Nutella blondies are the answer when you want something quick and a little chocolatey without making brownies. If you have 10 minutes and a jar of Nutella, you can make this blondie recipe tonight. These blondie bars are thick, fudgy and loaded with a hazelnut chocolate swirl. Mixed in one bowl and baked in an 8x8 pan, you’ll have them ready before anyone has a chance to ask for dessert.
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As a busy mama who has been baking for decades, I can tell you these are the kind of quick, easy dessert bars that fit into a busy weeknight. Or a lazy weekend afternoon. The swirl is stunning, the edges get lightly golden and chewy, and the centers stay soft and fudgy. They also disappear right before your eyes, much like my biscoff blondies!
I developed this recipe because I wanted a blondie that delivered on flavor with no chocolate chips, but still delivered big, bold flavor. Nutella does all the heavy work here. Drop it in dollops, swirl it around, and the oven does the rest. My espresso brownies are proof that a little something extra swirled into a blondie base (caramel!) makes all the difference.
Love a good dessert bar? My whole collection of bars and brownies is full of easy one bowl options just like these.
💗 why you’ll make these blondie bars on repeat
- The Nutella swirl looks bakery worthy with next to zero effort.
- One bowl, a whisk and spatula is all you need. No mixer required.
- Simple ingredients, made without cocoa powder or chocolate chips.
🛒 ingredient notes
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Butter ~ melted unsalted butter keeps the blondies extra moist and fudgy. And since it’s melted, you don’t need to wait for it to come to room temperature!
Brown sugar ~ dark brown sugar will give you the richest, caramel-like sweetness. Use light brown if that is all you have.
Eggs ~ two large eggs help create structure and that fudgy texture.
Vanilla ~ a full tablespoon of pure vanilla extract adds a ton of flavor. Don’t skip it or swap for imitation vanilla here. The flavor really matters in a recipe this simple.
Nutella ~ the star of the recipe! You only need ⅓ cup, which leaves plenty in the jar for toast or eating with a spoon (no judgement here!).
Flaky sea salt ~ totally optional, but highly recommended. That little sprinkle on top balances the sweetness beautifully. This Murray River Salt is a staple in my kitchen.
Pro tip ~ to quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5-10 minutes.
🥣 how to make in photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar and kosher salt until well combined.
Then add in the eggs and vanilla. Scrape up and down the bowl as needed and whisk until combined.
Next add the all-purpose flour and mix with a spatula until the flour disappears.
Drop the batter (it’s thick) into the prepared baking pan and smooth to an even layer. Now drop spoonfuls of Nutella over the batter. I usually do 6-9 dollops.
Then use an offset spatula, knife or toothpick to swirl the Nutella into the blondie batter. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned and a tester in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack. Then use the parchment to pull the bars out of the pan and cut into desired sizes.
💬 frequently asked questions
what pan should I use for blondies?
I strongly recommend a light colored metal 8x8 baking pan. Glass pans distribute heat very differently and can take up to double the baking time. They may also cause the edges to overbrown while the middle is still raw. If a glass pan is all you have, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F and keep an eye on the bake time.
how do I know when blondies are done?
A tester inserted in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs. Not wet batter, but not clean and dry either. Be sure to check in an area without Nutella. The edges will be lightly golden and the center may look barely set. They will continue to firm up as they cool, so resist the urge to overbake them!
can I use a different chocolate hazelnut spread?
I tested this recipe with Nutella and Trader Joe’s cocoa almond spread. I suspect other brands will also work, but I haven’t tested them.
can I add chocolate chips?
Absolutely. While the recipe was designed to be amazing without them, they would make a delicious addition. Mix in ½ cup with the flour before spreading into the baking pan.
👩🏻🍳 tips for the best fudgy blondies
Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. I know I am a broken record here, but using a scale will make you a better baker. I use this OXO scale, but this Escali scale is a great economical option.
Don’t over mix after you add the flour. Mix with a spatula just until the flour disappears.
Swirl the Nutella gently. You want ribbons of Nutella running through the bars, not a fully mixed batter. A few passes with a knife or toothpick is all it takes.
Don’t over bake! I can’t stress this enough. Blondies firm up as they cool. If the tester comes out clean, they have gone too far. Pull them from the oven when there are still a few moist crumbs on the tester.
If you love an easy blondie with big flavor, my almond flour blondies are calling your name next.
🫙 how to store
Nutella blondies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
They also freeze beautifully for up to three months. Allow them to cool completely, then store in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Let them defrost at room temperature before serving.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Simple Nutella Blondies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Simple Nutella Blondies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted 170g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar 150g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 219g
- ⅓ cup Nutella 93g
- Flaky sea salt if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter (¾ cup/170g), granulated sugar (½ cup/100g), packed brown sugar (¾ cup/150g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) until well combined.
- Then add in the eggs (2 large), and vanilla (1 tablespoon). Scrape up and down the bowl as needed and whisk until combined, about 1 minute.
- Next add the all-purpose flour (1 ¾ cup/219g) and mix with a spatula until the flour disappears.
- Now drop spoonfuls of Nutella (⅓ cup/93g) over the batter. I usually do 6-9 dollops. Then use a knife, offset spatula or toothpick to gently swirl the Nutella into the blondie batter. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.
- Bake for 25 - 35 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned and a tester in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Try not to test in an area with Nutella. You do not want a clean/dry tester, which means the blondies are over baked. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
- Then use the parchment to pull the bars out of the pan and cut into desired sizes.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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