Giant Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Is there anything more dreamy than a GIANT Nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookie? This cookie is rich, buttery, and incredibly gooey—classic chocolate chip cookie dough wrapped around a warm Nutella center and baked into cookie perfection.

Choosing your baking pan

Choosing the right pan affects baking time and texture. Metal pans heat fastest, glass is intermediate, and ceramic takes the longest to heat through. Avoid thin, dark metal pans since they can brown or burn the edges before the center is done; light-colored, heavy-duty aluminum pans are ideal.

Estimated bake times by pan type: ceramic about 28–32 minutes, glass pie pans about 23–28 minutes, and metal pie dishes about 20–25 minutes. If you don’t have a pie plate, a 9″ round cake pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet works well. You can also bake this on a large baking sheet but it may spread more—if using a sheet, form two large cookies on separate sheets to help them keep their shape and bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven, checking after about 15 minutes.

Making the cookie dough

This dough is quick and simple and forms a tender, buttery shell for the Nutella. Start by creaming the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, then whisk in the egg and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients—baking soda, salt, and flour—along with the chocolate chips until the dough is smooth and free of dry streaks.

If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it for 15–20 minutes to firm up before assembling. Chilling also helps the dough hold its shape when you press it into the pan.

Layering the cookie dough and Nutella

To assemble, press about half the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to the edges and up about ½” on the sides. Spread the Nutella in an even layer on top, leaving a small border around the edge so the filling doesn’t spill during baking.

With the remaining dough, scoop small spoonfuls and press them into flat disks. Arrange these dough disks over the Nutella to fully cover it, starting at the edges and working toward the center to seal the filling inside. Smooth the top with a spatula and press the edges to seal. Finish with a light sprinkle of extra chocolate chips if desired.

Baking the giant Nutella chocolate chip cookie

You can control how gooey or set the center is by adjusting bake time slightly. Regardless of pan type, look for these signs to know when the cookie is done:

1. Puffed surface: The surface should look evenly puffed near the end of baking. It will deflate slightly as it cools, creating the classic crinkled top.
2. Color: Edges should be a rich golden brown. Ceramic pans usually produce lighter edges, metal gives the deepest color, and glass falls in between. The surface should be evenly browned.
3. Gooey center: For an extra gooey center, remove the cookie when a small spot in the middle still appears slightly wet—residual heat will continue to set it while it cools for 5–10 minutes. For a firmer, but still gooey center, bake until the surface no longer looks wet. For a crispier cookie, add about 5 more minutes.

How to serve

This giant cookie shines served warm. Cool it in the pan for 5–10 minutes for a very gooey center or 15–20 minutes for a balance of crisp edges and a soft middle. If it has cooled completely, reheat individual slices in a 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes until warmed through. Avoid reheating more than once to prevent drying.

If you cut it while very warm, portions may be easier to scoop than slice. For cleaner slices, let the cookie set a little longer so the filling firms up.

Other stuffing ideas

If Nutella isn’t an option, swap in other fillings for variety: chopped chocolate bars, caramel sauce, marshmallows, cookie butter, peanut butter, chopped cookies, chocolate ganache, cheesecake filling, or chopped nuts. You can also bake the cookie without a filling for a large classic chocolate chip cookie—just watch the bake time, which may be slightly shorter.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• ¾ cup (130g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ⅔ cup (200g) Nutella

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9″ round pie plate and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until combined.
4. Fold in baking soda, salt, flour, and chocolate chips until no dry streaks remain.
5. Drop half the dough into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer across the bottom, going about ½” up the sides.
6. Spread Nutella into an even layer on top of the dough, leaving a small border around the edge.
7. Form small disks with the remaining dough and arrange them over the Nutella to fully cover it.
8. Press the edges gently to seal the top and bottom dough layers and smooth the surface to close any gaps.
9. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and the center no longer appears wet. For a very gooey center, bake 20–25 minutes until a small spot in the middle looks just slightly wet; it will set as it cools.
10. Cool 5–10 minutes for a gooey cookie, 15–20 minutes for easier slicing, or cool completely for a firmer texture.

Enjoy!