This ooey and gooey giant skillet Nutella brownie is absolutely decadent, rich, and FUDGY! The edges and bottom are deliciously crisp while the center remains gooey and soft with little pockets of melty Nutella scattered throughout.
what makes this skillet Nutella brownie so good?
- Nutella AND brownies: Is there a better match out there??
- cocoa and chocolate: Double the chocolaty goodness! It makes for a richer tasting brownie with an unmistakable flavor.
- fudge factor: These brownies are FUDGY and borrow inspiration from a reader favorite recipe: my brown butter brownies! The ingredient amounts are slightly different, but the fudge factor is still equally out of this world.
- crackly brownie top: One of the key signs of a perfect brownie. This treat gets that signature light and crackly top from whipping the sugars and eggs together until the sugars dissolve. This helps create a meringue-like surface that's as delicious as it is pretty.
- texture: Baking this brownie in a cast iron skillet will give you crispy edges with an extra fudgy center. It's also deliciously moist thanks to the brown sugar and super tender thanks to the relatively low amount of flour.
best chocolate for brownies
There's a good amount of melted chocolate in these brownies, so using a good quality bar will make for an all around better flavor and texture. But good quality does NOT mean it needs to be pricey! An off brand bar of chocolate is perfectly fine and I use them all the time - just try to pick out something that's labeled "Baker's" or "couverture".
Baker's chocolate is specially designed for melting into a smooth and velvety consistency. Avoid using regular chocolate chips - some brands will cover the chips with a special coating to help them keep their shape, which is fine when making chocolate chip cookies but will result in a grainy mixture when melted.
how to layer skillet brownie batter + Nutella
I started testing this recipe on a particularly warmer month - and yes, it wasn't fun having to turn my oven on, but it did mean my Nutella was a softer consistency and easier to pour over the brownie batter.
That being said, if your Nutella is firmer (either because it's a cooler month or if you store it in the fridge) first start by allowing it to come up to room temperature (if it's not already). Once room temperature, dollop little spoonfuls of the Nutella on top. This may not give you quite as perfect coverage as softer consistency Nutella, but it works perfectly fine and still evenly distributes the chocolate hazelnut goodness!
Once the Nutella layer has been poured or dolloped on top, all that's left is to evenly pour over the remaining brownie batter. You can use a spoon to lightly smoothen the top, but take care not to disturb the filling too much.
how to make skillet Nutella brownie
1. Melt butter & chocolate. Start by melting butter over your stovetop or in your microwave until liquid. While it's still hot, add in the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Whisk together sugars and eggs. The mixture should be a pale brownish color and the sugars should be fully dissolved. To test if it's fully whipped, use your fingers to pick up some of the mixture from the bottom of the bowl (that's where most of the undissolved sugar will be - if there is any). Rub the mixture between your fingers - if it feels gritty, it needs more whipping. If it feels smooth, it's ready!
3. Whisk in the cooled butter mixture along with all of the remaining ingredients (minus the flour). Once these are combined, then add in the flour and mix until just combined. Leaving the flour until the end makes it less likely the batter will be overmixed, which will ultimately lead to more tender brownies!
5. Now it's layering time! Start with about half of the brownie mixture then drizzle or spoon over the Nutella. Leave a roughly ½ inch boarder between the edge of the pan and the Nutella so it doesn't seep out the sides as it bakes.
Pour the remaining brownie batter on top, trying your best to get it as even as possible. You can go in with a spoon to gentle even out the top if you need to, but be careful not to disturb the Nutella too much.
6. Bake and cool. You can serve this brownie warm for an extra gooey treat or room temperature for a slightly firmer and fudgier consistency. This tastes amazing as is or with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream!
how to tell when Nutella brownies are baked
Since this skillet brownie is stuffed with Nutella, a skewer inserted into the center will always come out looking partially wet. That being said, you should be able to differentiate between wet brownie batter (which is a deeper brown color) and gooey Nutella (which is a visibly lighter brown).
A skewer inserted into the center should come out with moist dark brown crumbs and some melted light brown Nutella. If the skewer comes out with a fully wet smear and no crumbs, it's underbaked. If it comes out with just melted Nutella on the tip, the brownies are most likely overbaked.
35 minutes in my oven is always the perfect amount of time, but each oven is different, so you may need slightly more time. You can slightly underbake the brownies for an even fudgier texture (but they can be messy!) or slightly overbake for a firmer texture (just don't let them get to the stage where a skewer does not come out with any brownie crumbs - it can be super dry, hard, and difficult to eat!)
tips for perfectly fudgy brownies
- good quality chocolate: I already went into detail about this above, but using chocolate that's specifically designed for baking makes for an all around more delicious brownie!
- room temperature: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to ensure the brownie batter whips up to a smooth consistency. Room temperature eggs will more easily dissolve the sugar as well.
- measuring flour: One of the ways to ensure a brownie is tender and fudgy is to make sure there isn't too much flour in the batter (which can make it heavy and dense). It's best to measure by weight using a scale, but if you need to use cups, lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop the measuring cup directly into the bag of flour, otherwise it may pack in extra weight and cause the brownies to end up dry!
- baking: An overbaked brownie will obviously be dry and dense. So use the tips above to know when it's baked to perfection!
check out these other recipes!
• Brownie Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies
• No Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake
• Giant Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Skillet Nutella Brownie
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 skillet brownie
Description
This ooey and gooey giant skillet Nutella brownie is absolutely decadent, rich, and FUDGY! The edges and bottom are deliciously crisp while the center remains gooey and soft with little pockets of melty Nutella scattered throughout.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (180g) unsalted butter, sliced
- 9 oz (255g) good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped*
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup (300g) Nutella (or any brand of chocolate hazelnut spread)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly butter the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron skillet and set aside.
- Place butter slices in a medium saucepot or in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on your stovetop or in your microwave until melted.
- Add chocolate to the hot butter and whisk until melted and smooth. The residual heat from the butter should be enough to melt the chocolate, but if it doesn't fully melt, you can place it on low heat or microwave in 10 second bursts until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs. Whisk together by hand or using an electric mixer until the sugars fully dissolve. To test if it's ready, use your fingers to pick up some of the mixture from the bottom of the bowl (that's where most of the undissolved sugar will be if there is any). Rub the mixture between your fingers - it shouldn't feel gritty at all. If it does feel grainy, it needs more whisking. This whole process will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- To the egg mixture, add vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, and the slightly cooled butter/chocolate mixture (it's ok if it's still a little warm). Mix to combine.
- Add flour and whisk until just combined and streak free. Take care not to overmix or the brownie will end up tough - the batter will be a tiny bit lumpy.
- Pour about half of the brownie batter into the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Evenly drizzle or dollop the Nutella on top, trying to stay in the center and leave a roughly ½ inch border around the edges.
- Drizzle the remaining brownie batter on top to cover the Nutella. You can use a spoon or spatula to even out the top if needed, but try not to disturb the Nutella filling.
- Bake the brownie in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. To test if the brownie is done, insert a skewer into the center - it should come out with some moist dark brown crumbs and a liquid streak of lighter brown Nutella.
- Cool the brownie in the skillet until slightly warm or room temperature before serving. Enjoy as is or with some sea salt flakes and ice cream on top!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Bake Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
Enjoy!
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