When it comes to brownies, we have always found it hard to beat the boxed ones. They have all the best qualities of a brownie–crinkle top, fudgy center, and chewy edges. After countless brownie recipes, we finally found one that rivals the texture and chewiness of a boxed brownie. The secret ingredient to do this? Nutella. These Nutella brownies have all the qualities we look for in a great brownie. They are chewy, fudgy, chocolaty and incredibly delicious.
Tips for the Best Nutella Brownies
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: We know we always say this, but especially with something this simple, the ingredients are so important. Quality butter and cocoa powder can significantly impact the flavor of your brownies.
- Don’t Overmix: When adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients, gently fold them in. Overmixing can lead to the brownie batter deflating which will make less tender crumb for the brownies.
- Get the Right Pan: The size and material of your baking pan can affect the texture of your brownies. For fudgy brownies with chewy edges, we always use a metal pan. The metal pan conducts heat better leaving a brownie that gets chewier on the edges more quickly. The glass pan cook more evenly and slowly leaving a cake-ier center.
- Properly Measure Ingredients: Use the correct measuring cups for dry and wet ingredients. For dry ingredients, level off the excess with a straight edge for accuracy. If you have a scale, we prefer to weigh the ingredients
- Experiment with Add-Ins: If you are a fan of nuts or chocolate chips or even swirls of extra Nutella, any of these add variations to your brownies.
- Underbake Slightly: Brownies continue to cook after they’re removed from the oven due to residual heat. Slightly underbaking them can result in a moist, fudgy texture.
- Let Them Cool: Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting. This helps prevent them from falling apart or becoming too crumbly.
- Chill for Clean Cuts: If you’re after perfectly neat squares, chilling the brownies before cutting can make the process much smoother.
Nutella Brownie Ingredients:
- Butter (1 cup, 226 g): Butter forms the rich and buttery base of these brownies, contributing to the fudgy texture.
- Brown Sugar (2/3 cup, 133 g) and White Sugar (2/3 cup, 133 g): The combination of brown and white sugars provides the right balance of sweetness and moisture for the brownies.
- Eggs (5): Eggs act as a binding agent and contribute to the fudgy texture of the brownies. They also help with leavening, giving a slight rise.
- Vanilla (1 tablespoon): Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the brownies, complementing the rich chocolatey taste of Nutella.
- Nutella (1 1/4 cups, 370 g): Nutella not only adds a slight hazelnut-chocolate flavor but also serves as a key ingredient for achieving a dense, fudgy texture.
- Diamond Kosher Salt (1 ½ teaspoon, or ½ the amount if Morton): Salt enhances the overall flavor profile, balancing the sweetness and intensifying the chocolate and Nutella flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour (1 cup, 120 g) and Cocoa Powder (1/4 cup, 25 g): The combination of flour and cocoa powder provides structure.
Nutella Brownie FAQs:
Q1: How can I achieve a fudgy texture in my brownies?
A1: To achieve a fudgy texture, try using a metal baking pan, slightly underbaking the brownies. The ingredients this recipe uses (especially the Nutella and brown sugar) will also help facilitate this texture.
Q2: Can I substitute melted chocolate for cocoa powder?
A2: In this case, we prefer a cocoa powder. The nutella provides a lot of sweetness and fat, so we find the cocoa powder is best for adding pure chocolate flavor.
Q3: How can I make my brownies more cake-like?
A3: For a cake-like texture, you can try baking these a little longer and in a glass pan, but these are meant to be a fudgy, chewy brownie
Q4: Can I freeze brownies?
A4: Yes, these freeze really well! The nutella brownies can be frozen for up to three months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then in place them in an airtight container and freeze.
Q5: How do I prevent my brownies from sticking to the pan?
A5: Grease the pan thoroughly and use parchment paper to create a sling. This will make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan after baking.
Nutella Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter 226 g
- 2/3 cup brown sugar 133 g
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar 133 g
- 5 eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup nutella 370 g
- 1 ½ teaspoon diamond kosher ½ the amount if morton
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
- 1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder 25 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
- Grease and line a 9×13” metal pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. This step can also be done in the microwave.
- Remove from the heat and add the nutella and cocoa powder.
- Set chocolate mixture aside to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugars, salt, and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or hand mixer), beat on high speed until the mixture thickens and becomes pale in color and falls from the beater in a wide ribbon that folds back on itself and slowly dissolves on the surface, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture.
- Add the flour and fold it in quickly but gently with the rubber spatula so that you don’t deflate the air that’s been incorporated into the eggs.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares, or size desired.
