This easy Nutella Buttercream Frosting is smooth, fluffy, and full of rich chocolate-hazelnut flavor. It comes together in just a few minutes and instantly transforms any cakes or cupcakes into something special!

When a jar of Nutella is in the house, I don’t need much convincing to open it. Swirling it into cupcakes, layering it into cake, or adding a thick layer in the middle of a brownie – Nutella makes everything better. And while I’ll always love a classic chocolate buttercream, this Nutella Frosting might just win the title of most irresistible frosting in my kitchen!

It’s light, fluffy, and silky smooth, with that perfect blend of chocolate and hazelnut flavor in every bite. Spread it onto cakes, pipe it onto cupcakes, or sandwich it between cookies. And since it has both chocolate and hazelnut, it pairs with just about anything: chocolate, vanilla, banana, coffee, or even fruit-based desserts.

The best part? This Nutella frosting requires so little effort. It’s as easy as beating butter, Nutella, sugar, and cream together, but the end result is a delicious showstopper!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter: Use butter at cool room temperature (~65°F) for the smoothest frosting. The butter should be soft enough to dent when pushed firmly with a finger, but not soft enough to easily smush. If the butter is too warm, the frosting will have a greasy feeling.
• Nutella: You can use the name-brand spread or any chocolate-hazelnut spread, keeping in mind that the texture and sweetness vary slightly between brands.
• Salt: Salt is important for keeping frosting from tasting too sweet – don’t skip it!
• Confectioners’ Sugar: If yours is clumpy, sift first to avoid lumps.
• Heavy Cream: Whipping heavy cream into the frosting creates a lighter, fluffier consistency. Half-and-half or whole milk can be used in a pinch.

How to Make Nutella Frosting

1. Beat Butter and Nutella: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, Nutella, and salt until light and creamy.

2. Add Sugar: With the mixer on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, scraping down the bowl. The resulting mixture will be crumbly.

3. Add Heavy Cream: Add the heavy cream and beat on high speed until light and smooth.

Super Smooth Frosting

This Nutella Buttercream is incredibly silky smooth and creamy, especially compared to regular buttercream. What makes this so creamy and spreadable? We can answer this with my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!

Kitchen Chemistry

Nutella is an emusion of fats from both the hazelnuts and the palm oil, in addition to sugar and milk solids. When bean with butter, the combined fats stabilize and trap air bubbles, creating a frosting that is lighter, fluffier, and smoother than butter alone.

The higher water content of butter means that it can separate if it’s over-whipped. Nutella, on the other hand, is stabilized by the additional oils. The emulsion acts like scaffolding, holding the mixture together and preventing it from collapsing.

This also explains why Nutella buttercream is so easy to spread and pipe. The additional fats lower the overall melting point, keeping the frosting soft and pliable, even when chilled. If you’ve ever struggled with stiff buttercream that cracks while spreading, this is the perfect solution!

How Much Frosting to Make

This recipe makes approximately 3 cups of frosting. That’s enough for:

• 12 cupcakes: Generously frost with swirls, or 18-24 cupcakes with a thinner knife-spread layer.
• Sheet Cake: One batch of this recipe is enough for a 9 x 13-inch half sheet cake sized cake.
• Two-layer cake: One batch is enough for thin layers and sides for an 8-inch or 9-inch cake. For a thicker coat, make 1 1/2 batches of frosting.
• Three-layer cake: You’ll need 1 1/2 to 2 batches of frosting for a three-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
• Bundt Cake: To spread frosting across the top of a bundt cake, half of this recipe is sufficient.

Frosting amounts are always approximate. If you love extra-thick frosting or decorative piping, make more than you think you’ll need. It’s much easier to have a little extra frosting than to run out mid-cake!

Tips and Tricks for the Best Nutella Frosting

1. Use Cool Room Temperature Butter: The butter shouldn’t be cold, but it also shouldn’t be warm. Butter that is too warm won’t whip properly with the Nutella.
2. Consistency Check: Frosting too stiff? Add a splash more cream. Too soft? Mix in a little more sugar.
3. Whip Well: Don’t stop whipping too early – the extra minutes on high speed at the end create a fluffier frosting.
4. Make Ahead: Store this frosting in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Always bring back to room temperature and re-whip before using.

Cakes to Pair with Nutella Buttercream