My passion for stuffed cookies knows no bounds! After perfecting my luscious cookie butter stuffed cookies, crafting delightful pistachio chocolate chip cookies, and mastering the art of rich chocolate-filled cookies, I knew my next creation had to celebrate the beloved combination of peanut butter and chocolate. These aren’t your average, run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookies; they are a step above, offering an unparalleled depth of flavor and texture.

This recipe takes a familiar and reliable cookie base and elevates it by swirling rich peanut butter directly into the cookie dough. But the magic doesn’t stop there! Each generously sized raw cookie dough ball is then carefully stuffed with a frozen dollop of Nutella, ensuring a gooey, molten chocolate-hazelnut center with every bite. To amplify the peanut butter experience, I’ve loaded these cookies with both classic semisweet chocolate chips and vibrant Reese’s pieces, delivering a double dose of peanut butter goodness alongside the rich chocolate.

If you’re as obsessed with Nutella and peanut butter as I am, you’ll love exploring these other irresistible recipes: try my decadent Nutella filled cake, rich brownies with peanut butter cups, classic peanut butter snickerdoodles, easy-to-make Nutella filled cupcakes, or the effortlessly delicious no bake peanut butter fudge. Each offers a unique way to enjoy these fantastic flavors!

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Stuffed Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies!

• Unforgettable Flavor Combination: These cookies offer a symphony of flavors. You’ll experience the rich, nutty notes of peanut butter from both the creamy peanut butter swirled into the dough and the delightful crunch of Reese’s pieces. This perfectly complements the indulgent, sweet chocolate-hazelnut spread from the molten Nutella filling and the classic taste of semisweet chocolate chips. It’s a truly harmonious blend that chocolate and peanut butter lovers dream of!
• Authentic Levain Bakery Style: Inspired by the famous Levain Bakery cookies in New York, these Nutella stuffed peanut butter cookies are designed to be generously HUGE and wonderfully thick. We’ve meticulously tested this recipe to ensure they boast that signature slightly crisp exterior, soft-baked center, and an impressively indulgent size that makes every bite feel like a special occasion. You’ll get that luxurious, bakery-quality cookie right in your own kitchen!
• Effortless One-Bowl Preparation: Despite their impressive appearance and complex flavors, these chewy, giant cookies are surprisingly easy to whip up. The main cookie dough comes together in just one bowl, significantly cutting down on cleanup time. Less fuss, more delicious cookies – it’s a win-win for any home baker!
• Irresistibly Gooey Center: The magic of these cookies lies in their secret Nutella heart. By freezing the Nutella before stuffing, we ensure that it stays distinct during baking, melting into an incredibly warm, gooey, and utterly decadent filling that oozes with every break.
• Perfect for Sharing (or Not!): While these cookies are large enough to share, their irresistible flavor makes them hard to resist. They’re perfect for impressing guests, delighting your family, or simply treating yourself to a truly exceptional homemade dessert.

Essential Ingredients for Your Peanut Butter Nutella Masterpiece

• All-Purpose Flour: This is the foundation of our cookie structure. I’ve exclusively tested this recipe with standard all-purpose flour, which provides the necessary body and texture for these substantial cookies. Using other flour types might alter the final result.
• Nutella: The undisputed star of the show! These wouldn’t be authentic peanut butter Nutella cookies without this creamy chocolate hazelnut spread. I’ve successfully tested this recipe with both brand-name Nutella and other high-quality chocolate hazelnut spreads. While both work beautifully, I’ve observed that genuine Nutella tends to maintain a slightly firmer, more decadent consistency after baking, whereas some store brands can be a bit meltier. The key here is to scoop and freeze your Nutella dollops beforehand, ensuring that gorgeous molten center.
• Leavening Agents (Baking Soda & Baking Powder): A dynamic duo! You’ll need both baking soda and baking powder to achieve the perfect rise and spread for these thick, bakery-style cookies. They work together to create the desired chewy yet soft texture and contribute to that appealing golden-brown exterior.
• Smooth Peanut Butter: For the best results, stick with creamy, smooth peanut butter. I’ve only tested this recipe with conventional peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy), not the natural varieties that separate with oil on top. Natural peanut butter has a different fat-to-solid ratio, which could significantly alter the texture and consistency of our cookie dough, potentially leading to cookies that spread too much.
• Reese’s Pieces: To enhance the peanut butter flavor even further, I’ve opted for Reese’s pieces! Their distinct peanut butter candy coating and subtle crunch add an exciting textural contrast and an extra layer of nutty sweetness that sets these cookies apart from a standard chocolate chip cookie.
• Chocolate Chips: While I personally favor semisweet chocolate chips for a balanced sweetness, feel free to customize these cookies with your preferred chocolate. Milk chocolate chips will yield a sweeter cookie, dark chocolate chips will add a deeper cocoa note, and even white chocolate chips could create an interesting flavor profile. Don’t skimp on the quantity; the generous amount of chocolate chips (and Reese’s pieces) isn’t just for flavor – these mix-ins play a crucial role in providing structure and stability to the rich cookie dough.
• Cornstarch: A secret ingredient for ultimate chewiness! Adding just a touch of cornstarch to the dough is key to ensuring these cookies remain incredibly soft, moist, and delightfully gooey on the inside, preventing them from becoming dry or crumbly.
• Spices (Cinnamon & Nutmeg): A pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg adds a warm, inviting depth of flavor to the cookies, complementing both the peanut butter and chocolate beautifully. While optional, these spices elevate the overall taste profile and give the cookies a comforting, gourmet touch.
• Unsalted Butter (Cold): This is a critical detail! Unlike many cookie recipes that call for room temperature butter, we want cold, cubed unsalted butter for these Levain-style giants. Why? Cold butter melts slower in the oven, which helps the cookies spread less, resulting in those wonderfully thick, tall, and perfectly chewy cookies we’re aiming for. It’s essential for achieving that signature bakery structure.

