Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies Recipe
There are moments that call for a truly special treat, something that goes far beyond your average biscuit. For me, that’s when this Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies recipe comes into its own. Imagine a rich, soft-baked chocolate cookie with crisp, buttery edges. As you break it open, a warm, molten river of chocolatey hazelnut Nutella flows out. It’s a moment of pure indulgence that always gets compliments from friends and family. I used to struggle with getting the filling to stay molten without the cookie over-baking, until I discovered the simple trick of freezing the Nutella first. It completely transformed the recipe.
These cookies are the answer when you’re craving something deeply satisfying. They’re not just stuffed; they’re engineered for that perfect lava-like centre. Making a batch is a fantastic way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, filling the house with the irresistible scent of chocolate and toasted hazelnuts. They’re ideal for sharing with friends over a coffee, packing into a lunchbox for a delightful surprise, or simply for savouring on your own when you need a little pick-me-up. If you enjoy a good baking project, you might also like my classic Banana Bread Recipe.
Recipe Overview
This recipe guides you through creating thick, chewy chocolate cookies with a gloriously gooey Nutella centre. The key is freezing dollops of Nutella beforehand, which ensures the filling becomes molten while the cookie bakes to perfection. I found through testing that a minimum of one hour in the freezer is essential for the best lava flow. The result is a wonderfully textured cookie with a decadent, hidden treasure inside.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Freeze Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Servings: 12 large cookies
- Difficulty: Medium
Why You’ll Love This Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: The deep, dark chocolate dough, made with real butter and a good quality cocoa powder, provides the perfect slightly bitter contrast to the sweet, nutty creaminess of the Nutella filling.
- Ready in Under an Hour (Hands-on Time): The active preparation and baking time comes together in about 40 minutes, with the freezer doing most of the passive work!
- A Flexible Recipe: You can easily customise these. Try swapping the Nutella for Biscoff spread, a thick caramel, or your favourite peanut butter for a completely different but equally delicious stuffed cookie.
- Great for Special Afternoons: This works beautifully for a weekend baking project with the kids or as a truly special after-dinner treat served warm with a scoop of ice cream.
- Family Tested: My kids always ask for these, and they’ve become my go-to for school bake sales and family get-togethers. Everyone seems to love them.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For these chocolate hazelnut cookies, we’re using standard pantry staples. I always recommend using a Dutch-processed cocoa powder if you can find it, as it gives a deeper, less acidic chocolate flavour that pairs wonderfully with the sweet Nutella.
- 150g Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)
- 225g plain flour
- 50g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 170g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 150g light brown soft sugar
- 100g granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150g milk or dark chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Adam’s Tip: Don’t skip softening the butter. Taking it out of the fridge about an hour before you start is crucial. Cold butter won’t cream properly with the sugar, which can lead to dense, tough cookies.
How to Make Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies
The process is straightforward, but the key to success lies in the preparation. Chilling both the Nutella filling and the cookie dough is non-negotiable for achieving that perfect lava centre and preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Freeze the Nutella: Line a small baking tray or plate with parchment paper. Drop 12 rounded teaspoons (about 12-13g each) of Nutella onto the paper, spaced apart. Place the tray in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or until the Nutella dollops are frozen solid. This is the most important step!
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Set this aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat again for another minute until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix only until just combined – be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Chocolate: Gently fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. The dough will be soft. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps make the dough easier to handle and prevents spreading.
- Assemble the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Remove the dough and the frozen Nutella from the fridge and freezer. Scoop out a portion of dough (about 2 tablespoons). Flatten it in your palm, place one frozen Nutella disc in the centre, and carefully wrap the dough around it, rolling it into a smooth ball. Ensure the Nutella is completely sealed inside.
- Bake: Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of space between them as they will spread. I usually fit 6 per tray. If you like, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each ball now.
- Watch for the Cues: Bake for 12-14 minutes. I find that the perfect time is when the edges are set and firm, but the centres still look a little soft and slightly underdone. This is the secret to keeping the inside gooey.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking trays for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are best enjoyed warm while the Nutella is still molten.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control is Key: If your kitchen is warm, your dough may soften quickly. Don’t hesitate to pop the assembled cookie balls back in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. This ensures they hold their shape and don’t spread into thin crisps.
- The Secret Step: Freezing the Nutella is everything. I learned that if the dollops aren’t frozen solid, the Nutella melts too quickly in the oven and can leak out, leaving you with a hollow cookie instead of a lava centre. Give it the full hour, or even longer if you can.
- Make-Ahead Dough: The cookie dough can be made and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the assembled, unbaked cookie balls for up to 2 months. Just bake them from frozen, adding an extra 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To bring back the gooey lava centre, pop one in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before eating.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Large baking trays
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Ice cream scoop or spoons for portioning
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the technique, you can get creative with the fillings and flavours. These are a few variations that work wonderfully.
- Peanut Butter Bomb: Swap the Nutella for an equal amount of your favourite peanut butter (a thick, processed one works best for freezing). You could even add some peanut butter chips into the dough itself.
- Salted Caramel Centre: Use thick, store-bought caramel or dulce de leche for the filling. Freeze it just like the Nutella and add a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before baking.
- White Chocolate & Biscoff: Use a plain cookie dough base (omit the cocoa powder and add 50g more flour), fill with frozen Biscoff spread, and use white chocolate chips in the dough for a completely different profile.
What to Serve With Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies
While these are magnificent on their own, a simple pairing can elevate them even further. After a hearty meal like my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, a warm cookie is just the ticket.
- A Cold Glass of Milk: The simple, creamy coolness of milk is the classic and unbeatable partner for a rich, warm chocolate cookie. It cuts through the sweetness perfectly.
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Serve a cookie fresh from the oven with a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream on the side. The contrast between the hot, molten cookie and the cold, melting ice cream is divine.
- A Strong Coffee: For the adults, a freshly brewed espresso or a strong Americano provides a brilliant, bitter counterpoint to the sweetness of the cookie and Nutella.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Freeze the Nutella: Line a small baking tray or plate with parchment paper. Drop 12 rounded teaspoons (about 12-13g each) of Nutella onto the paper, spaced apart. Place the tray in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or until the Nutella dollops are frozen solid. This is the most important step!
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Set this aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat again for another minute until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix only until just combined – be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Chocolate: Gently fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. The dough will be soft. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps make the dough easier to handle and prevents spreading.
- Assemble the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Remove the dough and the frozen Nutella from the fridge and freezer. Scoop out a portion of dough (about 2 tablespoons). Flatten it in your palm, place one frozen Nutella disc in the centre, and carefully wrap the dough around it, rolling it into a smooth ball. Ensure the Nutella is completely sealed inside.
- Bake: Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of space between them as they will spread. I usually fit 6 per tray. If you like, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each ball now.
- Watch for the Cues: Bake for 12-14 minutes. I find that the perfect time is when the edges are set and firm, but the centres still look a little soft and slightly underdone. This is the secret to keeping the inside gooey.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking trays for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are best enjoyed warm while the Nutella is still molten.
Notes
I really hope you give this Gooey Nutella Lava Cookies recipe a go. There’s something so satisfying about breaking open a warm cookie to reveal that molten centre. It’s a bit of kitchen magic that is sure to bring a few smiles to faces. If you do try them, I’d love to hear how they turned out. Please drop a comment below and let me know! Happy baking.
– Adam Henderson
