Chocolate Hazelnut Swirls — No-Yeast Recipe

Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls are tender, fluffy pastry-style rolls filled with swirls of chocolate-hazelnut spread, crunchy crushed hazelnuts and a drizzle of dulce de leche. This no-yeast recipe requires no rising time, so you can bake and serve warm, gooey rolls in about 40 minutes.

*This recipe was first published in December 2018 and has been updated with new photos, clarified steps and a few small recipe adjustments to improve reliability.

These chocolate-hazelnut rolls are a special brunch treat that feel indulgent without requiring complex techniques. The dough behaves like biscuit dough, giving each roll a flaky, tender crumb with pockets of melted spread and crunchy hazelnuts. Below are notes on key ingredients, an easy step-by-step method, storage tips and helpful substitutions to make this recipe your own.

Details on a few ingredients

• Flour: For the best texture, use all-purpose white flour. Whole wheat can be experimented with, but it will produce denser rolls.
• Butter: Use cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes. Cold butter creates the flaky layers you want—avoid allowing it to warm up while you work the dough.
• Chocolate-hazelnut spread: Nutella works beautifully, but any chocolate-hazelnut spread will do.
• Hazelnuts: Buy whole natural hazelnuts and pulse them to a crumbly texture in a food processor. For deeper flavor and extra crunch, toast the crushed hazelnuts on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 6–8 minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn.
• Dulce de leche: Store-bought dulce de leche saves time and tastes great. If you don’t have it, caramel or butterscotch sauce are suitable alternatives.

How to make Nutella swirl rolls without yeast

• Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease an 8×11-inch oval baking dish or a 10-inch round dish.
• Step 2: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt just to combine.
• Step 3: Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly with small butter pieces remaining. Avoid over-processing so the butter stays cold.
• Step 4: Stir the vanilla into the milk. With the food processor running, slowly add the milk and process until a sticky dough forms.

• Step 5: Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and fold it over several times to incorporate extra flour and make it manageable. The dough should become firmer and less sticky; add a touch more flour if needed.
• Step 6: Roll the dough into a rectangle about 15 inches long by 10 inches wide, using flour on the surface and rolling pin as required to prevent sticking.
• Step 7: Spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread evenly over the dough.
• Step 8: Sprinkle most of the crushed hazelnuts over the spread, reserving some for topping after baking.

• Step 9: Starting at the long edge, roll the dough into a log, tucking the ends under so the filling stays inside.
• Step 10: Slice the log into 12 even pieces.
• Step 11: Place the slices in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
• Step 12: Bake 20–22 minutes at 425°F (220°C) until the tops are golden. Remove from the oven and immediately spoon the dulce de leche over the warm rolls, then sprinkle with the reserved hazelnuts.

How to ensure you get tender and flaky rolls

The dough is handled like biscuit dough: the goal is to keep the butter cold and avoid overworking the dough. Key tips:

• Keep the butter cold and work quickly so small pockets of butter remain in the dough—those pockets steam during baking and create flakiness.
• Don’t over-knead. Fold the dough a few times just until it holds together and is no longer overly sticky; excessive kneading will produce tough rolls.

Storage and freezing

These rolls are best served warm and gooey right from the oven. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; they may firm up but warm quickly in the microwave before serving. If you use a caramel that doesn’t require refrigeration or skip the dulce de leche, the rolls can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days.

To freeze, omit the dulce de leche and arrange cooled rolls in a single layer in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm and add the dulce de leche before serving.

Additional recipe tips and substitutions

• If you don’t have a food processor, cut the butter into the flour with a handheld pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture is crumbly.
• Measure flour using the spoon-and-level method: spoon the flour into the cup, then level it with the back of a knife to avoid packing it in.
• Keep your work surface well floured so the dough won’t stick while you roll and shape it.
• For cleaner slices, a serrated knife works well; some bakers use unflavored dental floss to slice rolled logs without squashing them.

Other decadent brunch treats to enjoy

• White Chocolate Cranberry Rolls
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
• Walnut Banana Bread with Molasses
• Baked French Toast Casserole with Cherries

If you try the recipe, share your feedback and any questions—you can adapt the fillings and toppings to suit your taste, and these rolls are a simple way to bring a bakery-style treat to the table quickly.

📖 Recipe

Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls (Made Without Yeast)

Sweet, flaky rolls filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread and crushed hazelnuts, finished with dulce de leche—ready in about 40 minutes.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 rolls

Author: Leanne Combden

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose white flour, plus 3–5 tablespoons for the work surface
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 4 heaping teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 cup dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
• 1 cup natural whole hazelnuts, crushed
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease an 8×11-inch oval or 10-inch round baking dish.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly with small butter pieces.
3. Mix vanilla into the milk. With the processor running, slowly add the milk and process until a sticky dough forms.
4. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and fold it over a few times until it is no longer overly sticky. Add a little more flour if needed.
5. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 15 by 10 inches, using flour to prevent sticking.
6. Spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over the dough and sprinkle most of the crushed hazelnuts on top, reserving some for garnish.
7. Roll the dough from the long side into a log, tucking the ends in. Slice into 12 even pieces and arrange in the prepared dish.
8. Bake 20–22 minutes, until the tops are golden. Remove from the oven and spoon dulce de leche over the warm rolls, then sprinkle with the reserved hazelnuts.

Notes

1. Pulse hazelnuts until crumbly for filling; toast briefly at 350°F for 6–8 minutes for extra flavor, watching carefully.
2. Measure flour with the spoon-and-level method to avoid packing too much into the cup.
3. Keep butter cold and avoid overworking the dough to preserve flaky texture.
4. If you lack a food processor, use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour.
5. Ensure the work surface is well floured to prevent sticking while rolling and shaping.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 343 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 11 g | Sugar: 14 g

Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on substitutions and brands used.