An easy brownie recipe is like gold. This recipe is wonderful for any time of the year, and especially for the holidays. Many desserts and drinks are nowadays made with creamy Nutella. Why not mix a favorite chocolate dessert with a popular chocolate and hazelnut spread?

These brownies are very easy to make and even better to eat. Kids will love helping to make and to eat these brownies. Served warm, room temperature or cool, these easy and fun-to-make Nutella Brownies are one of the best holiday recipes for families to make together.

Nutella Brownies

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon instant espresso powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups sugar

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

1 stick or 4 ounces of unsalted butter at room temperature

4 large eggs at room temperature

¼ cup of a neutral oil such as a seed oil or canola oil

½ cup of Nutella plus ¼ of a cup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Parchment, butter and flour a 9-by-9-inch square brownie pan. Sift together all of the dry ingredients except for the espresso powder.

In a double boiler, melt together the oil, butter and your chocolates. Once everything is melted, remove the pot from the heat and mix in the ½ cup of Nutella. Now, add your espresso powder and mix. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of your stand-up mixer, beat your sugar, eggs and pure vanilla extract on high speed until very light in color and tripled in volume.

Next, on low speed, add your melted chocolate mixture to your beaten eggs. Once all are incorporated, add your dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just about incorporated. Now, with the rubber spatula, fold in your milk chocolate chunks, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Pour batter into your prepared pan. Place the ¼ of a cup of Nutella on top of the batter and swirl in. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes. You want your tester to have some moist crumbs when you test your brownies.

When you remove the brownies from the oven, I tap the pan down onto the table about five times so that the brownies come out chewy, moist and even. Allow to cool in the pan.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.