Did you know that a single jar of Nutella can be the starting point for a whole host of delicious baked treats, no culinary degree required? With February 5 marking National Nutella Day, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate just how versatile this chocolate-hazelnut spread can be.
From quick breakfast bakes to show-stopping desserts, Nutella provides the flavour and texture to make baking feel effortless. These simple ideas turn a beloved jar into impressive, crowd-pleasing creations that taste like you spent hours in the kitchen.
All information is provided for general interest only. Ingredient amounts, preparation methods, and results may vary. Photos are for illustrative purposes only.
1. Nutella Swirl Brownies
Forget measuring out cocoa powder and melting chocolate separately. Nutella becomes your brownie base here, bringing both chocolate and hazelnut flavour in one scoop.
Mix it with eggs and a bit of sugar, then swirl extra Nutella through the batter before baking. The result?
Fudgy squares with pockets of gooey Nutella that stay soft even after cooling.
They're dead simple to make and always disappear faster than you'd expect at gatherings.
2. Nutella-Stuffed Cookies
Picture biting into a warm cookie and hitting a molten Nutella centre. That's exactly what happens when you stuff dollops of the spread into cookie dough before baking.
The edges turn crispy whilst the middle stays chewy, and that hidden Nutella pocket creates a proper gooey surprise. Some recipes only need three ingredients: Nutella, flour, and an egg.
They're brilliant for when unexpected guests pop round and you need something impressive quickly.
3. Nutella Banana Muffins
Overripe bananas meet Nutella in what might be the most forgiving muffin recipe ever. The bananas keep everything moist whilst the Nutella adds richness without needing loads of butter or oil.
Swirl Nutella through the batter or dollop it on top before baking for a marbled effect. These work equally well for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a cuppa.
They freeze brilliantly too, so you can bake a batch and save some for later.
4. Nutella Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Saturday morning pancakes just got an upgrade. Stir Nutella directly into your pancake batter along with chocolate chips for double the chocolate hit.
The spread melts as the pancakes cook, creating little pockets of hazelnut chocolate throughout each fluffy layer. Some people dollop extra Nutella between the pancakes before stacking them, which is absolutely genius.
Top with sliced bananas or strawberries if you want to pretend there's something healthy happening here.
5. Nutella Mug Cake
When the sweet tooth strikes at half past nine and you cannot be bothered with proper baking, this is your answer. Chuck Nutella, flour, sugar, and an egg into a mug, give it a stir, then microwave for about a minute.
What emerges is a warm, gooey individual cake that tastes like you actually tried. The texture sits somewhere between molten lava cake and a proper sponge.
Perfect for those nights when sharing simply isn't an option.
6. Nutella Croissant Bake
Got stale croissants lurking about? Tear them up, slather them with Nutella, layer them in a baking dish, and transform yesterday's pastries into today's pudding.
Some recipes add a custard mixture poured over the top, turning it into a proper bread and butter pudding situation but fancier. The croissants soak up the Nutella whilst getting crispy on top.
Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for maximum effect at Sunday lunch.
7. Nutella Crepe Filling
Crepes might seem fancy, but they're basically thin pancakes that take about thirty seconds to cook. The real magic happens when you spread warm Nutella across the surface whilst they're still hot.
The heat melts the Nutella into a silky sauce that's absolutely dreamy. Fold them into quarters, add some fresh berries or sliced bananas, and suddenly you're serving something that looks proper restaurant-worthy.
They work for breakfast, dessert, or that weird time between meals when you're just peckish.
8. Nutella Fudge Bars
These no-bake treats are dangerously easy to make and even more dangerous to have sitting in your fridge. Mix Nutella with condensed milk and a few other bits, pour into a tin, then chill until set.
The texture comes out somewhere between fudge and chocolate truffles, incredibly rich and smooth. They slice cleanly into neat squares that look quite professional despite requiring zero actual baking skills.
Keep them in the fridge because they soften quickly at room temperature.
9. Nutella & Raspberry Tart
Blind bake a pastry case, spread it thickly with Nutella, then arrange fresh raspberries on top. That's genuinely the whole recipe, yet it looks like something from a French patisserie window.
The tartness of raspberries cuts through the sweet richness of Nutella perfectly, creating proper balance. Some people add a layer of mascarpone underneath the Nutella for extra creaminess.
It's brilliant for dinner parties when you want maximum impact with minimum faff.
10. Nutella Banana Bread
Banana bread already ranks as one of the most reliable bakes around, but swirling Nutella through the batter takes it somewhere else entirely. The spread creates ribbons of chocolate hazelnut throughout the loaf without making it overly sweet.
Use properly overripe bananas for maximum moisture and flavour. Some bakers dollop Nutella on top before baking for a marbled effect that looks quite impressive when sliced.
It stays fresh for days wrapped in foil, though it rarely lasts that long.
