Easy Nutella Frosting Recipe: The Ultimate Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream
Prepare to fall in love with this incredibly quick and easy Nutella frosting recipe, a homemade delight crafted with just a few simple ingredients. This luscious buttercream frosting is a dream come true for any chocolate and hazelnut enthusiast, boasting an intensely rich flavor profile. Its super fudgy, smooth, and creamy texture makes it absolutely perfect for piping decorative swirls on cupcakes, elegantly frosting layer cakes, or adding a decadent touch to virtually any dessert. Get ready to elevate your baking with this irresistible chocolate hazelnut creation!
My adoration for chocolate hazelnut spread knows no bounds, and honestly, I can’t express it enough. If you’ve explored my other recipes, you’ll see a clear pattern: a deep love for this chocolatey, nutty dream in various forms. It’s the star in my Nutella Syrup (2 Ingredients), brings decadence to Mini Nutella Cheesecakes (No Bake), simplifies baking with Easy Nutella Cupcakes (Cake Mix), and transforms into a fudgy delight with Easy Nutella Brownies (3 Ingredients). I once even received a miniature Nutella jar in my Christmas stocking – it was adorable, maybe an inch in diameter! Unfortunately, its charm outweighed its content, leaving my sweet tooth craving more. For these glorious recipes, you’ll definitely need a much larger jar to satisfy your chocolate hazelnut desires.
Nutella isn’t just a spread; it’s a culinary marvel that brings a unique richness and depth to desserts. Its combination of roasted hazelnuts and creamy chocolate creates a flavor that is both comforting and sophisticated. This makes it an ideal base for a frosting that stands out from typical chocolate or vanilla varieties. When you incorporate Nutella into a classic buttercream, you get a frosting that’s not only incredibly delicious but also beautifully stable and easy to work with, whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out. It’s truly a game-changer for anyone looking to add a gourmet touch to their homemade treats.
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Key Ingredients for this Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Icing
Crafting the perfect Nutella buttercream requires a careful balance of quality ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that rich flavor, smooth texture, and pipeable consistency. Here’s a detailed look at the essentials:
- Unsalted Butter: This is the foundation of any great buttercream. Using unsalted butter is crucial as it allows you to control the overall saltiness of your frosting. Ensure your butter is at perfect room temperature – soft enough to press an indentation with your finger, but not melted or greasy. This ensures it creams beautifully with the Nutella and incorporates air for a light, fluffy texture. Cold butter will result in a lumpy frosting, while melted butter will make it soupy.
- Nutella: The undeniable star of this show, providing its signature chocolatey hazelnut flavor. Opt for genuine Nutella for the most authentic and robust taste. Its creamy consistency also contributes to the frosting’s luxurious mouthfeel. While other hazelnut spreads exist, Nutella’s specific blend of cocoa and hazelnut is hard to replicate and gives this frosting its iconic taste.
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): This is what gives the frosting its sweetness and structure. You’ll need a substantial amount, often a full bag or more, so be prepared! Unlike granulated sugar, powdered sugar dissolves instantly, ensuring a smooth, grit-free frosting. Sifting the powdered sugar before adding it is a highly recommended step to prevent lumps and achieve the silkiest texture possible.
- Whole Milk: A small amount of liquid is necessary to achieve the desired creamy and smooth consistency. I prefer whole milk for its higher fat content, which contributes to ultimate richness and a superior texture. However, you can also use other dairy alternatives like half-and-half, heavy cream, or even a splash of coffee creamer for an extra layer of flavor. Start with a smaller amount and add more gradually to reach your preferred consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: A crucial ingredient that adds a subtle hint of warmth and depth, enhancing the chocolate and hazelnut flavors without overpowering them. Use good quality pure vanilla extract for the best results. For an even more pronounced hazelnut note, consider using a high-quality hazelnut extract or a dash of hazelnut liqueur.
Creative Variations to Elevate Your Nutella Frosting
This basic Nutella frosting recipe is incredibly versatile, serving as a perfect canvas for creative modifications. Don’t hesitate to experiment and tailor it to your personal taste or the specific dessert you’re pairing it with. Here are some fantastic ways to switch things up:
- Add Some Cream Cheese or Mascarpone: For a slightly tangy, lighter, and incredibly rich frosting, try incorporating about 4 ounces of softened cream cheese or mascarpone cheese at room temperature. Beat it in with the butter and Nutella until well combined and smooth before adding the powdered sugar. This variation offers a delightful balance to the sweetness and adds a lovely creaminess.