Creative Substitutions & Delicious Additions

• Peanut Butter Chips: If you’re looking for an even more intense peanut butter flavor and prefer a less candy-like texture than Reese’s Pieces, consider swapping them out for an equal amount of peanut butter chips. They blend seamlessly into the dough and melt wonderfully.
• Cookie Butter: For a unique twist, you can substitute the peanut butter in the dough with an equal amount of creamy cookie butter (like Biscoff). This will transform the flavor profile into a delightful spiced cookie with a Nutella center.
• Chopped Nuts: Add extra crunch and nutty flavor by folding in half a cup of chopped peanuts, pecans, or walnuts along with the chocolate chips and Reese’s pieces.
• Flaky Sea Salt: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven will enhance all the sweet and savory notes, creating a gourmet salty-sweet balance.
• Different Chocolate Varieties: Experiment with different types of chocolate chips – dark chocolate for a less sweet profile, milk chocolate for extra creaminess, or a mix of white and semisweet for visual appeal and varied flavor.
• Sprinkles: For a fun, festive touch, add some colorful sprinkles to the dough or press them onto the top of the cookie dough balls before baking.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Stuffed Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

Expert Tips for Perfect Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

• Achieve that Bakery-Style Finish: For an extra touch of bakery-level presentation and texture, immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, gently press a few extra Reese’s Pieces and chocolate chips onto the warm, soft tops of each cookie. This makes them look incredibly appealing and adds delightful texture.
• High Baking Temperature is Key: While many cookies bake at 350°F (175°C), baking these at a higher temperature of 400°F (205°C) is intentional. This high heat causes the edges of the cookies to set quickly and brown, while the center remains delightfully soft and gooey. It’s the secret to achieving that coveted thick, tall, and slightly crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside texture reminiscent of professional bakeries.
• Don’t Fear the Sticky Dough: This cookie dough is inherently quite sticky, which is normal and contributes to the final chewy texture. This is precisely why chilling the cookie dough balls before stuffing and baking is so crucial. Chilling not only makes the dough much easier to handle when shaping and stuffing but also significantly helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring they maintain their desirable thick shape.
• Mix-Ins are More Than Just Flavor: The recipe calls for a generous amount of chocolate chips and Reese’s pieces, and for good reason! These mix-ins do more than just add delicious flavor and texture; they provide essential structure to these large, indulgent cookies. Reducing the quantity of mix-ins might result in cookies that spread thinner or have a less robust texture.
• Use a Kitchen Scale for Accuracy: For the most consistent and professional results, especially with baking, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, particularly flour. Volume measurements (cups) can vary greatly depending on how the flour is scooped, leading to inconsistent dough.
• Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Always use parchment paper on your baking sheets. It prevents sticking, ensures even baking, and makes for effortless cleanup.
• Do Not Overcrowd the Baking Sheet: These are giant cookies, and they need space to spread slightly without merging. Only bake four cookies per standard baking sheet to ensure proper air circulation and even baking.

Serving Suggestions for Maximum Enjoyment

• A tall, frosty glass of cold milk is the quintessential companion to these giant, warm cookies. The coolness of the milk perfectly balances the richness of the cookie.
• Given their impressive size, these Nutella peanut butter cookies are often best enjoyed cut in half (or even quarters!) to fully appreciate their gooey interior without feeling overwhelmed.
• For an enhanced flavor profile, add a delicate sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven. This creates an exquisite salty-sweet kick that elevates all the flavors.
• Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an ultimate dessert experience, allowing the warm cookie to slightly melt the ice cream.
• Pair with a hot cup of coffee or a rich hot chocolate for a comforting treat on a chilly day.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

To keep these magnificent cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze both baked and unbaked cookie dough.

Freezing Baked Cookies: Allow baked cookies to cool completely. Place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag, separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave for a few seconds for that fresh-baked feel.

Freezing Unbaked Cookie Dough: Form the Nutella-stuffed cookie dough balls as per the recipe. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours). Once frozen, transfer the solid dough balls to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container. They can be stored for up to 2-3 months. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed, adding an extra 2-4 minutes to the baking time. There’s no need to thaw!

Explore More Delicious Cookie Recipes!

Loved these stuffed peanut butter Nutella cookies? Here are some other delightful cookie recipes you might enjoy baking next:

If you’ve made these incredible cookies, please make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! I absolutely adore seeing your creations, so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can share your masterpieces! You can also stay updated with my latest recipes and baking adventures by following along on Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok!

Giant Stuffed Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies with Chocolate & Reese’s

Ella Gilbert

Nutrition