This easy 3 ingredient Nutella Chocolate Ganache Recipe is the perfect topping for just about anything—cakes, cupcakes, donuts, ice cream... even toast! You won't need any other chocolate icing recipe. Add it to your collection of Easy Recipes with Nutella
Oooh... Nutella. Creamy. Chocolate-y. Just a hint of hazelnut-y flavor. The spreadable treat that inspires Nutella riots in the hearts of Frenchmen everywhere.
I don’t know about your children, but the kids in my life are obsessed with Nutella. We put it on everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to our morning toast!
3 easy ingredients turn regular Nutella into a delicious Nutella Chocolate Ganache that can be poured over cakes and desserts or turned into a fondue for dipping.
Pour the ganache over these Double Chocolate Pancakes.
Nutella Ganache is especially good on my family’s Old Fashioned Banana Cupcake Recipe. and these MIni Chocolate Cheesecakes.
Nutella dresses up this doctored chocolate cake mix for a quick dessert.
How to Make Nutella Chocolate Ganache—
No need for sifting powdered sugar, no powdered sugar “dust” all over the kitchen and no waiting for the butter or cream cheese to soften.
Just heat the cream in your microwave or on your stovetop then, stir in the Nutella and you’ve got frosting! Just heat, stir and pour. Yep. It’s that easy.
- Measure the Nutella into a bowl before heating the cream.
- Use cooking spray (such as Pam) to coat the measuring cup so that the Nutella doesn't stick to the cup.
- Heat the heavy cream in a small sauce pan and remove from heat as soon as it boils.
- OR, use a microwave safe bowl to heat the cream in the microwave. Heat for short intervals (30 to 60 seconds at a time until bubbles appear around the edges of the bowl. BE CAUTIOUS when removing hot liquid from the microwave, it can boil over unexpectedly.
- Pour the cream over the Nutella and stir until smooth.
- Stir in cube of butter until completely combined.
How to Frost a Cake, Cupcakes or Donuts with Nutella Chocolate Ganache—
- Prepare the cake, cupcakes, donut or dessert before preparing the ganache.
- Plate the cake and have it ready to frost.
- Prepare the Nutella Chocolate Ganache Recipe.
- Pour ganache over the prepared cake or dessert while it is warm and easy to pour.
- Use an offset spatula to gently smooth the ganache evenly over the cake.
- Allow the ganache to cool and become more firm.
- Dip small desserts such as cupcakes or donuts into ganache and let the ganache cool until it becomes more firm.
NOTE: This Nutella Chocolate Ganache will thicken as it cools but it will stay moist and flexible for frostings and drizzles, but it will not harden into a shell.
Drizzle it on this Pumpkin Brookie Skillet with Chocolate Chips to increase the chocolate-y flavor.
I hope you love this recipe! We do.
If you have any questions about this recipe or any other question about Southwest food, please leave a comment here on the this post OR can always reach me on Everyday Southwest's Facebook Page.
Look for me on Pinterest for more great recipes.
See you soon!
—Sandy
If you love Chocolate Ganache, scroll down to the end of this post for great recipes that are delicious with a drizzle Nutella Chocolate Ganache.
Nutella Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Nutella
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- For the frosting, heat the cream in the microwave until little bubbles appear.
- Pour the cream over the Nutella and stir well to mix.
- Stir the butter into the Nutella and cream just until melted and glossy.
Notes
Recipes that are perfect with drizzle a little Nutella Chocolate Ganache:
Fresh Banana Cream Pie with Pastry Cream
Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Toasted Meringue
Elvis Peanut Butter and Bananas Foster Pancake Stack
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Carol Hicks
Nutella icing looks good enough to eat with a spoon!
Sandy
I may or may not have eaten it with a spoon... I have no recollection of that. 🙂
Vicky
Is there any way i can make a version that hardens? I need the cake to have drips over the sides.
Arshiya Shaikh
I'm planning on making this to fill and pipe on a cake. Do you think it'll get firm enough to pipe borders?
Sandy
Hi Arshiya, Thank you for your question. I think it would be good to fill the cake with but, I have never tried to pipe with it. The ganache does stay soft so I would not use it for anything that needs to be firm to the touch such as the top of a donut or a truffle. You could try a piping as an experiment and, if it doesn't set up, use your favorite chocolate buttercream for the decorative work. I do that every time I use regular chocolate ganache to frost a cake. I also use the buttercream to pipe a circle around the edge of the bottom layer to form a barrier so the cake filling does not "squish out" (see the step by step photos in this Pineapple Cake https://www.everydaysouthwest.com/pineapple-coconut-cake-whipped-cream-icing-recipe/ ) Let me know how it works out, I would love to hear from you!
