Flaky, buttery, and chocolaty Nutella Croissants are a favorite easy breakfast recipe! They’re made with puff pastry and just 3 other common ingredients in a few simple steps. Doable for all levels of bakers!
Enjoy a favorite bakery treat in the comfort of your own home with these Nutella Croissants. But don’t worry, you won’t need to stress over making homemade dough! Frozen puff pastry comes to the rescue, making a delicious buttery and flaky swap.
Chocolate hazelnut Nutella spread elevates the croissants, giving them a gooey chocolate finger-licking filling. Tuck in a teaspoon of apricot jam before rolling, or take your own twist using raspberry or strawberry jam. There’s no bad way to enjoy these delicious morning treats! For more fun breakfast and brunch recipes, check out my Funfetti Pancakes, Breakfast Fondue and Cinnamon and Berry French Toast.
All about Nutella Croissants
Nutella croissants are like classic butter croissants, but they are rolled with Nutella and apricot jam. Instead of homemade laminated dough, they are made with puff pastry dough, making the recipe quick, easy, and beginner-friendly. They are buttery, flaky, chocolaty pastries, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
Why This Nutella Croissant Recipe is the Best
- Quick and Easy: This impressive recipe is ready in 5 steps and less than 30 minutes. Even the most novice bakers can successfully make it.
- Short Ingredient List: Seriously! Only 4 ingredients. What’s not to love about that?! Simple ingredients but such tasty results.
- Great for Breakfast and Brunch: With an impressive presentation but easy and fast prep, this recipe is great for busy mornings or last-minute breakfast or brunch get-togethers.
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry – You will need one 500g box of frozen puff pastry. Choose your favorite brand, such as Pepperidge Farm or Trader Joe’s. Defrost the pastry overnight in the refrigerator and remove it trite before making it. The pastry should be thawed but still cold (not room temperature or warm).
- Nutella – A staple in my kitchen, perfect for so many desserts and breakfasts. Use store-bought, or make homemade Nutella!
- Apricot Jam – Use your favorite brand or make homemade. Or, swap in another flavor, such as strawberry, raspberry, or mixed berry!
- Large Egg – This will create an egg wash to brush over the pastries before they bake, making them golden brown and crispy.
Helpful Tools
How to Make Nutella Croissants
Step 1: Roll the puff pastry.
Divide the puff pastry in half. Place each half onto a floured surface and roll the dough into a 15”x5” rectangle.
Step 2: Cut the pastry into triangles.
Slice each rectangle into 6 triangles with a sharp knife. Spread 1 tsp of Nutella onto each triangle, leaving about ¼ inch from the edge.
Step 3: Add apricot jam and roll.
Place 1 tsp of apricot jam onto the base of each triangle, then gently roll them up into croissants. If desired, slightly bend them into half-moon shapes.
Step 4: Bake.
Place the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with the lightly beaten egg. Bake the croissants at 425°F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Air Fryer Instructions
For a crispy finish or to avoid heating the kitchen, bake the puff pastry Nutella croissants at 375°F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and flaky. For the best results, leave at least an inch between the croissants so the air can evenly circulate as they bake. If needed, air fry them in batches.
Recipe Variations
- Crescent Rolls: Swap refrigerated crescent rolls for the puff pastry if needed. The rolls will have a slightly different texture but will still be delicious.
- Different Spreads: Use your favorite spread in place of the Nutella. Peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or chocolate almond spread are all tasty picks.
- Different Fillings: Instead of the apricot jam, top the Nutella with strawberry, mixed berry, or raspberry jam. You can also tuck in thinly sliced bananas, strawberries, or whole raspberries before rolling. You can add an extra chocolate kick by rolling up chocolate chips or a bit of crunch by filling the puff pastry croissants with chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, or pecans.
Tips for Making Perfect Nutella-Filled Croissants
- Use cold puff pastry. It needs to be thawed but still cold. If it gets warm, the puff pastry can leak butter as it bakes.
- Cut equal-sized triangles. To ensure evenly sized croissants, cut them into similarly-sized pieces. I recommend cutting the sheet of pastry crosswise in alternating diagonals.
- Leave a border around the Nutella. Spread it to about ¼ inch from the edge to prevent it from spilling out as it bakes.
- Bake on a lined baking sheet. Prevent sticking by lining the sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Brush with egg. For a golden brown finish, brush the croissants with an egg wash (a lightly beaten egg) before baking. If you don’t have an egg, you can brush them with heavy cream or whole milk.
Serving Suggestions
Sprinkle warm croissants with powdered sugar or drizzle them with melted Nutella. Serve them with sliced strawberries, bananas, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips. Enjoy a croissant with Nutella with a hot cup of coffee or tea for a light breakfast or a sweet afternoon treat. I also love to serve them with weekend brunch!
Storage Directions
The Nutella puff pastry croissants keep covered in an airtight container for up to 2 days. For longer storage, keep the airtight container of croissants in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Defrost them at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until thawed through.
FAQ
Though you may need to thicken Nutella for some baking recipes, you do not need to do so for these croissants. Just spread it on and roll the puff pastry before baking.
Yes, if you have homemade laminated dough available, you can use it instead of the puff pastry.
To make these ahead of time, defrost the puff pastry just enough to unroll it. Cut it into triangles, brush with the Nutella and apricot jam, and roll up the croissants. Place them on a lined baking sheet or dinner plate, cover tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 1 week. Defrost the croissants at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until thawed and bake as directed.
More Breakfast Recipes to Try!
Funfetti Pancakes
Soft, fluffy pancakes with a beautiful rainbow twist!
How to Make Homemade Butter
Learn to make butter from ONE ingredient. It’s surprisingly easy!
Matcha Pancakes
The perfect brunch treat! Matcha waffles are stacked high and topped with my favorite pancake topping – cream cheese glaze. Garnish with some fresh strawberries to create the perfect balance of sweet and bitter.
Triple Blueberry Waffles
These homemade waffles are packed with blueberries! They’re in the batter, in a delicious compote and in a light and creamy mascarpone topping.
Nutella Apricot Croissants
Ingredients
- one 500g box of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
- 12 tsp Nutella
- 12 tsp apricot jam
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Divide the puff pastry in half. Place each half onto a floured surface and roll the dough out into a 15”x5” rectangle.
- Slice each rectangle into 6 triangles with a sharp knife. Spread 1 tsp of Nutella onto each triangle, leaving about ¼ inch from the edge.
- Place 1 tsp of apricot jam onto the base of each triangle, then gently roll them into croissant shapes.
- Place the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with the lightly beaten egg.
- Bake the croissants for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Use cold puff pastry. It needs to be thawed but still cold. If it gets warm, the puff pastry can leak butter as it bakes.
- Cut equal-sized triangles. To ensure evenly sized croissants, cut them into similarly-sized pieces. I recommend cutting the sheet of pastry crosswise in alternating diagonals.
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- Leave a border around the Nutella. Spread it to about ¼ inch from the edge to prevent it from spilling out as it bakes.
- Bake on a lined baking sheet. Prevent sticking by lining the sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Brush with egg. For a golden brown finish, brush the croissants with an egg wash (a lightly beaten egg) before baking.