27 Best Hazelnut Desserts

If you’re a huge fan of Nutella, you’ll fall in love with these hazelnut desserts.

I used to think that hazelnut sweets were limited to Ferrero chocolates and Nutella.

They’re fantastic, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore other ways of incorporating hazelnut into your desserts.

That’s exactly what this list is for. Add sophistication to your sweet treats with this elegant nut.

I’m telling you, cheesecakes, truffles, and French toast have never tasted better.

Whether you’re into ice cream, cakes, or cookies, this list has it all.

Okay, I won’t delay any longer. Here are 27 hazelnut desserts you’ll definitely go nuts for!

1. Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Let’s kick things off with one of the most classic flavor combinations ever: hazelnut and chocolate. 

This tandem has never failed to make my taste buds jump for joy. It truly is a match made in heaven.

In this recipe, the dynamic duo makes light, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies even more delectable than before.

I mean, the simple shortbread cookies are already scrumptious, but they’re even better flavored with hazelnut and chocolate!

You can either just dip and sprinkle half of the cookies chocolate and nuts, or cover the entire thing. Totally your call.

2. Chocolate Pear Cake with Hazelnut Crumb Topping

Did you know that chocolate and pears go well together? I had no idea. It’s a good thing this recipe enlightened me.

Now, I can’t get enough of this epic combination.

As you can see from the photo, this cake is ridiculously moist. The liquid in the pears makes it so! 

As delicious as the cake itself is, though, it won’t be as phenomenal without the crumb topping. And guess what it’s made of? Yep – hazelnuts.

Mixed with flour, sugar, and butter, the hazelnuts create a crisp, crunchy, and buttery crust resting on top of the cake.

3. German Hazelnut Macarons (Haselnussmakronen)

While French macarons are made of almond flour, German macarons, called haselnussmakronen, have hazelnut flour at their base.

Both sweets are light and nutty with a soft and chewy texture, but the German version is a lot easier to make.

Haselnussmakronen only calls for 5 ingredients and unlike its French counterpart, there’s no need to wait for an hour before you can bake them.

4. Hazelnut and Dried Cherry Biscotti

I wasn’t a fan of biscotti as a kid. I just didn’t enjoy how dry it was. This Italian treat is definitely one tough cookie.

But I decided to give it a second chance. And I’m glad I did.

This recipe flavors biscotti with hazelnut and dried cherries, and the result is spectacular.

They still have that iconic crispness to them, which I now enjoy. All they’ll need is a little bit of coffee-dunking, and that dryness goes away.

5. Bruttiboni: Italian Meringue Cookies

Bruttiboni are Italian cookies with a meringue base. If you’re unfamiliar, a meringue may sound complicated to make.

But it’s actually just beaten egg whites.

Aside from being a cinch, these cookies are also incredibly delightful.

They’re crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and wonderfully sweet throughout.

These cookies are flavored with ground-up toasted almonds and hazelnuts. Expect them to be nothing short of sensational.

6. 1-Bowl Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

If you’re looking for a scrumptious yet gluten-free and vegan dessert, the search is over. This cake is the clear winner.

First of all, it’s chocolate and hazelnut together in one, which already makes it a certified hit.

Next, the cake itself is so wonderfully fudgy and moist. Filled with whole roasted hazelnuts in the center and on the top, it’s nutty and crunchy as can be.

The frosting is a chocolate ganache made of dairy-free chocolate and almond milk.

It’s decadent, yet not too sweet, so it’s the perfect way to round out the dessert.

7. Nutella Cheesecake

This is none other than Nigella Lawson’s recipe for Nutella cheesecake, so yes, it’s a guaranteed showstopper.

There’s Nutella both in the crust and the cheesecake batter itself, so the hazelnut flavor is really undeniable.

Plus, the cake is also sprinkled with crushed hazelnuts to make it even more over the top.

Oh, and the best part? This is a no-bake cheesecake! It’s a newbie-friendly recipe that will surely impress.

8. Nutella French Toast

Brioche Nutella sandwiches are soaked in custard and pan-fried to golden perfection.

They’re sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with fresh berries for good measure.

This is the perfect weekend breakfast or brunch, especially after a long and stressful work week.

Now’s not the time to worry about the calories! You deserve some pampering every now and then.

9. Banana Stuffed French Toast Waffles with Nutella

They’re exactly what you imagine them to be: waffles with slices of bananas inside and smeared with Nutella on top.

