The Desserted Girl

Nutella Swirl Brownies

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Nutella Brownies! Fudgy, chocolatey and better than ever! This used to be a verrrry old post on this blog but I revisited it, with lots of changes and new photos and I’m thrilled with them now. My favourite chocolate brownies, adapted to make room for Nutella, and of course, more Nutella swirled on top because why not.

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on topCan we talk brownie science for a minute? There are two reasons I wanted to come back to this post. The first being that the hazelnut-y flavour of Nutella gets masked in a brownie recipe that uses lots of dark chocolate as I had done initially. This is not a surprise, but I decided to try using less chocolate and much more Nutella and see what happens. The result is still a dominantly chocolate brownie (because Nutella is basically chocolate + a bit of hazelnut), with a mild nutty aftertaste. What adds more of a Nutella flavour is a bit extra swirled on top of the batter. Melty, gooey hazelnut-y pockets mmmmmm! (There are brownie recipes that use only Nutella, no dark chocolate but I’ve never tried it this way, I feel like the brownies might be too sweet that way?)

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top

And speaking of too sweet, that’s the second reason to redo these brownies. I was worried whether by using more Nutella, the brownies would become cloyingly sweet. I didn’t want to cut down the sugar more than I already had (1/2 cup instead of the usual 3/4 cup that I normally use for brownies) because the sugar and vigorously beaten eggs result in a crackly crust that I love. So….I used a bar of unsweetened chocolate I’d been saving for a while. Bingo! The perfect balance of sweetness. Just look for something that’s labelled “unsweetened” or “99% cocoa solids”.

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top

These are rich, intensely chocolatey because I used Dutch-process cocoa this time, not natural. It’s what gives the darker colour too and is just delicious. They are also very moist and chewy like a good brownie should be. ADDICTIVE. You are warned!

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top

Please read the recipe notes before beginning.

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top

Nutella Swirl Brownies

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 16 brownies
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Ingredients
  

  • 6 tbsps butter, cubed, at room temp (85 gms)
  • 115 gms unsweetened cooking chocolate, finely chopped (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (20 gms)
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar (95 gms)
  • 2 eggs at room temp (see notes)
  • 3/4 cup Nutella, at room temp (225 gms)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 gms)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder, see notes
  • 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup extra Nutella to swirl on top (75 gms)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line an 8" square pan non-stick baking paper, leaving a little overhang. If using a 'not non-stick baking paper', you will need to lightly grease both the paper and pan.
  • In a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate and cocoa until you have a smooth mixture. If there are small lumps of chocolate, turn off the heat and stir to melt them completely, rather than overheating the chocolate. Let this cool while you get the rest of the batter ready.
  • Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl till pale and thick, about 4 minutes. This is where you're ensuring a crust forms, so beat away! An electric mixer will get the best results.
  • Add in the Nutella and beat lightly to combine.
  • Now pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and beat again till combined.
  • Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, if using. Fold slowly to combine. The batter is thick and will need some muscle work but be gentle.
  • Pour into the prepared dish, smoothen the top and drop the extra 1/4 cup of Nutella in dollops all over the surface. Take a toothpick and swirl it around, taking care not let it blend into the batter. You want the swirly design!
  • Bake for 20 minutes till a toothpick poked in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
  • Allow the brownies to cool completely at room temperature before slicing. The crust will be a little less crackly than a standard brownie recipe that has more sugar, and the Nutella swirls make it harder to see, but I promise it's still a pretty crackly crust!
  • Best stored at room temperature in an airtight tin for 2 to 3 days in humid environments, after which they can be kept in the fridge for a week, or even frozen for a month. Happy baking!

