This Nutella sauce recipe transforms the chocolate hazelnut spread into a sauce that can be drizzled or dipped into. It’s the perfect way to dress up any dessert.
In our house, we don’t need an excuse to make this dreamy sauce any day of the week! But it’s great for special occasions, too — who doesn’t love a dessert topped with tons of rich chocolate hazelnut goodness?
The next time you’re looking for a departure from a traditional chocolate sauce or hot fudge, give this simple sauce a try.
What is Nutella Sauce?
Nutella sauce combines whole milk, chocolate hazelnut spread, vanilla, and salt for a luscious sauce that elevates any sweet treat. It takes only a few minutes to make, and you can store it in the refrigerator to keep it handy for topping ice cream sundaes and fresh fruit, or for stirring into your coffee or whipping up an upgraded hot chocolate.
Why You’ll Love Nutella Sauce
Fans of the popular chocolate hazelnut spread are going to absolutely adore this sauce.
- Simple: With only a handful of ingredients and a few steps, making this simple sauce is super easy and doesn’t take a lot of time.
- Irresistible: This rich and decadent sauce with have everyone’s mouths watering.
- Versatile: You can pour this sauce over top of nearly any dessert or serve it as a dipping sauce, and it’s perfect for nearly any gathering, from birthday parties to Valentine’s Day. Or you can just whip it up to enjoy while you’re binge-watching on Friday night (and save a bit to enjoy the next morning over pancakes for a sweet start to the day).
Ingredients
Just a few ingredients are necessary to make this divine dessert sauce.
- Whole milk: The fat in whole milk helps to give the sauce its richness.
- Nutella: This chocolate hazelnut spread is the star of the show and gives the sauce its distinctive flavor.
- Coarse Kosher salt: Salt helps to bring out the flavors of the Nutella.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla balances the sauce.
What To Serve With Nutella Sauce
This decadent sauce is a perfect pairing for any sweet treat. Try drizzling it over fruit salad, ice cream, or even pancakes, french toast, and waffles.
You can also serve it as a dip for fruit, cookies, or churros. Or, put it in a piping bag and decorate a pound cake or make it a filling for cupcakes.
How to Make Hazelnut Chocolate Dip
With just a few quick steps, you’ll have a luscious sauce in nearly no time.
- Heat cream. Pour the cream into a small saucepan. Heat cream until warm.
- Add Nutella. Place Nutella in the pan and stir until silky smooth.
- Remove from heat. Remove the Nutella mixture from the heat, add vanilla and salt.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately or refrigerate once cooled to room temperature.
Variations
This Nutella sauce is delicious as-is, but you can change it up, too.
- Milk: Instead of dairy, use an alternative like almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk.
- Liqueur: For an adult version, try adding a splash of Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur.
- Extract: For more nutty flavor, add a few drops of hazelnut extract.
- Coffee: Bring out the richness of the chocolate with a little bit of espresso powder.
- Cream: For a thicker sauce, try using heavy cream.
- Thickness: If you want a thin sauce, add additional milk. If you want it to be thick, add the milk slowly until you reach the desired consistency.
Storage
Nutella sauce is best served immediately, but you can store it if you have leftovers.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store in a resealable freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Common Questions About Nutella Sauce
You can melt Nutella by simply microwaving it in intervals.
To thin Nutella, you need to warm it slightly. The makers of Nutella do not recommend adding anything like oils to thin the spread.
Anything that you might pair with chocolate sauce will go well with Nutella. Consider fruits, ice cream, and cake.
Other Sweet Sauces
Nutella Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup nutella
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the cream in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add the nutella, whisking until smooth.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Serve as a syrup, drizzle or dipping sauce.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Such a great idea. We ate this over icecream last night and it was a huge hit! Thanks for the idea.
Just when I thought Nutella couldn’t get any tastier, I see this! Was the perfect topping to ice cream after a long hot day; definitely, a new favorite recipe!
I added this to my pancakes this morning and OMG it was amazing!!!
What a great dessert sauce! Will be great with cake or fruit.
This a perfect sauce to go with fresh strawberries! My kids couldn’t get enough. Thank you for sharing the recipe!