3-Ingredient Nutella Donuts Recipe

Have you ever wished you could make your own bakery-style donuts at home, but feared that the whole process would be too much hassle? This 3-ingredient Nutella donut recipe — courtesy of recipe developer Julie Kinnaird – uses only self-rising flour, eggs, and Nutella to create decadent donuts in no time. These donuts have a soft, cakey texture inside and a crispy exterior to contrast with a creamy Nutella glaze. All you need is a mixing bowl, a rolling pin, a donut cutter, and a Dutch oven or other deep, heavy pot for frying.

Self-rising flour is simply all-purpose flour that has baking powder and salt added to it. You can find it in bags or boxes with other varieties of flour on the baking aisle at your local grocer, or you can make your own at home. For every cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon fine salt. This mix is convenient to have on hand for making biscuits, pancakes, or quick breads.

This recipe works with so few ingredients because the self-rising flour gives the donuts lift, the Nutella provides the fat and sweetness needed to create a tender crumb and rich flavor, and the eggs bind everything together and give structure to the finished donuts. The dough is quick and easy to make, easy to roll out and cut, and it holds its shape during frying. Using Nutella as a ready-made glaze is literally the easy icing on the cake.

When a recipe only has 3 ingredients, you need to maximize their versatility. For these donuts, Nutella serves as the main flavoring and source of sweetness, as well as an all-in-one glaze for the donut tops. Self-rising flour is used as a 3-in-1 ingredient, and fresh large eggs bind the dough together and create structure in the donuts. You will also need a neutral-flavored vegetable oil that is suitable for frying, meaning that it has a high smoke point.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and ⅔ cup Nutella until smooth.

Stir in the flour, mixing just until combined.

Gather up the dough and wrap it in plastic.

Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Dust a work surface with flour.

Gently knead the dough and shape it into a disk.

Roll the dough out to a ½-inch thickness.

Use a donut cutter or other round cutters to cut out 8 (3-inch) donuts from the dough, re-rolling scraps as needed.

Heat the oil to 350 F in a large, heavy pot.

While the oil is heating, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit a rack over top.

Fry the donuts a few at a time for about 2 minutes per side, making sure the oil stays at a consistent temperature.

Transfer the fried donuts to the rack.

Repeat with the remaining donuts and donut holes.

Place the remaining Nutella in a shallow microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds.

Stir the Nutella and continue to heat at 10-second intervals until it has a glaze consistency. Be careful not to overheat and scorch it.

Dip the tops of the donuts and donut holes in the warm Nutella.

Serve the Nutella donuts immediately or return to the rack and allow the Nutella to set.

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The iconic chocolate hazelnut spread we know as Nutella actually has fairly humble origins. The Piedmont region of Italy, in the northwest of the country, has long been known for its high-quality hazelnut crops. In the 1800s, confectioners in this area began using their abundant hazelnut supply to process with cocoa when faced with chocolate shortages due to trade. The unique combination of flavors became known as gianduia and evolved into one of Italy's best-known confections. In the 1960s, Nutella was developed out of a market demand for an "everyday" chocolate product that was affordable and could be used on everything from toast to grilled cheese.

Today, Nutella is as recognizable on a grocer's shelf as peanut butter, and has found its way onto coffee shop and restaurant dessert menus. For many, however, Nutella evokes memories of childhood, and that first taste of a luxurious spoonful straight from the jar. In its simplicity, Nutella can evoke feelings of both comfort and indulgence.

There is nothing quite like a freshly-fried donut, with a crispy exterior, tender inside, and glossy, melty glaze. Donuts are always best in the hours just after they are made, but these 3-ingredient Nutella donuts have a bit of stamina to them. Having more of a cake donut consistency than that of a yeast-raised glazed donut, these donuts will stay moist inside and retain their fresh flavor for up to 2 days. They will lose their crispy edge, but will absorb a bit of the gooey Nutella glaze, making them just as decadent.

These donuts are best kept fresh at cool room temperature in an air-tight container. Refrigerating Nutella tends to make it turn waxy in texture, so if you keep the glaze at a cool temperature rather than cold, it will help preserve its sheen. If you do choose to refrigerate any extra donuts, you can also gently rewarm and refresh them in a microwave on medium power.

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