And yes, they are outrageously heavenly.

So here’s how it goes. Bananas are sandwiched in between two sourdough slices, which are then soaked in a banana-based custard and cooked in a waffle iron until crispy and golden.

The waffle sandwiches are then smothered with Nutella and topped with fresh strawberries, to boot.

This is what breakfast dreams are made of. 

10. Easy 3-Ingredient Nutella Brownies

Take your regular brownies to a whole new level of awesomeness! All it takes is a bit of Nutella.

This recipe couldn’t be easier. It only calls for 3 ingredients – flour, eggs, and Nutella. 

It’s crazy how such a simple combination can make the fudgiest and most ooey-gooey hazelnut brownies!

You can add a pinch of salt to the batter to amplify the hazelnuts’ flavor, but they’ll still be delicious even without.

11. Homemade Ferrero Rocher (Hazelnut Truffles)

Ferrero Rocher candies are probably one of the most iconic Valentine’s Day chocolates there are.

After all, how can anyone say no to these heavenly hazelnut truffles? One bite will surely make you fall in love.

And yes, you can make them yourself, too. These truffles are a bit on the expensive side, but this homemade version won’t cost you anything.

12. Hazelnut Caramel Bars

These caramel bars taste just like a pecan pie!

It’s a Martha Stewart creation, so you know it means serious business. 

These bars have a buttery shortbread cookie crust filled with ooey-gooey caramel and crushed hazelnuts. 

Make them more extra with a sprinkling of chocolate chips. If you ask me, though, they’re perfectly fine even without it. 

13. Deep Dish French Silk Pie with Hazelnut Oreo Cookie Crust

A French silk pie is an indulgent dessert with an Oreo cookie crust, a velvety chocolate filling, and a whipped cream topping finished off with chocolate shavings.

In this iteration of the French classic, the Oreo crust is infused with hazelnuts, because why not?

The pie filling is outrageously smooth, silky, and bursting with chocolate decadence.

The whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top are the perfect garnish.

14. Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread

There’s something quite magical about shortbread cookies. 

Compared to other cookie recipes, they’re relatively simple. In fact, they’re just flour, sugar, and butter at their core.

Yet, they offer a unique, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a ridiculously buttery flavor that’s simply to die for.

And when you throw in hazelnuts to the mix, you can forget about the diet.

15. Espresso Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Okay, so by now it’s already super obvious how big a fan of shortbread cookies I am. Seriously, I can eat these goodies all day.

This time, instead of just hazelnut, you’ll also use espresso to flavor the cookies.

Hazelnut-flavored coffee drinks are a hit, so you can expect the same from these.

The cookies themselves are already divine, but why end there? Dip them in melted milk chocolate for that extra boost of flavor. 

16. Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

Chocolate and hazelnut once again join forces, this time, to create one lip-smacking tart.

It looks intimidating to make, but it’s so embarrassingly easy, you don’t even need to turn on the oven.

Yup, this tart is no-bake. Hurray!

The crust is a blend of butter, crushed biscuits, and hazelnuts. The ganache filling is a mix of melted chocolate, hazelnut paste, and cream.

Then it’s just a matter of assembling the components. Pour the ganache over the crust, and voila!

17. Hazelnut Meringue with Blackberries

Hazelnut dacquoise is a dessert made of a meringue layer topped with yogurt and fresh berries.

The contrast among the crunchy and chewy meringue, the creamy yogurt, and fruity berries creates a light and refreshing palate-cleanser.

In this recipe, the meringue itself is infused with crushed hazelnuts to give it that luscious, nutty flavor. 

Besides the yogurt, it’s also topped with a sweet blackberry sauce and fresh blackberries, to boot.

18. Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

This next entry isn’t dessert per se, but it’ll definitely add sweetness to your mornings.

Nothing’s better than waking up in the morning to the aroma of a freshly baked good.

These scones don’t just smell amazing, though, they’ll taste phenomenal, too.

They’re buttery, tender, and studded with toasted hazelnuts and chocolate chunks. It’s like eating cookies and scones in one, and you’ll love it.

19. Nutella Deviled Strawberries

Inspired by the iconic appetizer, deviled eggs, these deviled strawberries are stuffed with a heavenly Nutella and nut filling.

This 3-ingredient recipe is simple but it hits the spot. Fresh strawberry halves are hollowed-out and filled with Nutella and sprinkled with crushed nuts.