Notes

*I used Ghirardelli unsweetened baking chocolate here. I've also used Cocoacraft in the past, which is made and available in India. I now use Amul chocolate a lot too! For this recipe something labelled 'unsweetened' or 95% to 99% cocoa solids is best. I don't really recommend a dark or semi-sweet chocolate that's about 70% to 75% cocoa solids here, as it'll throw off the sweetness balance. But if that's all you have, reduce the sugar by a couple of tablespoons, though the crackly crust may get compromised because it depends on sugar. I wouldn't reduce the Nutella to cut down sweetness because you'll lose the flavour. Alternately, go with my classic brownies which are also delicious!
*Dutch-process cocoa is recommended for a really dark and rich chocolate flavour. I like Indah but it doesn't seem to be available any more, though there's lots of options on Amazon. Natural cocoa like Hersheys will also work though.
*Here is an eggless brownie recipe and you could add Nutella to it (they will be sweeter though)
*I've made brownies with and without baking powder. I sometimes use just 1/4 tsp for a little lift but if I want extra dense and fudgy brownies, I skip it. They're both delicious!

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Comments

  5. These look soooo yummy and fudgy, the nutella is a great addition too! You have perfectly crinkly tops too, yum! Welcome to the party!

    Reply

  7. I love your blog! That is something I like about Fiesta Friday, you get to make a lot of new friends…These brownies are gorgeous and they look like they taste even better. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

    • Yes I’m loving Fiesta Friday! Such lovely bloggers everywhere 🙂 these brownies really were awesome, let me know how they work out for you! Thanks for visiting,Kloe, you have a lovely blog yourself!

      Reply

  8. I am really glad that you came at today’s FF. 😀 This is your first time and you already knew what to bring – I am a HUGE lover of brownies! Anything brownies? Just hand them over to me and nobody gets hurt. 😀 But brownies and Nutella? I would definitely take these away from the dessert bar and run away! 😛

    Thank you so much for coming over today and hope to see more of you! <3 Hope you are enjoying the Fiesta. 🙂

    Reply

  9. These look AMAZING! I bake a lot but brownies are really my favorite dessert- I am going to try these!! Do you think Speculoos butter would substitute for Nutella? Just a thought….

    Reply

    • Oooo I think it would! Unfortunately I don’t get Speculoos here in India but i’ve used peanut butter very successfully, and I don’t see why it shouldn’t work 🙂 thank you for visiting and let me know how the brownies turn out!

      Reply

  10. Did someone say nutella? I’m in! This house is never without nutella, never! Great to have these at the fiesta, Gayatri. You seem to know us so well already. 🙂

    Reply

    • Haha, happy to know that! Always room for some Nutella right 🙂 Sadly, the flavour of the Nutella isn’t so apparent but it does wonders for the texture and chewiness! I’m going try out a version that is more obviously Nutella too 🙂 Thank you for having me!

      Reply

  12. Nutella brownies, wow, and wow again!!! Will definitely have to try these. Welcome to FF Gayatri, I’m fairly new too, probably only posted twice, and have had such a busy week that I skipped this week. But I think you’ll definitely enjoy meeting folks from around the world and exchanging some amazing recipes. I’m a new blogger and loving it, so welcome!

    Reply

    • Thank you, Loretta! You have a lovely blog yourself! I’ve been blogging for just over a year and you’re right, it’s an amazing way to meet some amazing people! I hope to continue joining in on Fiesta Fridays 🙂 Do let me know how these brownies work out for you 🙂

      Reply

  17. Hi and welcome to Fiesta Friday – so glad that Jhuls asked you to link up because that is one fabulous recipe! Could those photos look anymore delicious? I think not! Thanks for bringing these with you and hope to see you here next week too! Happy Fiesta Friday!!

    Reply

    • Right back at you, Selma! I’m so glad you like the look of these brownies 🙂 Let me know if you try them out! I look forward to being part of many more Fiestas 🙂

      Reply

  20. Thank you thank you for bringing chocolate to the party!!!!! and OHMYGODOHMYGOD this looks incredibly yummy. I’m glad this is a virtual party or I’d never fit into my party jeans. 😀

    Reply

    • Hahaha, well said!! So am I, actually, I saw some truly amazing looking food at Fiesta Friday! And I think every party needs a little chocolate 😛 Thank you for visiting and do let me know if you try these out!

      Reply

  22. Adding nutella to chocolate to cocoa makes a choco-triple, I guess – I´d love to try one of these (or 2, or 3)….

    Reply

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