Nutella Christmas Tree is a puff pastry dessert built from two sheets of dough, a layer of chocolate hazelnut spread, and about 20 minutes of shaping. The result is a pull-apart tree with 14 to 16 branches that bake in 35 minutes at 400 F (204 C).
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The numbers matter here. Two standard 17.3-ounce (490 g) puff pastry sheets yield a tree roughly 12 inches tall and 9 inches wide, which serves 6 people at about 2 branches each. A 13-ounce (370 g) jar of Nutella gives you 1 cup, and you will use 3/4 cup inside the tree plus 1/4 cup for finishing.
This is a low-skill, high-impact bake. No mixer, no chilling, no piping bag. If you can cut strips with a knife and twist them, you can make this. Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes in the oven, plus 20 minutes of cooling before anyone touches it.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 sheets puff pastry, 17.3 oz (490 g) total, thawed but cold
Buy all-butter puff pastry if the label lists butter first; it browns faster and tastes cleaner than shortening-based versions. If you only have frozen dough, thaw it in the refrigerator for 8 hours, never on the counter, because warm pastry tears.
3/4 cup (200 g) Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread, for the filling
Nutella spreads easiest at 70 F (21 C). If your jar has been in a cold pantry, microwave it in 10-second bursts until it ribbons off a spoon. Any chocolate hazelnut spread, cookie butter, or dulce de leche works as a direct swap.
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
The egg wash is what produces the deep mahogany shine. If you avoid egg, brush with 2 tablespoons heavy cream mixed with 1 teaspoon honey instead; it browns slightly less but still seals the edges.
1/4 cup (60 g) Nutella, warmed, for drizzling
Warm this in a small bowl for 15 seconds so it drizzles in a thin line rather than clumping. Leftover chocolate sauce or melted semisweet chocolate thinned with 1 teaspoon butter is a fine substitute.
2 tablespoons (15 g) powdered sugar, for dusting
Dust only after the tree cools for at least 20 minutes, otherwise the sugar melts into the pastry. Confectioners' sugar labeled with cornstarch holds up better on humid days.
1 tablespoon (8 g) sliced almonds, optional, for the trunk and branches
Toasting the almonds for 4 minutes at 350 F (177 C) before pressing them on adds crunch. Skip them entirely if anyone at the table has a nut allergy, since the spread already contains hazelnuts.
Tips & Tricks
Keep the pastry cold
Work on a sheet of parchment and return the dough to the fridge for 5 minutes if it starts to feel soft. Warm puff pastry loses its laminated layers and bakes flat instead of puffy.
Chill before baking
Slide the assembled tree on its parchment onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Cold dough hits the hot oven harder and rises roughly 20 percent higher.
Use a pizza wheel for the branches
A sharp wheel gives clean 1-inch strips in one pass. A dull knife drags the dough and pinches the layers shut, which blocks the rise.
- Score, do not cut through, the center line: When you mark the trunk, cut only about 80 percent of the way through. A fully severed trunk lets the branches separate in the oven.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Thaw and prep
Set the puff pastry sheets on the counter for 30 to 40 minutes until pliable but still cool to the touch, about 60 F (16 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C).
2. Roll the sheets
Unfold each sheet on lightly floured parchment and roll to a 12 by 9 inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Rolling evens out the fold lines so the tree bakes at a consistent thickness.
3. Spread the filling
Place one sheet on the parchment-lined pan. Spread 3/4 cup (200 g) Nutella over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. The border is what seals the two sheets together.
4. Stack and seal
Lay the second pastry sheet directly on top and press the edges with your fingers, then crimp with a fork. Brush the whole surface with egg wash so the top browns evenly.
5. Cut the tree shape
Draw a triangle in your head: cut away the two top corners to form a pointed top, and trim the bottom into a 2-inch trunk. You should end up with a tree about 12 inches tall and 9 inches wide at the base.
6. Slice the branches
Starting 1 inch below the top point, cut horizontal strips about 1 inch wide on both sides, stopping 1 inch short of the center trunk line. You should get 7 to 8 strips per side, 14 to 16 total.
7. Twist each branch
Grab each strip and twist it 2 full turns in the same direction, pressing the end gently onto the parchment. Twisting exposes the filling and creates the spiral pattern that defines the tree.
8. Bake until golden
Bake at 400 F (204 C) for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan at 20 minutes. The tree is done when the branches are deep golden brown, the filling at the edges bubbles, and the center reads 200 F (93 C) on an instant-read thermometer.
9. Cool, drizzle, finish
Cool on the pan for 20 minutes. Warm the remaining 1/4 cup (60 g) Nutella for 15 seconds and drizzle it over the branches in thin lines, then dust with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and scatter the toasted almonds.
