How to Melt Nutella: Four Ways to Soften Nutella

The kids are waiting for you to serve them white bread with Nutella for snacks. But your Nutella spread straight from the fridge won’t move out of the jar! Your youngest child is already getting impatient. What should you do?

It’s no secret that this chocolate hazelnut spread is one of the most popular chocolate spreads worldwide. This hazelnut chocolate spread is known to have a creamy, smooth texture that is similar to peanut butter. Its flavor combines rich chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, with a sweet and slightly nutty taste. I have a friend who can’t get enough of Nutella. In fact, she will put the spread on almost every type of dessert.

She would spread Nutella on toast like she would put Nutella on cakes and crepes. That’s how obsessed she is with the flavor and texture! Of course, there will be times when Nutella has become too difficult to spread. Don’t fret. There are several ways to melt the spread.

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​Four Ways to Soften Nutella

1. Hot butter knife technique

bread with melted Nutella and a knife

This is perhaps the easiest way to loosen up Nutella spread that has gone too hard. The easiest way is to boil water! You need a butter knife and a cup of hot water. You can even use the cup of hot coffee that you are to drink in the morning. You will also need a paper towel.

This is pretty simple. Simply dip the butter knife in the cup of hot water or cup of americano coffee. Let it sit there for at least a minute so that the blade will become hot enough. Wipe the knife with a piece of paper towel right after removing it from the hot water.

This trick can also be used with peanut butter right from the fridge!

You now have a hot butter knife to cut through the Nutella. The heat will enable the butter knife to shave through and melt the chocolate in a matter of seconds.

2. Using the Microwave Oven

chocolate chip cookies and a bowl of melted Nutella on the table

Another quick and easy way to melt Nutella is by heating it in the microwave oven. The heat from the microwave oven should be enough to melt hard Nutella. Be sure to heat up the Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl in 5-15 second intervals (depending on the microwave’s wattage).

However, I would discourage you from putting the Nutella jar into the oven. I don’t think the container is microwave-friendly. A better and safer option is to scoop a tablespoon or two of Nutella into a microwave-safe container.

Nutella shouldn’t take more than 15 seconds for Nutella to melt in the oven. After 15 seconds, you can check if the spread has really melted. If not, give it another 10 seconds or so. By then, the Nutella should have softened enough for it to spread into the bread.

3. Using a Hot Water Bath

chocolate and a bowl of melted Nutella on the table

Don’t have an oven at home? If so, there’s another way for you to melt hardened Nutella. Giving the Nutella jar a quick hot water bath should make it more spreadable.

Again, this is relatively easy to do. Simply bring a small pot of water to a boil. Pour the boiling hot water into a small bowl. Then place the jar of Nutella in the bowl. This should warm up the Nutella and make it softer.

This technique should not take more than five minutes. You can also stir the Nutella with a spoon to speed up the process.

4. Adding Warm Milk

a spoon of melted Nutella, a milk bottle, and a bowl of melted Nutella on the table

Adding Milk is another way to melt Nutella!

1. Take a small saucepan and add 1/4 cup of milk
2. Heat the milk over low to medium heat until warm
3. Add 1/4 cup of Nutella to the warm milk and stir continuously with a fork or a whisk until the Nutella has completely melted and the mixture is nice and smooth.
4. Continue heating and stirring the mixture until it reaches the desired consistency.

This mixture can be used as chocolate syrup or sauce that can be drizzled onto vanilla ice cream or as a dip for fruits like strawberries or apples.

Quick and Simple Nutella Banana Bread Recipe

But let’s face it—you’re missing out on many good things if you spread Nutella over bread or waffle. There are a lot of tasty treats that you can make with the use of Nutella, like this Nutella banana bread recipe that I am to share.

Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup of melted Nutella
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 sticks of butter
• 2-3 eggs
• 4 ba​​nanas
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• Cooking spray

Step-by-step guide

a bowl of butter and a bowl of eggs

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the butter to come to room temperature. Then put it in a stand mixer and combine it with sugar.

a bowl of melted Nutella and a bowl of eggs

• You need to make the Nutella thin and easy to pour. Once you have followed any of the techniques I shared earlier, combine the Nutella with the butter mixture. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl, then add a tablespoon of creamed butter. Add eggs and mix until it becomes fully incorporated.

a bowl of melted Nutella, sliced bananas, a knife, and a spoon

• Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Turn the mixer on a low setting, then pour the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold in the bananas.

a cake and a bowl of melted Nutella on the chopping board, and a knife

• Pour this dough mix into two loaf pans. Bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool before serving.

Conclusion

Nutella is arguably the most widely used spread in the world. All is not lost when it becomes too hardened. Simply follow any of the tips I shared earlier. I hope you find that your cooking is more effortless.