Layered hazelnut spread cookie bars with pecans, peanut butter chips, and instant pudding are sure to become a family favorite!
I must get these Nutella cookie bars out of the house before I eat them all by myself!!
That is the first thing I thought even BEFORE I took my initial bite!
Just their aroma alone as they baked in the oven was enough for me to know that these are some seriously delicious cookie bars, and I was in trouble!
**Please Note – The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making layered hazelnut spread cookie bars is available at the end of this post. OR you can hit the “jump to recipe” button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.
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The ingredient list:
**Note – The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- brown sugar
- vanilla instant pudding
- egg
- pure vanilla extract
- sweetened condensed milk
- Nutella hazelnut spread
- peanut butter baking chips
- semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
- chopped pecans
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- small mixing bowls
- whisk
- 13 x 9 baking dish
- baking spray
- offset spatula
- cooling rack
Fair warning!
Thankfully, after these nutty cookie bars were baked and cooled, I gave many of them away.
These layered chocolate hazelnut cookie bars are by far some of the best cookies bars I’ve ever eaten, and I’m not even the biggest fan of Nutella desserts!
I urge you to make these simple to make layered chocolate and hazelnut cookie bars for yourself (or for gifting), and I promise you won’t be sorry.
Who knows? Maybe they’ll become a family tradition and a recipe you’ll treasure for many years to come.
How to make Nutella cookie bars:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer) cream the butter, brown sugar, and dry pudding mix until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg.
- Blend until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and combine until a soft dough forms.
- Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish that has been sprayed with baking spray.
- Bake the crust in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove and cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the chocolate hazelnut spread with the sweetened condensed milk.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the baked crust.
- Sprinkle the peanut butter chips and the semi-sweet chips evenly over the surface of the hazelnut spread.
- Top the cookie bars with the reserved cookie dough, crumbling it into small pieces.
- Before the final bake, top the cookie bars evenly with the chopped nuts.
- Bake the cookie bars for an additional 30 minutes at 350-degrees, or until the bars are deeply golden in color.
- Allow the bars to cool on a rack for 15 minutes and then run a sharp knife around the pan to loosen.
- Cool the cookie bars completely before slicing and serving.
Can these chocolate and hazelnut spread cookie bars be frozen?
Yes!
Completely cool the bars after baking and wrap them individually.
Store them in an air-tight freezer container for up to 3 months.
Can other flavors of instant pudding be used?
Of course.
Use whatever flavor you prefer. The choice is yours.
Can other chopped nuts be used for the topping?
Yes!!
Use whatever nut is your favorite. OR, if you don’t want nuts at all, leave them out entirely.
Can other flavors of baking chips be used to make these cookie bars?
Go crazy and use whatever you have in your pantry.
Caramel, cinnamon, white chocolate, milk chocolate…They’re all good!
Want more delicious cookie recipes?
*Sugar-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
*Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
*Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Candy Cookies
*Gigantic Christmas Cookie Roundup
Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today’s delicious dessert recipe.
If you’ve made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you’d take a moment to leave it a star rating in the recipe card, along with a comment if you’re so inclined. Thank you. 🙂
Hazelnut Spread Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 box 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup Nutella
- 5 ounces peanut butter baking chips
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Liberally spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar, and dry pudding until fluffy.
- Add the egg, and vanilla to the sugar mixture and blend.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend until a soft dough forms.
- Press half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, Reserving the remaining dough for later.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chocolate hazelnut spread and the sweetened condensed milk.
- Use the offset spatula to evenly spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the baked cookie crust.
- Sprinkle the peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the Nutella layer.
- Break and crumble the reserved dough evenly over the entire surface of the cookie bars.
- Top the cookie bars with the chopped nuts.
- Bake for an additional 30 minutes at 350-degrees, or until the cookie bars are deeply golden brown in color.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into bars.
Nutrition
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Sophie Heath
Thursday 20th of February 2020
I'm a sucker for hazelnut, so this spread on cookie bars is SO GOOD! I'm so ecstatic that I found this recipe and that I can share it with my friends and family now!!
PREM SINGH
Thursday 11th of April 2013
Lovely blog!Want to follow each other??Really its look awesome...... lovely decor idea..Modular kitchen designs
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Monday 1st of April 2013
Yum, your nutella bars look and sound so good!
Susan
Wednesday 27th of March 2013
Oh my husband would LOVE these! I can see why you need to get them out of your house! :)
Tami
Wednesday 27th of March 2013
I was wondering if there was a particular reason why you used sugar free pudding mix when there are no other sugar free items in the recipe?