Delicious Variations
S'mores Tree
Replace half the Nutella with marshmallow fluff and scatter mini chocolate chips and crushed graham crackers over the branches before baking.
Pistachio Tree
Swap the Nutella for 3/4 cup pistachio cream and finish with chopped roasted pistachios and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Salted Caramel Tree
Use 3/4 cup dulce de leche instead of Nutella and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt over the warm branches right out of the oven.
How to Store Nutella Christmas Tree
Refrigerator
Store cut pieces in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; refrigerate only if your kitchen runs above 75 F (24 C), where it keeps 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze baked branches in a single layer for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours.
Reheating
Reheat on a parchment-lined sheet at 350 F (177 C) for 6 to 8 minutes until the pastry re-crisps. The microwave works in 20-second bursts but leaves the dough soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make a Nutella Christmas Tree ahead of time?
Yes, assemble the tree up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate it covered on its baking sheet. Bake it straight from the fridge, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the total time. Do not assemble and leave it at room temperature, because the pastry softens and the filling seeps.
Q: How do I keep the puff pastry from getting soggy?
Seal the edges completely and bake at a full 400 F (204 C) rather than a lower temperature. A 1/2 inch border pressed with a fork, plus a hot oven, drives moisture out fast enough that the layers set before the filling can soak in.
Q: Can I use crescent roll dough instead of puff pastry?
Yes, two 8-ounce cans of refrigerated crescent dough work, but the texture is breadier and less flaky. Press the seams closed, reduce the oven to 375 F (191 C), and bake 22 to 26 minutes until golden.
Q: How many people does one Nutella Christmas Tree serve?
One 12-inch tree serves 6 as a dessert, at roughly 2 to 3 branches per person. For a party of 12, bake two trees on separate sheets rather than one oversized tree, which bakes unevenly.
Q: Why did my branches untwist in the oven?
The dough was too warm when you twisted it, so the pastry relaxed and sprang back. Chill the assembled tree for 15 minutes before baking and press each twisted end firmly onto the parchment to anchor it.
Build the tree on parchment, chill it for 15 minutes, and bake it at 400 F (204 C) until the branches are deep golden and the edges bubble. That is the entire technique. Make it once and you will have the timing memorized for every holiday table after this. Keep it simple, keep it growing.
Nutella Christmas Tree
Nutella Christmas Tree is a flaky puff pastry dessert filled with chocolate hazelnut spread, baked golden, and shaped into a pull-apart holiday centerpiece.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry, 17.3 oz (490 g) total, thawed but cold
- 3/4 cup (200 g) Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread, for the filling
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Nutella, warmed, for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) powdered sugar, for dusting
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) sliced almonds, optional, for the trunk and branches
📋 Instructions
- 1Thaw and prep — Set the puff pastry sheets on the counter for 30 to 40 minutes until pliable but still cool to the touch, about 60 F (16 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C).
- 2Roll the sheets — Unfold each sheet on lightly floured parchment and roll to a 12 by 9 inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Rolling evens out the fold lines so the tree bakes at a consistent thickness.
- 3Spread the filling — Place one sheet on the parchment-lined pan. Spread 3/4 cup (200 g) Nutella over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. The border is what seals the two sheets together.
- 4Stack and seal — Lay the second pastry sheet directly on top and press the edges with your fingers, then crimp with a fork. Brush the whole surface with egg wash so the top browns evenly.
- 5Cut the tree shape — Draw a triangle in your head: cut away the two top corners to form a pointed top, and trim the bottom into a 2-inch trunk. You should end up with a tree about 12 inches tall and 9 inches wide at the base.
- 6Slice the branches — Starting 1 inch below the top point, cut horizontal strips about 1 inch wide on both sides, stopping 1 inch short of the center trunk line. You should get 7 to 8 strips per side, 14 to 16 total.
- 7Twist each branch — Grab each strip and twist it 2 full turns in the same direction, pressing the end gently onto the parchment. Twisting exposes the filling and creates the spiral pattern that defines the tree.
- 8Bake until golden — Bake at 400 F (204 C) for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan at 20 minutes. The tree is done when the branches are deep golden brown, the filling at the edges bubbles, and the center reads 200 F (93 C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- 9Cool, drizzle, finish — Cool on the pan for 20 minutes. Warm the remaining 1/4 cup (60 g) Nutella for 15 seconds and drizzle it over the branches in thin lines, then dust with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and scatter the toasted almonds.
Liam covers personal finance and investing for beginners, demystifying money management with clear, no-nonsense advice. He focuses on budgeting, saving, and long-term wealth building, often using real-life scenarios to illustrate concepts.
