar. The thicker the coating, the more dramatic your crinkles will be. Don't be shy about rolling those dough balls around in the confectioners' sugar.
Don't overbake. These cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out. They'll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet as they cool. If you wait until they look fully baked, they'll end up dry.
FAQ
Do Nutella Crinkle Cookies need to be refrigerated?
Nope, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Refrigerating them actually makes them too firm. The only exception is if your kitchen is really hot and the Nutella filling starts getting soft.
Are Nutella Crinkle Cookies supposed to be dry?
Not at all. These should be soft, fudgy, and chewy. If yours came out dry, they were overbaked. Pull them when the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool.
Why are my Nutella Crinkle Cookies not crinkling?
Usually it's not enough powdered sugar. Coat the dough balls really generously before baking. Also make sure your dough is properly chilled and don't overbake them.
Why are my Nutella Crinkle Cookies not spreading?
The dough is probably too cold or you used too much flour. Let frozen dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking, and make sure you spooned and leveled your flour instead of packing it in.
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Pairing
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Nutella crinkle cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour measured by spooning and leveling for accuracy
- 2 ¼ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder natural cocoa preferred for deeper flavor
- 1 teaspoon baking soda fresh for proper rise
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt balances sweetness
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened fully to room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed, light or dark both work
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar for dough sweetness
- 1 large egg room temperature for smoother mixing
- 1 egg yolk room temperature to add tenderness
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure extract recommended
- ¾ cup Nutella used directly from the jar
- ¾ cup chopped hazelnuts roughly chopped for texture
For Filling & Rolling
- ⅓ cup Nutella for stuffing centers
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar for first coating layer
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar plus extra for finishing dust
Instructions
- Toast the hazelnuts if desired by spreading them on a lined baking sheet and warming in a 300°F oven until lightly golden, then let cool briefly.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly blended.
- Beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium-high speed until pale, fluffy, and airy in texture.
- Blend in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, then beat in the Nutella until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the dough on low speed just until no dry streaks remain, then gently blend in the hazelnuts.
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours until firm and scoopable.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper, setting up bowls of granulated and powdered sugar for rolling.
- Scoop chilled dough into small portions, shape into shallow cups, fill half with Nutella, seal with remaining dough, and roll into smooth balls.
- Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar, then generously coat with confectioners’ sugar before spacing on baking sheets.
- Bake until edges look set but centers remain soft, then remove from the oven.
- Let cookies rest briefly on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely, adding extra powdered sugar if desired.
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