Noemi
So does this ganache remain as a liquid? Like a fudge or chocolate sauce?
Sandy
Hi Noemi, The ganache stays soft but, not liquid. I would say it is more like a hot fudge sauce that is cool in the jar but, not as thick as the fudge candy that you can cut into squares. I hope you try it! We love it around here and it is so easy!
Amy Nash
Holy yum! My nutella-obsessed husband is going to go nuts over this recipe! I need to make cupcakes just so I have a reason to make this for him!
Denay DeGuzman
I love making chocolate ganache! Yesterday I was searching for something new, something with a little twist, when I stumbled upon this yummy recipe. I love Nutella, and this chocolate ganache Nutella recipe is so darn scrumptious! Thank you so much for sharing it.
Donna
Ummmm yes please, I will be having ALL the nutella ganache. My kids just noticed this over my shoulder and have made me promise it will be our afternoon project, so I guess we will be trying it sooner rather than later (not that I am complaining!)
Sandy
They will LOVE it!
Anne Lawton
Yum! I and didn't think there was a way to make nutella taste better and you found it!
Christina
I would have never thought to make this with nutella but I love the flavor!
Linda
Chocolate is my middle name and Nutella...who can say no to that. I love how easy this recipe is and gonna be my new favorite.
Molly Kumar
The ganache looks amazing and I'm saving your post to use this for a party next week.
Lathiya
The nutella ganache looks so glossy and tempting. This one recipe can make any cupcakes and cakes tastes awesome
Marie
Do you think I could use this as filling for some cupcakes? Is it similar to the texture you get when you make truffles once dried?
Sandy
Hi Marie, The ganache does not get as firm as the ganache you make truffles out of. It will stay soft and moist like a jam filling. I think it would be delicious in a cupcake. Let me know if you try it, I would love to hear how it turns out. 🙂
P.S. I'm so sorry for the late response, for some reason this comment only showed up in my email and blog dashboard yesterday. That happens every now and then.
Dakota
Hello, would this icing be good to use as a drip icing over the top of a chocolate buttercream coating for a cake?
Please and thank you
Sandy
Hi Dakota, Yes, you can use this icing just the same as other ganache icing recipes. Do keep in mind that it does not get quite as firm as some ganaches so, I would not use it for truffles or anything that needs to be very firm.
I hope you love it! We do.
Fabiola
Hi!!
Thanks for the recipe!
Do yo think that it can be whipped to make it more stable? To use it as a 3 layer cake filling?
Sandy
Hi Fabiola! It's good to hear from you! I have not tried to whip the ganache. It would be interesting to find out if the ganche can be made stable enough for making truffles, etc. The Nutella itself is a soft spreadable treat and not firm like regular chocolate bars, so I think it would be difficult to get the Nutella ganache to set up in the same way that chocolate does. Please let me know if you try it and how it turns out. I'd love to hear back from you, Sandy
Carmen
Will this work for a drip cake?
Sarah
I'm drooling over here!! I make ganache all the time, but I never would have thought to use Nutella. Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Jaclyn
Our nutella-loving family is going to go wild for this! Yum!
Ann
Nutella is nature’s perfect food. This ganache recipe is terrific!
Zahieh
Omg it’s so good!!! I ate 3 cupcakes lol I usually eat one or none but the Nutella ganache was so good I couldn’t resist.
Joanne Daher
Hello,
This ganache looks great for people like me, chocoholic 🙂
Can it be prepared in advance, then reheated once needed?
Thanks
Jo
Lydia
So easy and delicious. Perfect for my Nutella loving husband!
Janet
Could this Nutella Ganache be used to fill a thumbprint cookie? Will it set? Can I freeze the cookie filled with the Nutella filling?
Thanks!!
Sandy
Hi Janet, Great question, this recipe does not get as hard as, say, a chocolate bar. It does firm up where it is no longer runny, but it does stay rather soft to the touch. I have used it for thumbprint cookies, it does not run out. You could melt some chocolate chips or part of a chocolate bar into the Nutella ganache to help it firm up a little more. I hope that helps. I will have to play around with it and see what else it can do.
Thanks! Have a great weekend!
Taryn
MMM. I think was even better than the jarred stuff. Will make again.
Jocyl
Thank you for your recipe! Can I store this in the fridge for a few days?
Sandy
Hi Jocyl, Yes! You can store it in the fridge. Just be sure to reheat it gently so the Nutella doesn't scorch. I reheat mine over a double boiler but, the microwave works, too. Put it in for a 15- 20 seconds at a time and stir in between (once it gets soft enough).