Nutella Frosting
If you love Nutella, this will be your new favorite frosting! This fluffy Nutella frosting takes simple buttercream to new heights of chocolatey, hazelnutty goodness. Anything that goes with Nutella goes with Nutella buttercream!
I love to use this buttercream on my Nutella Cupcakes, but you can also use Nutella frosting for cake or chocolate cupcakes. Frost sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and brownies with Nutella frosting. Ever paired Nutella with pumpkin? Spread this frosting on top of pumpkin bars, or make banana cupcakes with Nutella frosting. There are so many possibilities!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy Nutella frosting. American buttercream is one of the easiest things you can make, and adding Nutella doesn’t make it any more complicated. There are literally two steps to this homemade Nutella frosting recipe and just a few simple ingredients!
- Best Nutella frosting. Let me emphasize again this is a recipe for Nutella frosting. Not chocolate frosting, and not hazelnut frosting (I do have a chocolate hazelnut buttercream in my Ferrero Rocher cupcakes recipe, but it’s very different). So if you’re looking for frosting with Nutella, you’ve come to the right recipe with the right ratios for the best Nutella flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter: It’s not a buttercream without butter! Butter provides a lot of the structure of Nutella buttercream frosting, as well as richness. Using unsalted butter allows you to control how salty the frosting is.
- Powdered sugar: The other key ingredient of American buttercream. We use powdered sugar, sometimes called confectioners’ sugar, for a smooth frosting. Granulated sugar or brown sugar is too grainy.
- Nutella: The most important part of this particular recipe is a whole cup of that fabulous chocolate hazelnut spread.
- Heavy cream: A small amount of heavy whipping cream helps make a creamy frosting that’s soft and spreadable.
- Vanilla extract: A true team player, vanilla complements and enhances every flavor it’s paired with.
- Salt: Remember what I said about controlling the saltiness of your frosting? Use just a pinch here, and add more if you like.
How to Make Nutella Frosting
- Beat softened butter. Add 1 cup softened unsalted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat it on medium speed until smooth. You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. With the mixer off, add 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup Nutella, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low until ingredients are partially combined, then pause to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat everything together at medium-high speed for 2 minutes. If your frosting is too loose, add a ½ cup of powdered sugar. If it’s too stiff, add another tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix until it reaches the right consistency (I like my frosting a little soft, so I used 2-3 tablespoons).
Recipe Tips
If your frosting is too slack or too stiff, it’s easy to fix! For frosting that isn’t stiff enough, add more powdered sugar, ½ a cup at a time. If it’s too stiff, add more heavy cream a tablespoon at a time. I like my frosting to be a little soft, so I typically use 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Mix between each addition to check the texture again, and repeat the process as needed.
You can use this recipe as a Nutella filling for cake, but I actually prefer to use Nutella whipped cream as a Nutella cake filling since it’s a little softer and less sweet.
This Nutella buttercream recipe has similar proportions to my peanut butter frosting recipe. If you like the combination of Nutella and peanut butter, try using a half cup of each to make Nutella-peanut butter frosting!
If you’re looking for a stronger chocolate flavor, hazelnut flavor, or both, I recommend making the hazelnut buttercream included in my Ferrero Rocher cupcakes or Ferrero Rocher cake recipes.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Make Ahead: If you store buttercream in the fridge, it stays good for up to a week, so you can make this several days before you plan to use it.
Storing: Use this frosting right away if you are frosting cakes, cookies, or anything else. Otherwise, store leftover frosting in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. Let it come to room temperature before frosting anything so it becomes soft and spreadable.
Freezing: Buttercream freezes beautifully, and this Nutella buttercream is no exception! Store it in an airtight container for up to a month. To use, let it thaw and re-whip it for fluffy frosting.
Recipe FAQs
Nutella is super delicious so I understand this question. But, Nutella is very thick and especially if you’re hoping to frost something delicate like a cake or cookies, you need something softer and even more spreadable. Turn it into buttercream, instead!
Grainy buttercream usually means the sugar has not dissolved properly. To fix it, continue to whip your buttercream until the sugar is dissolved. You can also try adding another tablespoon of heavy cream.
Buttercream can sit out at room temperature for several hours. If you don’t put any additional dairy in your buttercream, it can stay out for several days. This Nutella buttercream recipe has heavy cream in it, so I wouldn’t let it sit out more than a few hours before refrigerating it.
More Nutella Recipes
Nutella Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup Nutella
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream - or more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Beat butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, Nutella, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low for 30 seconds until somewhat combined, and then turn mixer speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. If the frosting is too slack, add a ½ cup of powdered sugar to stiffen it up. If it’s too stiff, add a tablespoon of heavy cream and mix again.
- Use frosting right away or store in an airtight container for up to 7 days or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator and then beat for a few seconds. Add a splash of heavy cream if needed.
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