These easy nutella cookies are rich and chocolatey – and conveniently gluten-free! Plus, they’re made in the food processor for minimal cleanup. After all, the fewer dishes to wash, the better!
Personally, these cookies might just be my new favourites – time for my chewy triple chunk cookies to step aside! They’re perfectly balanced between chocolatey and nutty, and rich but not over-sweet. They’re just about the perfect cookie!
What are the 4 ingredients?
The 4 ingredients are all very common. Just nutella (of course!), oats, hazelnuts and a large egg.
I’m not going to explain what nutella is because I’m sure you already know, but I will just explain how it contributes to the texture of the cookies.
Since nutella is a sugary fat, it takes the place of both the traditional butter and sugar in these cookies. It keeps them soft, slightly melty and fudgy in the middle! After all, all the best cookies are fudgy!
The obvious flavour pairing for nutella is, of course, hazelnuts! (if you’re being pedantic then I suppose you could class hazelnuts as one of the flavours in nutella though!). This gave me an easy start to a gluten-free recipe since nothing using nutella could ever be nut-free anyway.
I used basic whole hazelnuts – it’s simple and they’re easy to get hold of!
I chose to use rolled oats since they’re what I had on hand and I wanted to keep these nutella cookies recipe gluten-free. After all, I’ve seen plenty of recipes for nutella cookies that aren’t gluten-free and I figured anyone who can’t eat gluten must be missing out – they’re incredible!
The hazelnuts and oats act as the flour in the recipe – they’re the dry ingredient to give the cookies texture and stop them from just being melty puddles of chocolate hazelnut goo.
As for the final ingredient, the egg, this acts as a binder. It helps all of the other ingredients to blend together properly. It also gives the cookies a little extra moisture, structure and richness without dulling down the flavours of the nutella and hazelnuts.
Can I substitute any of the ingredients?
I’m afraid that in this case, this isn’t a good idea. The only substitute that I’d be able to recommend would be swapping flour for either oats, hazelnuts, or both.
However, if you do this then it may change the texture. The cookies would probably be a little drier and you’d have to be careful not to overwork the dough in the food processor as this will over-develop the gluten and make the cookies dry and hard.
If you do choose to use flour instead of both oats and hazelnuts then I’d recommend changing the method from food processor to regular bowl and spoon:
- add nutella and egg to a bowl and stir thoroughly to combine
- add the dry ingredients and gently fold it in
- then proceed as per instructions as your dough is now made!
What’s the method to make these gluten-free nutella cookies?
The method for this cookie dough is quite possibly my easiest baking method ever. All of it takes place in a food processor!
- Preheat the oven, line a baking sheet tray with parchment paper and weigh out your ingredient. This is pretty much the most standard first step ever!
- Add the hazelnuts and oats to the food processor and blend on high speed until it’s as fine as you can get it. I managed to get mine to a slightly coarse sand-type texture.
- Add the egg and nutella and blend until it’s very well combined and forms a dough. You may have to scrape down the sides of your food processor a couple of times during this step depending on the size and shape of it.
- Use a cookie scoop to place 1 tablespoon-sized balls of dough on the lined baking tray, then press down the backs of them with your hands until each cookie is approximately 0.5cm thick.
- bake then allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the tray before moving them to a wire rack. This lets the cookies keep baking in the middle for a few minutes after they come out the oven and is one of my favourite tricks to get chewier, more fudgy cookies.
And you’re done! They store for up to 3-5 days at room temperature in an airtight container!
What should I do with the rest of the jar of nutella?
This nutella mousse is another 4-ingredient dessert that’s rich, creamy, gluten-free and makes a perfect last-minute sweet treat for emergency guests!
Or, for a brunch option, try this nutella french toast – you can make it gluten-free easily by using gluten-free bread.
These gooey chocolate cakes with raspberries and nutella are also sure to be a hit! They look just heavenly – yum!
Or, for a nutella and kinder bueno hit, try this no-bake nutella bueno cheesecake! It’s a real showstopper!
These baked nutella donuts are another sweet treat that’s sure to hit the spot! Plus, they’re not deep-fried!
How about other non-nutella sweet treats?
My single-serving chocolate chip cookie and single-serving brownie in a jar are two delicious bakes – and you can eat the whole batch with no guilt since 1 batch = 1 serving!
Or, for larger batch baking, try my eggless chocolate brownie cupcakes – you could definitely add some chopped hazelnuts to the mixture for some nutty flavour!
My other top bake is my chewy triple chunk cookies – they’re just heavenly! So rich, fudgy, gooey and chewy!
Happy baking!
Easy 4-Ingredient Nutella Cookies (gluten-free)
These easy nutella cookies are a 4-ingredient wonder! They're quick, easy and gluten-free! Lightly nutty, rich, chocolatey and gooey - they're perfect!
Ingredients
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) whole hazelnuts
- 75 grams (3/4 cup) rolled oats (gluten-free if required)
- 1 large egg
- 250 grams (3/4 cup) nutella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
- Use a food processor to grind the hazelnuts and oats to the consistency of coarse sand (or as fine as you can get them).
- Add the egg and nutella and blend until the mixture forms a well-combined dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1 tbsp size balls of dough onto the sheet tray. Press the balls down using the palm of your hand until they're approximately 0.5cm thick.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just cooked through, then allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack.
Notes
Cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature once cool. They will keep for up to 3-5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 358Total Fat: 22gSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 34gSugar: 24 gProtein: 7g
Nutrition information is an estimate and may not be completely accurate.
These look absurdly delish!
I’m glad you like the look of them – if anything, they taste even better than they look!
I can see why these might be your new favourite. They sound wonderful. Chocolate and hazelnuts is a hard combination to beat. Thanks for mentioning my French toast too.
It definitely is hard to beat – there’s a reason why Nutella is everywhere and that reason is because it’s delicious! Plus, what could possibly be better than lovely gooey Nutella cookies!