Nutella chocolate chip cookie bars deliver that perfect balance of chewy, fudgy, and crispy all in one pan. The base is a buttery cookie dough studded with chocolate chips, topped with a thick layer of Nutella, then finished with more dough and a scatter of extra chocolate chips on top. You get the hazelnut-chocolate depth of Nutella baked right into the structure, so every bite tastes intentional, not like an afterthought.
The beauty of this format is that you’re not juggling individual cookies or worrying about spreading dough on a baking sheet. Everything stays in one 9×9 inch pan from mixing through cooling, which means less cleanup and more predictable results. The bars bake for about 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F, and the whole project—from prep to slicing—takes under an hour.
About the Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour is your structure. All-purpose flour gives you a tender crumb without being too delicate, so the bars hold together when you slice them but still have that slight chew you want from a cookie bar.
3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted) is the fat base. Melting the butter before mixing saves a step and creates a dough that’s easier to work with. You’re not creaming cold butter and sugar together, so there’s less air incorporation—which actually works in your favor here. You want a denser, more compact bar, not a fluffy cookie.
The sweetness comes from 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Brown sugar brings molasses notes and moisture, while granulated sugar provides structure and helps with browning. Together, they create depth without being cloying, especially since Nutella adds its own sweetness.
2 large eggs bind everything and add richness. 2 TSP vanilla extract rounds out the flavor, cutting through the chocolate and hazelnut so nothing feels one-dimensional.
1 TSP baking soda and 1/2 TSP salt are your leavening and seasoning. The baking soda helps the bars rise slightly and brown at the edges, while salt amplifies all the other flavors—especially important when you’re working with a sweet filling like Nutella.
3/4 cup Nutella is the star layer. It’s thick enough to spread (or drop) over the base dough without sinking through, and it stays fudgy when baked. This amount creates a substantial hazelnut-chocolate presence without overwhelming the cookie structure.
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips go into the dough itself, giving you chocolate flavor throughout. Semi-sweet chips have enough cocoa to balance the sweetness of Nutella without tasting bitter. 1/4 cup extra chocolate chips go on top for visual appeal and extra chocolate pockets in the finished bars.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 TSP vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 TSP baking soda
- 1/2 TSP salt
- 3/4 cup Nutella
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup extra chocolate chips
Method and Timing
Prep takes about 15 minutes. Baking takes 25 to 30 minutes. There’s no chilling step, so you can slice and serve once the bars cool completely in the pan.
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper. The parchment makes lifting the entire slab out of the pan much easier, and it prevents sticking on the bottom. Let the parchment come up the sides of the pan so you have handles to grip.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. This takes just a minute or two—you’re not trying to incorporate air, just combine the ingredients evenly. The mixture should look uniform and slightly glossy.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is well combined and the mixture is smooth. At this point, the dough base is ready for dry ingredients.
Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined—you don’t want to overwork the dough, which would make the bars tough. A few streaks of flour are fine; stop as soon as everything is mostly incorporated. Then fold in the 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Folding (rather than stirring) is gentler and helps keep the chips intact.
Now you’re ready to layer. Press half the dough firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. You want a solid, compact base layer about 1/4 inch thick. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers to press it down. Don’t leave gaps.
Spread the 3/4 cup Nutella over the dough base. You can use a spatula or the back of a spoon. Nutella is thick, so it won’t spread like frosting—work gently and try to cover as much of the base as you can, but don’t stress about perfect coverage. The remaining dough will fill in any gaps.
Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the Nutella layer. Don’t try to spread this layer evenly; dropping it in pieces is actually easier and gives you a more rustic, appealing texture. The dough will expand slightly as it bakes and create a patchwork top. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup extra chocolate chips over the top.
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Then fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips.
- Press half the dough into the pan and spread nutella over top. Drop remaining dough and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into bars.
Baking and Cooling
Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. At 25 minutes, check the edges—they should be golden brown. If the center still looks underbaked or pale, give it another few minutes. The bars are done when the top is golden and the edges are set, but the center can still have a slight jiggle. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
This is important: cool the bars completely in the pan before lifting them out. As they cool, the Nutella layer firms up and the structure sets, which is what keeps the bars from falling apart when you slice them. If you try to cut warm bars, they’ll be too soft and will crumble or tear.
Once cooled, use the parchment paper handles to lift the entire slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into 9 bars (a 3×3 grid works well for even pieces). A sharp knife helps; wipe it clean between cuts if the chocolate sticks.
Practical Tips
If your Nutella is very thick straight from the jar, you can warm it slightly—either by microwaving for 10 to 15 seconds or by letting it sit at room temperature for a few minutes—to make it easier to work with. Just don’t let it get too runny, or it’ll sink into the base dough.
The base layer needs to be pressed firmly so it holds together as a foundation. If it’s too loose, the bars may fall apart when you slice them. Spend a minute making sure it’s compact and even.
Watch the edges more than the center. Cookie bars often brown faster at the edges, so if the edges are dark golden but the center looks pale, you’re probably fine to pull them out. The residual heat will continue cooking the center as the bars cool.
If you want a thicker bar, you can use an 8×8 inch pan instead, but this will add a few minutes to the baking time. Start checking at 28 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- Cool completely in the pan before lifting out to ensure bars set properly and hold together when slicing.
- Press the first half of dough firmly and evenly into the pan for a solid base layer.
- Drop spoonfuls of remaining dough over the Nutella layer rather than spreading for easier handling.
- Check for golden brown edges at 25 minutes; bake up to 30 minutes if center still appears underbaked.
Variations and Customization
Do you prefer your bars more cake-like or more fudgy? If you like them fudgier, pull them out at 25 minutes when the center is still slightly soft. If you prefer them more set and cake-like, bake the full 30 minutes.
Are you a chocolate-heavy baker? You can add a tablespoon or two more chocolate chips to the dough if you want even more chocolate flavor throughout.
For a different topping, try chopped hazelnuts, a drizzle of melted chocolate after baking, or a sprinkle of sea salt to play up the hazelnut-chocolate contrast.
NUTELLA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Then fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips.
- Press half the dough into the pan and spread nutella over top. Drop remaining dough and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into bars.
Notes
Recipe tips
- Cool completely in the pan before lifting out to ensure bars set properly and hold together when slicing.
- Press the first half of dough firmly and evenly into the pan for a solid base layer.
- Drop spoonfuls of remaining dough over the Nutella layer rather than spreading for easier handling.
- Check for golden brown edges at 25 minutes; bake up to 30 minutes if center still appears underbaked.
