Description
Indulge in these decadent M&M Nutella Lava Cookies featuring a gooey Nutella center wrapped in a soft, chewy cookie dough studded with colorful M&M’s and creamy milk chocolate chips. Perfectly baked to achieve a golden exterior with a molten chocolate surprise inside, these bakery-style cookies make a delightful treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Nutella Centers
- 3/4 cup Nutella Spread
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Cold Butter (cut into small cubes)
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (or 1 1/2 cups cake flour + 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
- 10 ounces M&M’s or Mini M&M’s (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups, plus extra for topping)
Instructions
- Freeze Nutella: Scoop 1 tablespoon dollops of Nutella onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to form 12 disks. Freeze for 30-60 minutes until firm to prevent Nutella from oozing out during baking.
- Make Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream the cold butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until fluffy, approximately 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt; then mix these dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined. Fold in M&M’s (reserve some for topping) and milk chocolate chips.
- Chill the Dough: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour for better texture. For best results, chill for 24 to 48 hours. You may roll the dough into balls before chilling to facilitate shaping later.
- Roll into Balls: Weigh or measure approximately 5-ounce portions of dough to form 12 baseball-sized balls. This ensures large, bakery-style cookies.
- Wrap Dough Around Nutella: Carefully remove the top one-third of each dough ball. Flatten the remaining dough slightly and place a frozen Nutella disk in the center. Encase the Nutella completely by wrapping the dough around it, ensuring a tight seal to prevent leakage during baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 385°F (196°C). Place 6 cookies at a time on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookie edges turn a light golden color. Right after baking, press a few additional M&M’s on top of each cookie for a decorative finish.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Freezing the Nutella discs is essential to prevent the spread from melting too quickly and leaking out during baking.
- Chilling the dough enhances the flavor and texture, so plan ahead when possible.
- Use a food scale to ensure consistent cookie sizes for even baking.
- You can swap all-purpose flour for cake flour for a softer texture.
- Pressing extra M&M’s on top after baking creates a vibrant, appealing presentation.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 30-60 minutes freezing Nutella, and optional 30 minutes to 48 hours chilling dough)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
