Ferrero Rocher Inspired Donuts 🤎🍩 — Nutella-Filled, Chocolate-Dipped & Irresistible
↓ Jump to RecipePillowy soft yeasted donuts filled with Nutella, dipped in a mixed dark-and-milk chocolate glaze, and finished with crunchy chopped hazelnuts — every bite tastes exactly like a Ferrero Rocher, but homemade and fresh out of the fryer.
If you’ve ever bitten into a Ferrero Rocher and thought — this should be a donut — then this recipe was made for you. The dough uses Greek yogurt alongside warm milk, which gives each donut that incredibly soft, pillowy texture that stays tender for hours.
The secret to the coating is using a blend of chocolates — a combination of 85% dark, dark chips, semi-sweet, and just a touch of milk chocolate. That mix is what gives you the complex, slightly bitter-sweet shell that perfectly mirrors the iconic Ferrero shell. Roll each dipped donut in chopped hazelnuts while the chocolate is still wet and you’re done.
Ferrero Rocher Inspired Donuts
- 🥣 Large mixing bowl
- 🪝 Stand mixer with dough hook (or mix by hand)
- 🔄 Rolling pin + floured surface
- 🍩 Round donut cutters (or glasses)
- 🌡️ Thermometer for oil temperature
- 🍳 Deep pot or Dutch oven for frying
- 🧁 Piping bag + round tip for filling
- 🖌️ Wire cooling rack
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1Activate the yeast — warm the milk to about 110°F (warm, not hot). Stir in the yeast and half the sugar and let it sit until foamy, about 5–10 minutes. 🌡️ Don’t overheat!
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2Mix the wet ingredients — add the remaining sugar, Greek yogurt, egg, egg yolk, melted butter, and vanilla to the yeast mixture. Mix until smooth and combined.
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3Form the dough — gradually add the bread flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until very soft, smooth, and stretchy — about 8–10 minutes. The dough should feel pillowy and slightly tacky. 💡 Use a little oil instead of flour if the dough sticks
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4First rise — oil the bowl and place the dough inside. Cover and let rise somewhere warm until doubled in size, about 1–1½ hours.
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5Cut and proof — roll the dough out to about ½-inch thick and cut into donut shapes. Place on parchment-lined trays, cover, and proof for 30–40 minutes until puffy.
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6Fry until golden — heat oil to 350°F and fry the donuts for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before filling. ❄️ Must be completely cool before filling!
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7Fill with Nutella — using a piping bag with a round tip, inject each cooled donut with Nutella from the side.
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8Make the chocolate coating — melt all the chocolates together until smooth. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts and mix to combine.
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9Dip and set — dip each Nutella-filled donut into the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off, then place on a wire rack. Let the coating set at room temperature or in the fridge until slightly firm.
- 🌡️ Yeast temperature matters — milk that’s too hot will kill the yeast. Aim for 105–110°F (like warm bath water).
- 🍫 Chocolate blend tip — using a mix of 85% dark + dark chips + semi-sweet + a little milk chocolate mimics the complex Ferrero Rocher shell. Don’t skip the blend!
- 💡 Kneading hack — if the dough feels too sticky, use a light coat of oil on your hands and surface instead of adding more flour, which can make the donuts tough.
- 🍩 Donut holes — don’t waste the cut-out middles! Fry them too — they’re perfect bite-sized snacks.
- 🥜 Extra crunch — toast the hazelnuts before chopping for deeper flavour.
- ❄️ Storage — best eaten the same day. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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