- Mix in Some Peanut Butter: The combination of chocolate, hazelnut, and peanut butter is a flavor trifecta! Start by adding about ¼ cup of smooth peanut butter to the butter and Nutella mixture, adjusting the amount to your personal preference for a stronger peanut butter note. This creates a wonderfully nutty and complex frosting.
- Use it for Cake Decorating: This buttercream holds its shape beautifully, making it ideal for intricate cake designs. Its firm yet creamy texture is perfect for piping elegant borders, creating rosettes, or adding detailed accents. Explore some of my cake design tutorials for inspiration, such as the fun Football Cupcakes Cake, mastering How to Make Buttercream Flowers (Russian Piping Tips), designing an Easy Camping Cake, or enhancing your Best Birthday Cake.
- Use it as a Topping on Brownies: Imagine a thick, fudgy layer of Nutella frosting spread over warm brownies. It’s an indulgence that’s hard to beat! This frosting adds another layer of richness and a beautiful presentation. Try it on my Fudgy Avocado Brownies for an unexpected twist or these convenient Pumpkin Brownies (With Brownie Mix) for a seasonal treat.
- For a Dark Chocolate Flavor: If you prefer a deeper, less sweet chocolate experience, whisk in ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the powdered sugar. Remember that cocoa powder absorbs liquid, so you will likely need to add an extra tablespoon or two of milk to achieve the desired smooth and creamy consistency.
- Pair this with Cupcakes: This versatile frosting complements a wide array of cupcake flavors. It’s heavenly on classic bases like my Best Vanilla Cupcakes, adds a double chocolate punch to Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, or elevates Brownie Cupcakes (From Scratch). You can even use it for charming mini cupcakes with the right tin, making them perfect for parties.
- Pair it with Cakes: This Nutella buttercream is a fantastic choice for frosting various cakes. It tastes absolutely delicious on my light and fluffy Vanilla Cake, providing a rich contrast, and is a perfect match for the unique Chocolate Popcorn Cake, adding another layer of sweetness and crunch.
- Try a Different Extract: While vanilla is classic, other extracts can dramatically change the flavor profile. Hazelnut extract or even hazelnut liqueur will intensify the nutty notes. Other delightful options include mint extract for a refreshing twist, maple for autumnal warmth, banana for a fruity hint, or almond extract for a subtle marzipan-like quality.
- Toss in Some Add-ins: Boost the texture and visual appeal with various delightful mix-ins. Consider mini chocolate chips for extra chocolatey bites, colorful sprinkles for a festive look, mini M&Ms for a fun crunch, finely crushed nuts of your choice (like more hazelnuts or almonds) for added texture, or even shredded coconut for a tropical touch. Fold these in gently at the very end of the mixing process.
How to Make Easy Nutella Frosting Recipe from Scratch: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making this incredible Nutella frosting is surprisingly simple, even for novice bakers. Follow these steps carefully to achieve a smooth, creamy, and pipeable buttercream:
1. Cream Butter and Nutella: In a large mixing bowl, combine your softened room-temperature butter and Nutella. Using an electric mixer (either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer), beat these two ingredients together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and completely smooth. This step is crucial for incorporating air and ensuring a creamy base.
2. Add First Batch of Powdered Sugar: Once the butter and Nutella are well combined, gradually dump in the first three cups of powdered sugar. For best results and to prevent lumps, you can sift the powdered sugar before adding it. Start the mixer on a low speed to avoid a “sugar cloud,” then slowly increase to medium.
3. Pour in Milk: With the mixer still on low, pour in the initial two tablespoons of milk over the powdered sugar. This helps to hydrate the sugar and begin forming the frosting consistency.
4. Add Vanilla Extract: Before thoroughly mixing the new additions, add the vanilla extract to the bowl. This ensures it’s evenly distributed throughout the frosting.
5. Mix these Ingredients Together: Begin mixing on low speed until the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla are mostly incorporated. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure everything is fully combined and no dry pockets of sugar remain.
6. Add Remaining Powdered Sugar: Now, add the remaining two cups of powdered sugar, again starting on low speed and increasing gradually. This addition will help to thicken the frosting to a pipeable consistency.