It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tart, creamy, and crunchy.

20. Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Gluten-Free and Paleo)

This next recipe is the perfect solution if you can’t decide between chocolate chip cookies and caramel bars.

These bars are packed with chocolate chips and hazelnuts. They’re also soft and chewy as can be.

They’re even covered in chocolate ganache and garnished with a whole hazelnut on top!

They get bonus points for being gluten-free and paleo-friendly, too.

21. Chocolate Hazelnut (Nutella) Gelato Recipe 

Hazelnut is, hands-down, my absolute favorite gelato flavor. So when I came across this recipe, I knew I had to try it.

All I can say is, thank God I found it!

This gelato is incredibly smooth and silky, and the hazelnut flavor is so on point. 

The best part is, it’s not even that hard to make. I felt like such an expert after pulling it off.

22. Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

This hazelnut ice cream is the stuff of legends.

The ice cream base is loaded with chunks of homemade hazelnut butter, which is already ridiculously delicious, to begin with.

It’s also easy to make, so don’t think you have to be a master chef.

Melted sweet chocolate is swirled into the base, creating bits of chocolate throughout the ice cream.

23. 4-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

I’m such a sucker for chocolate mousse. Throw in hazelnut to the mix, and I go crazy!

My goodness, this hazelnut chocolate mousse is heaven. It’s so smooth and silky, it melts in your mouth.

It’s like a non-frozen version of ice cream if you ask me.

Flavored with Nutella, espresso powder, and vanilla, this mousse is seriously delectable. 

24. Hazelnut Butter

It’s not exactly dessert, but hazelnut butter makes for a fantastic spread, topping, or filling. 

Move over peanut butter! Hazelnut butter has a deeper flavor and a creamier consistency. Think of it as homemade Nutella, if you will.

Spoon this over pancakes, waffles, or toast for a sweet and satisfying morning meal.

25. Nutella Blondies

These look like simple blondies at first glance, but wait until you see what’s inside.

Resting in the center of these chewy bars is a thick layer of smooth and creamy Nutella. Together, the blondies and the filling create the perfect bite.

You’d think they’d be overwhelmingly sweet, but they’re not. In fact, don’t be surprised if you snack on one blondie after another.

26. Nutella Swirl Banana Bread

A simple loaf of banana bread is delicious, but why not make it more special with Nutella?

This banana bread is moist and loaded with banana flavor, and the swirls of Nutella make it all the more delightful.

27. Nutella Croissant Bread Pudding

Take the classic bread pudding to a whole new level by using Nutella-filled croissants.

This pudding is wonderfully rich, but not overwhelmingly sweet. 

It’s crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s creamy like custard, with the sweet Nutella giving it another layer of flavor.

What a wonderful dessert of epic proportions!

Bonus! Hazelnut Layer Cake

If you’ve ever been to Ikea, you’ve probably had their Daim cake with almond Joconde.

Well, this is similar, but I used ground hazelnuts!

Here’s how to make it:

Cake Layer:

• 6 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 ounces sugar
• 7 ounces ground hazelnuts

Cream Layer:

• 6 egg yolks
• 3.5 ounces sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3.5 ounces sour cream
• 5 ounces heavy whipping cream
• 4 ounces butter

Chocolate Glaze:

• 7 ounces milk chocolate
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Instructions:

1. Separate the eggs into two clean bowls. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar as it whips until stiff peaks form.
2. Add the ground hazelnuts and very gently stir until combined. Spread the batter into 2-3 thin circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet (draw around a baking tin to get the shape). 7 inches will give you 3 layers, 8-9 inches will give you 2. Or, pipe thin layers into baking pans lined with parchment.
3. Bake at 335°F for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool fully.
4. Whisk the yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and sour cream in a large bowl. Heat the cream in a large saucepan until barely simmering, then slowly temper the egg mixture (pour the hot cream into the bowl, whisking consistently).
5. Pour the mixture back into the pot and whisk over low heat until thick. Add the butter, whisk until smooth, then strain into a clean container and cover with plastic (make sure the plastic touches the surface) until cold.
6. Place a layer of sponge on a serving platter and spread the cooled, thick cream over the top. Repeat with the remaining layers, ending with the cream.
7. Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the top, then drizzle over the glaze (melt the chocolate and oil in the microwave in 30-second intervals until smooth). Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours, then enjoy!