Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Fudgy, rich, and so easy to make, these chocolate hazelnut brownies come together quickly and they’re pretty much guaranteed to satisfy all your chocolate (and Nutella!) cravings!

On a scale of 1 to 10 guess how excited I am for these chocolate hazelnut brownies.

If you guessed 1 billion you’re not far off. . .because LOOK! Gooey brownies studded with hazelnuts, swirled with Nutella. SWIRLED with NUTELLA!

They’re pretty much ev-er-y-thing. If you’re a Nutella-holic, or you know any Nutella-holics, you need to make a batch of these, like, yesterday.

They’re quick and easy, rich and gooey, and 100% guaranteed to satisfy your every craving.

Why you’ll love these chocolate hazelnut brownies:

• They’re easy to make
• All you need is one bowl and a spoon—no mixer!
• They freeze well so you can always have a few stashed for a rainy day

Notes:

• If you only have salted butter you can use that, just omit the salt in the recipe and know that your brownies will turn out a little saltier than mine did (that’s not a bad thing if you ask me—I like salty sweets).
• I typically buy Baker’s unsweetened chocolate but Ghirardelli is another good choice that’s easy to find at most grocery stores.
• If you don’t have unsweetened chocolate you can use dark chocolate or even semi-sweet but your brownies won’t be as rich.
• You can skip the Nutella swirl but I love the extra pop of flavor and gooeyness that it adds.
  

How to store chocolate hazelnut brownies

Uneaten brownies (if you actually have such a thing) can be stored at room temp (covered) for about a day, in the fridge (covered) for up to four days, or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to three months.

To freeze these, I slice them once they’re cool, wrap each brownie tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then shove them in the back of the freezer so no one else can find them.

Note:

Don’t be tempted to wrap them when they’re still warm or they’ll sweat and no one wants a sweaty brownie.

Chocolate hazelnut brownies keep really well in the freezer as long as they’re wrapped tightly; I don’t bother to defrost them before eating because I like frozen brownies, but you can defrost them in the fridge overnight if you want.

Or just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so—REMOVE the plastic wrap and foil first!

How to toast hazelnuts

You can typically purchase hazelnuts already toasted, but if you buy them raw I recommend toasting them before using them in your chocolate hazelnut brownies. (I strongly prefer the flavor of toasted hazelnuts to raw, but use what you prefer.)

To toast your hazelnuts:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Arrange the hazelnuts in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I like to use a rimmed baking sheet).
• Toast the nuts for 5 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they reach your desired level of toasty-ness. You can toast them either before or after you chop them. 

(If you taste them after they’re chopped they won’t take as much time as if they’re whole.)

I buy hazelnuts at Trader Joe’s because they always have the best prices on nuts. If your grocery store has a bulk bin section, look for hazelnuts there too—that way you can just buy what you need for the recipe if you’re not someone who likes to snack on nuts.

What is Nutella?

Nutella is the name brand of a particular chocolate hazelnut spread. It’s kind of like peanut butter, but made with hazelnuts and cocoa.

Note that there are tons of generic brands of chocolate hazelnut spread out there—you can use any of those in your chocolate hazelnut brownies, you don’t have to buy name-brand.

A few more recipes you might enjoy:
Death by Chocolate Cake
Banana Nutella Cake
Nutella Cookie Bars
Raspberry Brownies

Did you make these chocolate hazelnut brownies? That’s awesome! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. Then post a pic on IG–tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your delicious creations!

5 from 12 votes

Print

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Chocolate hazelnut brownies are swirled with Nutella and they come together quickly without a mixer--just a spoon and a bowl. They're easy to make and sure to satisfy all your chocolate cravings!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9

Author: Kelsie

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into several chunks
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup Nutella

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the chocolate and butter in medium a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Stir the eggs and sugar into the chocolate mixture, mixing well. Mix in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
5. Fold in the flour, until just combined (just mix until you no longer see streaks of flour in the brownie batter).
6. Fold in the hazelnuts.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Dollop the Nutella over the brownie batter and use a butter knife to swirl the two together.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top of the brownies looks set. Set pan on a wire rack and cool completely before slicing and serving.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• If you only have salted butter you can use that, just omit the salt in the recipe and be aware that your brownies will turn out a little saltier than mine did (that’s not a bad thing if you ask me—I like salty sweets).
• If you don’t have unsweetened chocolate you can use dark chocolate or even semi-sweet but your brownies won’t be as rich.
• You can skip the Nutella swirl on top but I love the extra pop of flavor and gooeyness that it adds.
• Uneaten brownies can be stored at room temp (covered) for about a day, in the fridge (covered) for up to four days, or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to three months.