Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Nutella (or any chocolate hazelnut spread)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan with butter or non-stick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This “sling” makes it much easier to lift the brownies out once they have cooled. Set the pan aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and granulated sugar. Whisk them together vigorously for about a minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. This process incorporates air and helps create that coveted shiny, crackly top on your brownies.
- Sift the cocoa powder, flour, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Use a spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of flour. Overmixing at this stage can lead to a cake-like texture rather than the fudgy consistency we want. Fold in the chocolate chips if you are using them.
- Pour about half of the brownie batter into your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Take your Nutella and spread it carefully over the bottom layer of batter. If your Nutella is too stiff, microwave it for 15 seconds to make it pourable. Drop the remaining brownie batter in dollops over the Nutella layer, then gently spread it to cover the hazelnut spread entirely.
- Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 28 to 32 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center should still have a slight jiggle. Do not overbake! Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. This is crucial for the Nutella layer to set so you can cut clean slices. Once cool, lift them out using the parchment paper and cut into 16 squares.
- Cook Time: 45 minutes