5 Nutella-Inspired Desserts You NEED to Try

So, you think Nutella is just for toast? Cute. While slathering it on bread at 2 AM is basically a rite of passage, this hazelnut-chocolate gift from the dessert gods deserves way more respect. Honestly, Nutella is like duct tape—it fixes everything. Bad day? Nutella. Bland dessert? Nutella. Existential crisis? Okay, maybe not that… but also maybe yes.

If you’re ready to level up your dessert game (and maybe your sugar intake), here are five Nutella-inspired desserts that will make you question why you ever wasted calories on plain brownies.

1. Nutella Lava Cakes (aka: Chocolate Drama Queens)

Picture this: you cut into a warm chocolate cake and—bam!—a river of molten Nutella comes oozing out like it’s auditioning for a TikTok close-up.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup flour
• 4 tbsp Nutella (frozen into spoonfuls)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Butter and flour four ramekins.
2. Melt butter + chocolate together (microwave or double boiler—don’t burn it, we’re not making Nutella charcoal).
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Stir in melted chocolate, then fold in flour + salt.
5. Pour half the batter into ramekins, drop a frozen Nutella dollop in the middle, then cover with the rest of the batter.
6. Bake 12–14 minutes. Centers should jiggle like they’ve had too much wine.
7. Serve hot with ice cream. (And no, the ice cream is not optional.)

2. Nutella Cheesecake Bars (Because Cake Should Be Portable)

Cheesecake is already the Beyoncé of desserts. Add Nutella and boom—you’ve got a headliner.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup melted butter

For the filling:

• 16 oz cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup Nutella (plus extra for swirling)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press into pan for the crust.
3. Beat cream cheese + sugar until smooth. Add eggs + vanilla. Mix until creamy.
4. Stir Nutella into half the cheesecake batter. Layer plain batter first, then Nutella batter. Swirl with a knife (make it look artsy).
5. Bake 35–40 minutes until edges are set but center still jiggles.
6. Cool completely, chill for at least 3 hours, then slice into bars.
7. Optional flex: drizzle more Nutella on top before serving.

3. Nutella Stuffed Cookies (The Plot Twist You Didn’t See Coming)

Regular chocolate chip cookies are fine. Nutella-stuffed cookies? That’s cookie royalty.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• ½ cup Nutella (frozen into dollops)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
2. In one bowl: whisk flour, baking soda, salt. In another: mix butter + sugars, then add eggs + vanilla.
3. Combine wet + dry, then fold in chocolate chips.
4. Take a scoop of dough, flatten it, place a frozen Nutella dollop in the center, and seal it up like a chocolate treasure chest.
5. Bake 10–12 minutes. Centers should still be soft (trust me, don’t overbake).
6. Eat while warm for maximum goo factor.

4. Nutella Banana Bread (Because Bananas Were Boring Anyway)

Banana bread is that dessert you make when your fruit basket looks tragic. Adding Nutella takes it from “grandma snack” to “Instagram-worthy.”

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• ½ cup Nutella

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt. In another bowl, cream butter + sugar, then add eggs, bananas, and sour cream.
3. Combine wet + dry until just mixed (don’t over-stir unless you enjoy brick bread).
4. Pour half the batter into the loaf pan. Warm Nutella slightly so it’s spreadable, swirl half into the batter. Add the rest of the batter, then swirl the remaining Nutella on top.
5. Bake 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
6. Let it cool (if you can wait that long).

5. No-Bake Nutella Mousse (Lazy but Fancy)

This one’s for when you want to impress someone but also can’t be bothered turning on the oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup Nutella
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate shavings or crushed hazelnuts for topping (if you want to feel fancy)

Instructions:

1. Whip heavy cream + powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
2. In a separate bowl, mix Nutella + vanilla.
3. Gently fold Nutella into whipped cream until smooth. (Don’t stir aggressively—this isn’t mashed potatoes.)
4. Spoon into glasses, chill for at least 1 hour.
5. Top with chocolate shavings or hazelnuts before serving.

Final Thoughts (aka: Just Eat the Nutella Already)

Here’s the truth: Nutella makes everything better. Whether you’re stuffing it inside cookies, swirling it into cheesecake, or straight-up eating it from the jar with a spoon (no judgment), it’s the MVP of desserts.

So next time someone asks what you’re bringing to the party, skip the fruit platter and show up with one of these. Trust me, nobody’s gonna remember Karen’s veggie tray—but they’ll remember your Nutella lava cakes. 😉