Name: Nutella Brioche Rolls
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 200 ml warm milk; 60 g sugar; 7 g instant yeast; 2 large eggs; 500 g plain flour (add extra if needed); A pinch of salt; 100 g unsalted butter (softened); Nutella (for filling — as much as your heart desires, honestly); 1 tsp vanilla extract

Nutella Brioche Rolls are soft, golden, and shiny on the outside, with a gooey Nutella centre that makes every bite irresistible. The first time I made these for my brother, he asked if I should open my own bakery. The whole house was smelling delicious. I laughed and said, “are they that good?” But, that’s exactly what these Nutella brioche rolls do to people. This one’s become a favourite of mine. They are pillowy, buttery, and just like the ones you’d get fresh from a bakery. Honestly, these taste even better than the brioche rolls from cafes and bakeries, I promise you that!

What are Nutella Brioche Rolls?

If you’ve never made brioche before, it’s basically a rich, buttery dough made with eggs and butter, these ones just happen to be stuffed with Nutella. Nothing complicated. The only thing you really need is a bit of patience while it rises. Everything else comes together so easily. By the end, you’ve got these golden, braided Nutella buns sitting on your tray, all puffy and glossy from the egg wash. And when you brush them with melted butter right out of the oven? That’s the moment. That’s when you know you nailed it. Let’s make them together 🙂

Jump to Recipe

Why You’ll Love These Nutella Brioche Rolls

Soft, pillowy dough. That classic brioche texture, buttery and light, not dense at all
Melty Nutella centre. Every bun gets a generous pocket of chocolate that stays gooey even after baking
Easier than it looks. No fancy shaping skills needed, just a simple fold and roll
Great for sharing (or not), perfect for breakfast, brunch, or that 4pm chocolate craving you didn’t see coming

What You’ll Need in the Kitchen

Large mixing bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook (optional, but helpful)
Rolling pin
Sharp knife or bench scraper
Baking tray
Baking paper
Pastry brush (for egg wash and butter)
Clean tea towel or cling film (for covering the dough)

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make the Nutella Buns

200 ml warm milk
60 g sugar
7 g instant yeast
2 large eggs
500 g plain flour (add extra if needed)
A pinch of salt
100 g unsalted butter, softened — kneaded in slowly for that classic rich, buttery brioche texture
Nutella, for filling — as much as your heart desires, honestly
1 tsp vanilla extract

How To Make Nutella Brioche Rolls

1. In a bowl, mix the warm milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and yeast. Let it sit for a few minutes until foamy. Then whisk in the egg. Using fresh yeast instead? Mix it with the warm milk first until it goes foamy, then add the rest of the ingredients.

2. Add the flour and salt and mix until a rough, slightly sticky dough comes together. Don’t worry if it looks a bit messy at this stage, it always does at first.

3. Start kneading in the softened butter, a little at a time. Keep going until the dough turns smooth, stretchy, and elastic — about 10-15 minutes by hand, or 6-8 minutes with a mixer and dough hook. It should feel soft and slightly tacky, but not sticky on your fingers.

4. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover, and leave it somewhere warm to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size. I usually pop mine in the oven (switched off, of course) next to a bowl of hot water, the steam speeds things up nicely. Just cover it loosely while it proofs.

5. Punch the dough down gently to release the air, then divide it into equal pieces (about 70g each) and roll each into a smooth ball.

6. Roll each ball out into a rectangle. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of Nutella over the top, leaving a small border around the edges, then fold the rectangle over to enclose the filling.

7. Slice the bottom half of the folded dough into a few strips, leaving the top intact. Carefully wrap and twist the strips up and over the top, this is what gives you that lovely braided look.

8. Place the shaped buns on a lined baking tray, cover loosely, and let them rise again for 30-45 minutes, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.

9. Brush the tops with egg wash (a beaten egg works perfectly), then bake at 180°C (350°F) for 18-20 minutes, until deeply golden on top.

10. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush generously with melted butter. Let them cool just slightly, then enjoy warm. This is honestly the best part.

Tips I Wish Someone Told Me Sooner

Check your milk temperature before adding the yeast, warm to the touch, never hot, or you’ll kill the yeast before it gets going.
Don’t rush the kneading. I know it’s tempting to stop early, but the full 10-15 minutes by hand is what gives you that soft, stretchy texture.
Add the butter slowly, a little at a time. Dumping it all in makes the dough greasy instead of smooth.
Find a warm spot for proofing. My kitchen gets cold in winter, so I usually pop the dough near a sunny window or in a switched-off oven with a bowl of hot water. The steam will help the proofing much faster.
Do not overfill the Nutella spread as it can leak out and burn during baking. That happened to me too many times so lesson learned.
Chill the Nutella and use it straight from the fridge. This is actually important if you want the Nutella to be runny and not dry during baking.
Don’t skip the egg wash, it’s what gives the buns that shiny golden top. And brush with butter right at the end. Small step, but it’s what makes these taste properly bakery-worthy.

Variations & Substitutions

You can swap the Nutella with other types of spread like hazelnut spread, Biscoff, pistachio or even cheese filling. I have tried them all and they all taste just as delicious.
You can add 1 tsp cinnamon or as much as you want into the dough for a warm and spiced flavour.
Top the brioche rolls/buns (before baking) with any kind of nuts you prefer, such as hazelnut, crushed almonds, crushed walnuts or even sprinkle with some sugar.
If you dont want to brush them with egg wash, you can sprinkle some icing sugar after baking.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Keep leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Reheating:

Oven: Warm at 160°C (320°F) for 5-7 minutes to bring back that fresh-baked softness
Microwave: Heat for 10-15 seconds if you’re in a rush, not quite as good, but still works

Freezing: These freeze really well! I once froze mine (already baked Nutella Buns) in an airtight bag for up to 1 month! Just remember to thaw it at room temperature then warm in the oven before serving them.