Our favorite peanut butter cookie base punctuated with a thumbprint of gooey and decadent Nutella. These Peanut Butter Nutella Thumbprint Cookies are a creative spin on a classic flavor profile – you ‘butter’ believe you’re going to love it!

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Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

To me, no Christmas cookie plate is complete without a thumbprint cookie. And these Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies with Nutella are an outstanding way to fulfill that requirement. In them, you’ll find a peanut butter cookie base that is buttery and substantial enough to hold the filling while still holding onto the soft, sugar-crystal texture we crave. Then, pooled in the middle, we pipe a dollop of rich Nutella to achieve pb/chocolate perfection.

Thumbprint cookies with peanut butter and nutella scattered on the counter.

What Ingredients are in Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies?

Creamy peanut butter – I just use regular old store brand! You can use whatever type you’d like, but I would recommend against natural varieties.
Salted butter, softened – I always use salted butter in my recipes! You can use unsalted butter if you’d like, just add a pinch of salt to the dough.
Granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Nutella – Again, the store brand version will work nicely here.

Side view of a thumbprint cookie with peanut butter and nutella cut in half.

How to Make Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
With a mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until blended.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
Next, add flour, baking powder and salt to the peanut butter mixture and mix together. The dough will be very soft.
Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Press a tsp measuring spoon into the center of the cookie dough to create a crater.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Don’t overcook! These cookies are much better soft and just barely cooked all the way through.
Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the pan.
After the cookies have cooled slightly, press a tbsp measuring spoon into each crater.
Let the cookies cool completely and spoon or pipe the Nutella into the center of each cookie. Enjoy!

Aerial view of peanut butter thumbprint cookies. One is cut in half.

How should I store Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies?

The nutella centers of these cookies will not harden completely, so I recommend storing in single layers between parchment paper. Enclose in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3 days to ensure maximum softness.

How to Wrap Up Christmas Treats

Plate them up! Don’t diss a good old fashioned decorative paper plate, piled with delicious cookies and covered with saran wrap (or cellophane) and a note. Simple. Effective. Delicious.
Box it! You can buy small or medium disposable treat boxes in bulk online. Pack in your treats, close it up (maybe add a sticker to seal it) and deliver.
Make a cookie sleeve. Lay cellophane out on the counter and stack cookies on top. Roll the cellophane around the stack and tape in place to create a cookie sleeve. Tie the ends with festive ribbon and voila!
Use a mason jar! Bottle up your candies & cookies and tie on a tag with ribbon (or even slap an adhesive tag on the side).
Create a homemade variety tin in a disposable aluminium bread or 9×9 pan. This allows you to easily share a variety of treats in a simple way! Cover with saran wrap, the aluminium lid or wrap with cellophane!
Buy a decorative cookie tin or mug & stuff it to the brim!

Close up of peanut butter thumbprint cookie filled with nutella. Across the top it says "peanut butter nutella thumbprint cookies"

More Festive Treats

Peanut butter thumbprint cookies filled with nutella scattered on the counter.

Peanut Butter Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Servings: cookies

Calories: 150kcal

Ingredients

1 cup (246g ) creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (139g) + 2 tbsp salted butter softened
1/2 cup (115g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (123g) brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (228g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup nutella

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
With a mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until blended.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
Next, add flour, baking powder and salt to the peanut butter mixture and mix together. The dough will be very soft.
Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Press a tsp measuring spoon into the center of the cookie dough to create a crater.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Don’t overcook! These cookies are much better soft and just barely cooked all the way through.
Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the pan.
After the cookies have cooled slightly, press a tbsp measuring spoon into each crater.
Let the cookies cool completely and spoon or pipe the Nutella into the center of each cookie. Enjoy!