Nutella Bars Recipe

This Nutella bars recipe is the next best thing to eating Nutella straight out the jar. Not that I do this. Well, maybe on occasion.

These bars are fudgy, fluffy, creamy, decadent, and have six ingredients. It will be difficult to eat just one!

It’s hard to choose a favorite between our peanut butter brownies and butterfinger brownies!

Nutella bars combine rich cream cheese, chocolate brownies, marshmallow creme, and a swirled layer of Nutella.

This is a perfect treat to have any time of the year. It combines all my favorite flavors in one dessert. 

Easy dessert recipes can be hard to come by, but these can be thrown together in a cinch. The prep work is minimal. The hardest part is waiting for them to bake and cool!

Why This Recipe Works

The prep work takes less than 20 minutes so there isn’t a lot of work time. Plus, this dessert can be made ahead so that it’s ready by the time everyone is finished eating dinner.

I love to make these in the morning before we have company over. Nutella bars are always a hit!

What Goes Into This Recipe?

Key Ingredients

1. Nutella – sweet chocolate hazelnut spread that can be used in many things.

2. Brownie mix – this adds to the recipe’s simplicity, but you could also make homemade brownies as well.

3. Cream cheese – makes everything taste creamy, smooth, and decadent.

See the recipe card for quantities and full directions. 

Special Equipment

The only special equipment I would highly suggest you use to make these chocolate bars is tabbed parchment paper. Yes, you can cut paper and put it beneath the sheet, but this is SO much easier!

Otherwise, you’ll need just a large bowl and a rubber spatula. This recipe uses simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. 

How to Make This Recipe

Directions:

STEP 1: Prepare the brownie mix in a medium to large bowl per the instructions listed on the box. 

STEP 2: Place parchment paper in the bottom of a 9×9 pan, spray with cooking spray, pour in the batter, and bake. Follow the instructions on the box for the correct temperature and time.

STEP 3: Once baked, allow the brownies to completely cool and come to room temperature. They should be cool to the touch when ready.

STEP 4: Using a large spoon, lightly press down on the brownie to compact it down slightly.

STEP 5: Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

STEP 6: To start the filling, place the cream cheese and sugar into a mixing bowl. The cream cheese should be at room temperature.

STEP 7: Beat until smooth and creamy. You can use an electric mixer or mix it by hand with a whisk.

STEP 8: Add in the eggs and vanilla extract.

STEP 9: Once well combined, add in the marshmallow fluff and mix one final time. 

STEP 10: Pour over the brownie and spread an even layer. 

STEP 11: Using a spoon, drizzle the Nutella on the cheesecake evenly. 

STEP 12: Take a toothpick and swirl around the Nutella into the cheesecake. 

STEP 13: Bake bars for 20 minutes. 

STEP 14: Once the 20 minutes are up, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 200 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

STEP 15: Once finished baking, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for 10 minutes. 

STEP 16: Remove the cheesecake and allow it to come to room temperature.

STEP 17: Once at room temperature, cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours. 

STEP 18: Once chilled, take out and cut into 12 squares.

Serve with fresh fruit or enjoy as is.

Variations

You can easily make these Nutella bars into Nutella s’mores bars by using graham crackers to make a crust. Use a food processor to make graham crackers crumbs then mix with a little melted butter and brown sugar. Press into a square baking pan, add brownie mix, and bake.

You could also turn these into peanut butter Nutella bars by adding peanut butter cups to one of the layers. You can also add large chocolate chunks if you want extra chocolate.

If you love chocolate chip cookies you could make chocolate Nutella cookie bars by adding a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough. 

If you would like to add something on top of the bars I always love to sprinkle on some roasted hazelnuts with a little flaky sea salt, then serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nutella?

Nutella is a very sweet hazelnut and chocolate spread. It is an Italian treat that was first introduced by Ferrero in 1964.

Since then, Nutella has become a favorite food all over the world. Find it in your local grocery store, or visit the Nutella Shop on the Costa Smeralda Ship! I could not make up my mind with that delicious menu!

What can you make with Nutella?

A lot of people spread Nutella on toast, croissants, pancakes, and waffles. You can also dip fresh fruit in it or make a banana and Nutella sandwich. There are many delicious ways to make Nutella recipes.

Why did my Nutella brownies turn out like cake?

The most common reason for cake-like brownies is whisking the brownie batter too much. When you let too much air into the batter you will get a cake brownie versus a chewy brownie. When making the brownie batter, try to fold the batter to combine ingredients versus whisking.

Top Tips

Allow your cream cheese to come to room temperature before using. It’s hard to mix cold cream cheese and can make the recipe turn out lumpy instead of smooth. You can also use an electric mixer on medium speed to whip the cream cheese. It’s a lot easier than mixing by hand.

It is extremely important to follow the baking and cooling instructions to insure no cracks are formed. 

Once the bars have cooled and you’ve cut them into squares, store them in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge. This will make them last longer and prevent them from getting stale.

Nutella can be easier to spread or drizzle if you melt it a little first. You can melt Nutella in the microwave, but do it in 15-second increments to prevent popping and hardening. Alternatively, you can place Nutella in a glass bowl and then place it in a larger bowl filled with hot water.

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