7. Adjust Consistency with Milk: At this stage, the frosting might be quite thick. If it’s too stiff to spread or pipe easily, stir in additional milk, one teaspoon at a time. Mix well after each addition until you reach your desired smooth, spreadable, or pipeable consistency. It’s always easier to add more liquid than to remove it, so proceed cautiously.
8. Final Mix: Once the desired consistency is achieved, give the frosting one final mix on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds to ensure it’s beautifully aerated and perfectly smooth. Your homemade Nutella frosting is now ready to adorn your favorite cakes, cupcakes, or any other sweet treat!
Expert Tips and Techniques for Flawless Nutella Frosting
Achieving bakery-quality Nutella frosting at home is simple with these essential tips and techniques. Pay attention to these details, and your buttercream will be smooth, creamy, and perfect every time.
- Ensure All Ingredients are at Room Temperature: This is perhaps the most critical tip for any buttercream. Room temperature butter and Nutella cream together seamlessly, creating a smooth, homogenous base. Cold ingredients will lead to a lumpy, separated frosting, while overly warm or melted butter can result in a greasy, thin frosting that won’t hold its shape. Pull your butter and Nutella out of the fridge at least an hour or two before you plan to bake.
- Substitute Milk Wisely: While whole milk offers the best richness, you have options. For an even creamier result, use half-and-half or heavy cream. For an added flavor dimension, try a neutral coffee creamer or even a flavored one (like hazelnut or vanilla) to complement the Nutella. Always add liquids gradually to control the consistency.
- Always Use Unsalted Butter: This allows you full control over the salt content in your frosting. Salted butter can make your sweet desserts taste overly salty, disrupting the delicate balance of flavors, especially with the sweetness of Nutella.
- Increase Stabilization for Hot Climates or Intricate Decorating: If you live in a warm climate or plan on creating elaborate decorations that need to hold shape for extended periods, consider using a combination of half butter and half shortening. Shortening is more stable at room temperature and helps the frosting maintain its structure without melting.
- Full-Fat Ingredients are Best: For the most luxurious and creamy texture, stick to full-fat dairy products like whole milk or heavy cream. Lower-fat alternatives can make the frosting less rich and sometimes slightly watery, affecting both texture and flavor.
- Cool Cakes and Cupcakes Completely: Patience is a virtue here! Before piping or spreading any frosting, ensure your cakes and cupcakes are thoroughly cooled to room temperature. Frosting a warm dessert will cause the buttercream to melt and slide right off, creating a messy situation and potentially ruining your beautiful work.
- Sift Your Powdered Sugar: This step is often overlooked but makes a huge difference. Powdered sugar can clump easily, and sifting it before adding to the butter mixture will ensure your frosting is completely lump-free and silky smooth.
- Scrape Down the Bowl Frequently: As you mix, ingredients tend to stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl. Stop the mixer occasionally and use a rubber spatula to scrape down all the ingredients, ensuring everything is thoroughly combined and uniformly creamy.
- Don’t Overmix (Once Sugar is Added): While you want to cream the butter and Nutella well, once the powdered sugar is incorporated, avoid excessive mixing. Overmixing can incorporate too much air, which can lead to a frosting that’s too light and doesn’t hold its shape as well, or sometimes even make it greasy. Mix just until smooth and fluffy.
Recipe FAQs: Your Nutella Frosting Questions Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you perfect your homemade Nutella frosting:
No, simply spreading plain Nutella as an icing won’t achieve the desired results for frosting cakes or cupcakes. On its own, Nutella has a much thinner consistency than a proper buttercream. While it can work wonderfully as a delicious filling between cake layers, its texture is too soft and fluid for covering cakes smoothly, creating defined piped decorations, or maintaining stable swirls on cupcakes, especially at room temperature. This recipe combines Nutella with butter and powdered sugar to give it the necessary body, stability, and structure for perfect frosting applications.
Adjusting the consistency of your Nutella frosting is quite straightforward. If your frosting is too thick or stiff, simply mix in additional milk (or your chosen liquid), adding about one teaspoon at a time. Mix well after each addition until it reaches your desired smooth and spreadable or pipeable consistency. Be patient and add slowly! Conversely, if your frosting is too thin or runny, you can thicken it by adding more powdered sugar, about ¼ cup at a time. Mix thoroughly after each addition until the frosting achieves the firmness you need. Always aim for a consistency that holds its shape yet is easy to pipe or spread.
