26 New Ways to Eat Nutella

First, there were hazelnuts, and then there was chocolate, and then there was Nutella. You likely have a jar in your kitchen (hopefully not in the fridge, as the store-bought variety is meant to be stored at room-temperature)—but what to do with it? There are many options beyond eating it by the spoonful—though we also endorse that approach. For everything from fillings for cakes and cookies to easy ways to elevate your breakfast and snacks, turn to your jar of chocolate-hazelnut spread. Ahead, find some of our favorite new ways to use Nutella.

Try It on Toast

• Pair Nutella with toast, and not with just any bread (OK, any bread will be great), but a buttery loaf like Challah or brioche—or try it with a cinnamon-raisin bagel.
• For the best match of all, toast slices of banana bread and spread with Nutella.
• Go toast-adjacent and gluten-free: Nutella is delicious on healthy rice crackers, especially when combined with sliced fruit.

Elevate Breakfast

• Stir Nutella into hot oatmeal, and add a sprinkle of nuts or shredded coconut for additional flavor and texture.
• Spread Nutella on pancakes or crepes in place of maple syrup and butter. Bananas make a great addition.
• Use as stuffing for stuffed French Toast (so much better than peanut butter!).

Make a Sandwich

• A Nutella panini is a natural. The contrast of warm toasted bread and the sweet spread is hard to beat.
• Try peanut butter or almond butter with Nutella.
• Pair Nutella with banana, like in our Nutella and Banana Pockets.

Use It for Filling

Is there a dessert where Nutella wouldn’t make a sublime filling? Here are just a few ideas.

• Spread in a layer cake—with a contrasting frosting on top.
• Take filling a layer cake to the next level by using Nutella as the filling in a crepe cake—more filling, less cake!
• Use it to fill sandwich cookies.
• Try it in macaroons.
• Swap it for the filling in whoopie pies.
• Try as a filling for hamantaschen.
• Use Nutella with store-bought puff pastry for a croissant-esque delight. Spread squares with Nutella and fold in the corners or dollop Nutella in the center and bring two sides to meet over the filling, pinching to seal the pastry and create a Nutella cigar twist. 

Serve It With Fruit

• Fresh fruit such as sliced apples or pears, strawberries or raspberries, or even sliced kiwi can be drizzled with Nutella or dipped into it.
• Serve Nutella with fruit kabobs for a fun, interactive snack or dessert.
• Mix Nutella with plain yogurt for a creamy dip for your favorite fruit.

Spoon It on Ice Cream

• Forget the hot fudge sauce and use a spoon or two on top of ice cream. This works with scoops of everything from vanilla to hazelnut to chocolate—and is best if you gently heat the Nutella.
• Get fancy with a Nutella sundae, using Nutella as the sauce and pairing it with vanilla and chocolate ice creams, toasted nuts, and whipped cream

Mix It With Drinks

Hot and cold drinks benefit from some chocolate-hazelnut wonderfulness:

• Stir some into your favorite hot chocolate, or simply warm a couple of tablespoons of Nutella in a mug of milk, stirring to dissolve it.
• Use Nutella in place of chocolate syrup in your favorite egg cream recipe.
• Add a tablespoon (or two) of Nutella to a chocolate or banana milkshake.

Make Treats 

While you could argue any and all of these Nutella ideas are treats, these two are particularly special.

• Make Hazelnut Puppy Chow, which gets its irresistible flavor from Nutella, for a grown-up version of a childhood favorite.
• Nutella skillet s’mores are an easy indoor take on the campfire treat. To make them, spread Nutella on top of marshmallows in a skillet and broil until gooey—use graham crackers to scoop out the marshmallow mixture.