This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Nutella Swirl muffins are moist, soft, and packed with Nutella flavor. You don’t have to be a professional baker when you follow my easy step-by-step guide to making bakery-style muffins in just 10 minutes of prep time.
The Absolute Best Nutella Swirl Muffins Recipe
After spending 6 months testing and developing muffin recipes, I am now sharing all my best muffin tips with you. Now you can make delicious Nutella swirl muffins with tall, bakery-style tops in just 8 easy steps and avoid making all the baking mistakes I used to make.
These fluffy Nutella muffins are made by layering a dollop of Nutella between the perfect muffin batter and then repeating for the perfect Nutella layers. Then, we finish off each muffin top with a delicious swirl of Nutella. You read that right, Nutella, Nutella, and more Nutella!
It may sound intimidating but don’t worry; my easy-to-follow steps will guide you through this foolproof, easy muffin recipe.
Plus, keep reading to learn how you can make tall, domed tops that will make your muffins look straight out of a professional bakery so you can wow your friends and family!
If you love Nutella recipes, you should also try my Nutella Buckeye Balls!
Why You’ll Love These Nutella Swirl Muffins
What’s NOT to love about this Nutella muffin recipe? These are seriously a winner, and a true crowd pleaser every single time. Here are a few of my favorite things about these muffins:
- Just 15 minutes of prep
- Layers of Nutella
- Great for snacks, dessert, or late night snacks!
- Moist, soft muffins with tender crumb
- Tall and domed muffin tops (bakery style!)
What You’ll Need for Nutella Swirl Muffins
All you need to make these ridiculously tasty and moist muffins are some basic pantry ingredients and of course, Nutella. For the full recipe with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Nutella
How to Make Nutella Swirl Muffins
You might be surprised that you can make the most tender homemade muffins at home, with perfect swirls of nutella, and they’ll come out looking like you just picked them up from your local bakery!
Follow this 8 easy steps to muffin perfection, and keep reading to get the full recipe in the recipe card below:
- Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir together and set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
- Rest muffin batter and prep oven. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC.
- Prep and fill muffin pan. For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners/paper liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 2 tablespoons of batter.
- Add nutella and more batter. Heat the nutella in the microwave until melty. Drop 1 teaspoon of nutella into each muffin cup, spread into an even layer. Add 2 tablespoons of batter, covering the first layer of nutella. Then drop 1 more teaspoon of nutella, spread into an even layer. Fill the muffin cups with about 4 tablespoons of batter.
- Top muffins. Finish the top of each muffin with a little bit of nutella, swirling it into the top of the batter with a toothpick. Sprinkle the tops with sanding sugar.
- Bake and cool. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake muffins for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF / 220ºC.
How to Create Bakery Style Muffins
Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!
1. The Rest Period
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest.
2. Fill Every Other Muffin Cup
This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.
3. Fill Them To The Top
Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.
4. Bake at High Temperature Initially
Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
- Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
- Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Tips for the Nutella Swirl Muffins
The obvious solution for a little Nutella craving? Nutella muffins! Here are a few tips to make the perfect Nutella muffin even better:
- Be sure to heat the Nutella. It’s easier to the make the Nutella swirls with heated Nutella.
- Don’t skip the rest time. Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes in the mixing bowl.
- Top with sanding sugar. Top the muffins with sanding sugar to achieve a true bakery-style muffin look and taste.
- Make tall, domed tops. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other, creating those large muffin tops like bakeries do. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.
- Bake at a high temp at first. Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly.
Substitutions & Variations
These muffins are a delicious treat, perfect for dessert, snacks or my personal favorite – the late-night snack! If you want to change it up a little, here are some ideas:
- Don’t like Nutella? You can substitute nutella for peanut butter, biscoff spread, or any other spread with a similar consistency. Or, just try my favorite chocolate peanut butter muffins!
- Gluten Free Nutella Swirl Muffins: Make these gluten-free by swapping the flour. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
- Use any chocolate hazelnut spread. If you don’t have the specific Nutella brand, any chocolate hazelnut spread should do just fine.
Storing & Freezing Nutella Swirl Muffins
If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter.
For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with a paper towel. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container, then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored.
If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels.
How to Freeze Muffins
Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then, place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20-second intervals until defrosted.
More Muffin Recipes
Tap stars to rate!
Nutella Swirl Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 450 grams
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, 350 grams
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk, 300 ml
- ½ cup vegetable oil, 118 ml
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup nutella, 200 grams
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC.
- For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 2 tablespoons of batter.
- Heat the nutella in the microwave until melty. Drop 1 teaspoon of nutella into each muffin cup, spread into an even layer. Add 2 tablespoons of batter, covering the first layer of nutella. Then drop 1 more teaspoon of nutella, spread into an even layer. Fill the muffin cups with about 4 tablespoons of batter.
- Top each muffin with a little bit of nutella, swirling it into the batter with a toothpick. Sprinkle the tops with sanding sugar.
- Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF / 220ºC.
I am following the recipe exactly as written. My muffins burn all around the edges using only 16 mins at the 350 setting after doing 7 mins at 425 on my convection setting. I use the convection setting for everything I bake (muffins, bundts, breads, pies, cin rolls, etc…), except for cake. Is it possible that the recipe does not work on the convection setting?
I am so sad😞
I have a gas conventional oven (not a convection oven) and bake on the standard setting, not convection bake. I position my oven rack so that my muffin pan sits in the middle of the oven. This home depot post is actually really great at explaining all the differences.
https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/conventional-oven-vs-convection-oven/9ba683603be9fa5395fab901bdbaf1e7
These muffins are a complete winner! They are moist and flavorful. Beth has the BEST tips to take your muffins to the next level. Follow her instructions for muffins that look (and taste) like they’ve come from a professional bakery
I made these muffins & the were amazing & had a “super dome”!! The family sure enjoyed them too! These were actually the 2nd muffins I tried from Beth’s Bakery Style Muffins book!
So easy to follow all her instructions! Looking forward to trying another amazing muffin recipe!!
Any substitute for the cinnamon or nutmeg? I’m not a fan of either…
You can just omit them!
Made these today so delicious!!!