So I purchased a container of Nutella a while back and I was super excited about it. But the days kept passing by and I kept putting off doing something with it. TBH the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Nutella is a crepe with Nutella, strawberries, and bananas and there’s a place nearby that I always go to called Bonjour Crepes and they’re amazing so I didn’t really see a need to make them myself… (side note: sadly they had to close during the lockdown, but they’re open again now!) So every time I’d look at the tub of Nutella, I didn’t really feel like making crepes so it just sat there for a while.
As the expiration date was approaching I realized I had to do something with this tub of Nutella before it went bad! So I looked for dessert recipes using Nutella and I squeezed in two recipes to use up the tub before the expiration date. This recipe in particular really balanced out the sweetness of the Nutella very nicely. They were a little crispy (see my note below) but they were the perfect vessel for the Nutella that I had to eat ASAP. And if you don’t have Nutella, technically you could stuff these with any creamy spread you like!
Note: I don’t have a mini muffin pan in my NYC apartment, just a regular-sized one so I followed the recipe and put 1 tablespoon of batter at the bottom of each of the regular-sized muffin pan slots but they didn’t quite bake as they appear in the original recipe. I think this is why my donut “holes” flattened out so much that they ended up looking more like sandwiches. I ended up slicing them down the middle so I could add in the Nutella but I would definitely recommend using a mini muffin pan if you have one!
Ingredients
For the donut holes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup milk
For the topping and filling:
- 3 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Nutella (or any other creamy spread)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all donut ingredients and blend with an electric mixer until combined (about 2-3 minutes). Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with baking spray.
- Spoon (using a 1Tbsp scoop) into muffin cups and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 13-15 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and cool about 5-10 minutes in pan. Flip each donut onto its side, as it makes it easier to fill with Nutella.
4. Fill a piping bag with Nutella, and using a tip (I used a size 5 tip), squirt the Nutella into the side of the donut hole, applying enough pressure to see the donut hole expand. Repeat until all donut holes are filled.
5. Melt butter and place in a small bowl. Add sugar to a separate bowl. Drop donut into the butter, roll around. Then drop into sugar, coating generously.
6. Allow to set (about 10 minutes). ENJOY. These are best enjoyed in 24 hours.
Recipe from Shugary Sweets
Baking With Friends 