While I haven’t personally tested this specific recipe with various off-brand hazelnut spreads, you certainly can give it a try. Many generic or store-brand hazelnut spreads are designed to be similar to Nutella. However, keep in mind that the flavor profile, sweetness level, and consistency can vary slightly between brands. Nutella is often praised for its consistent quality and distinct, balanced flavor, which contributes significantly to the deliciousness of this frosting. If you do use an off-brand, I recommend doing a small taste test before committing to the full batch. You might find that you need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar or milk slightly based on the alternative spread’s characteristics.
Proper Storage for Your Nutella Frosting
Knowing how to properly store your homemade Nutella frosting ensures it stays fresh, delicious, and ready for your next baking project. Here’s a guide to making it ahead and keeping leftovers:
- Make Ahead: This Nutella buttercream is an excellent candidate for making in advance. You can prepare it up to 1 week ahead of time. Simply transfer the finished frosting to an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the frosting to prevent a crust from forming, and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, let it come back to room temperature for about an hour, then give it a good stir or re-whip it briefly with an electric mixer to restore its creamy texture.
- Room Temperature: Due to the dairy ingredients (butter and milk), I don’t recommend leaving this frosting out at room temperature for more than a few hours, especially in warmer environments. While butter is relatively stable, the milk component can spoil. If you’re decorating a cake that will be displayed for an event, aim to keep it in a cool room.
- Refrigerate: For short-term storage, place the frosting in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. As mentioned above, it will firm up significantly when chilled, so allow it to return to room temperature and re-whip before use for the best consistency.
- Freeze: For longer storage, Nutella frosting freezes beautifully. Transfer it to a freezer-safe, airtight container and store it for up to 1 month. To thaw, simply move it to the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, let it come to room temperature, then stir it vigorously or re-whip it with your electric mixer until it’s smooth and fluffy again. It will be as good as freshly made, perfect for serving on future desserts.
More Easy Homemade Frosting and Fillings to Try
If you loved this Nutella frosting, explore these other fantastic homemade frosting and filling recipes that are just as easy and delicious:
- Caramel Frosting (3 Ingredients)
- Easy Honey Frosting (No Powdered Sugar)
- Easy Marshmallow Frosting (With Fluff)
- Chocolate Ganache Frosting (2 Ingredients)
- Homemade Whipped Cream (Stabilized)
Recipe Card
Easy Nutella Frosting (Buttercream)
Abeer Rizvi
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- 1 cup Nutella Room temperature
- 5 cups Powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon Whole milk Can also use half and half or coffee creamer
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract Can also use hazelnut liqueur or hazelnut extract
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, add softened unsalted butter and room-temperature Nutella. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and perfectly smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Add 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of whole milk, and the vanilla extract. Begin mixing on low speed to incorporate, then gradually increase to medium speed and beat until well combined and smooth.
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Incorporate the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined, then increasing to medium. If the frosting appears too thick or stiff for your desired use (spreading or piping), add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, one teaspoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
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Continue mixing on medium-high speed for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the icing is thickened, light, and has a smooth, pipeable consistency that holds its shape.
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Your delicious Nutella frosting is now ready to be used! Frost your favorite cooled cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or other desserts and enjoy every chocolate hazelnut bite.
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Notes
- For the creamiest and richest results, always use full-fat dairy ingredients like whole milk or heavy cream in your frosting.
- It is essential to use unsalted butter to maintain control over the flavor balance of your frosting. Using salted butter can result in an overly salty taste that detracts from the sweetness and hazelnut flavor.
- Ensure all your ingredients, especially butter and Nutella, are at perfect room temperature. This is key for achieving the smoothest consistency and preventing a lumpy or greasy frosting.
- If your icing becomes too thick or stiff, gradually thin it out by mixing in more milk or cream, adding approximately 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Conversely, if your icing turns out too thin or runny, you can easily thicken it by mixing in additional powdered sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, until it holds its shape well.
- This recipe is incredibly easy to scale; it can be doubled or even tripled without any issues if you need a larger batch for bigger baking projects.
- To add more stability to this icing, especially in warm environments or for intricate piping, use a combination of half butter and half shortening. This helps the frosting hold its form longer.
- Always refer to the detailed tips and variations sections above for more creative ideas and troubleshooting advice.
- Leftover Nutella frosting can be stored effectively. Place it in a sealed, airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. When ready to use, allow it to come to room temperature and re-whip it briefly for best results.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.