The only problem with breakfast pastries is that they tend to take a while to prepare, so “breakfast” will often turn into “brunch” or later if you don’t start your prep well in advance. This is why pancakes and muffins tend to be the fall backs of the home cook, rather than croissants and danishes. It is also why I love having an easy, non-yeast recipe for pastry that is versatile and delicious. With only a few minutes in the morning, you can easily turn out something that looks better than what you might find at the bakery. And you don’t even have to change out of your pajamas to make it.
I originally came across a version of this recipe in Super Food Ideas, which is also where I found the inspiration for the pumpkin curry I made just a short while ago. The pastry is made by cutting butter into a flour mixture, in much the same way you would do with a pie crust, although the texture comes out to be much more like puff pastry than crust. This is due to the fact that there is leavening – baking powder – in the dough, which helps it to maintain a light and fluffy texture without any of the time-consuming layering required for puff pastry. It isn’t sweet, so it could be used in savory rolls as well as these sweet, breakfast scrolls.
The filling is simply Nutella and miniature chocolate chips, although you can add in some chopped up hazelnuts if you are looking to add some crunch and enhance the nuttiness of the Nutella. It is spread over the pastry before it is rolled up. As long as you work quickly, you shouldn’t have any problem with the pastry becoming too soft to handle easily. If it does become too soft or sticky, simply stick it into the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before continuing to work.
When finished, the pastry is light, crisp and flaky, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality that is just heavenly. In fact, it’s hard to believe that it took only 5 minutes to throw together! It goes well with the filling, as the crisp texture of the pastry and the slightly savory butter flavor cut the rich taste of the Nutella, resulting in a pastry that is not only incredibly indulgent, but very well balanced.
Serve the scrolls with coffee or hot chocolate, and keep a few extra on reserve in case anyone wants seconds!
Nutella Scrolls
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups milk, cold
1/2 cup Nutella spread
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. The largest should be about the size of a large pea. Alternatively, you can combine these ingredients in a food processor and pulse to achieve crumbs, then transfer to a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in cold milk, gradually stirring with a butter knife or a fork until a soft dough forms.
Sprinkle dough with flour and turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead lightly until smooth, then roll out to a 12×14 inch rectangle. If dough gets too soft or sticky, even with the extra flour, put in fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
Spread Nutella over dough, leaving a 2cm border along the longer edges, but going all the way to the end of the short edges of the rectangle. Sprinkle chocolate chips and hazelnuts, if using, evenly over Nutella.
Starting with a long end, roll up dough in a jelly-roll fashion. Using a sharp, serrated knife to gently cut the roll into 12 even slices. Use a damp paper towel in between slices to keep knife clean and press gently to avoid squishing the roll. Lay scrolls flat on prepared baking sheet, allowing about 1 inch between each.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until scroll are light gold. Stand for 5 minutes on tray before gently pulling apart. Serve warm.
Make 12.
JEP
June 22, 2007Love this idea! What other sweet fillings would be successful?
mj
June 22, 2007Does this keep well? Is it good cold as well?
Anonymous
June 24, 2007Would a simple butter, cinnamon and sugar fillings be enough or do you think it has to be a «wetter« filling? I’m so dying to try this recipe!
BabkaNosher
June 24, 2007I can’t wait to try this! Do you think it would work well with store bought puff pastry?
sunny12
June 26, 2007I’ve made something similar, and used cinnamon sugar, though I had thought of using Nutella and just didn’t get around to it. To make the cinnamon/brown sugar filling stick, just brush the rolled out dough with some milk or cream.
I’ve also wanted to add some chopped apple to the cinnamon sugar, I’ll get around to it eventually!
Alison
June 27, 2007Nicole, I’m new to your blog…I can’t wait to try these as my aunt turned me on to Nutella only a couple of weeks ago.
cj coppola
June 27, 2007Nic –
I just made these last night – delicious! My son is a nutella addict and loved them. They are best warm but not too bad cold with an iced latte!
Thanks!
cj
Georgia
June 28, 2007I baked the scrolls this afternoon. My husband and I agree: delicious! My only reservation is the flavor of the dough is plain. Do you have suggestions for sweetening the dough: honey perhaps? (My husband likes the dough as is.)
Georgia
June 28, 2007I baked the scrolls this afternoon. My husband and I agree: delicious! My only reservation is the flavor of the dough: it is plain. Do you have suggestions for sweetening the dough: honey perhaps? (My husband likes the dough as is.)
Tom in Boston
July 2, 2007I made this today, but with cinnamon sugar because I’ve never bought nutella (need to rectify that!). They tasted like cinnamon biscuits, and I think they’re a nice alternative to muffins and scones. I might increase the butter next time to make them a little richer. Thanks for the idea and the recipe!
Georgia
July 17, 2007Take 2: Using 1/2 the portion, I baked 12 small scrolls filled with olives and cheddar and parmesan cheeses. The verdict is the same (with a slightly different audience): simply delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Addi
November 11, 2007TRy a cinnamon/butter/brown sugar filling – it really works – we used to sell them for years at the restaurant where I worked and could not keep up with the demand!!!!We iced the top with drizzled glace icing(icing sugar and a little water) and served them hot.Yummiest!!!
Sylvia
February 1, 2009Hi! These nutella scrolls look delicious. I was thinking of making them for my roommate’s birthday by surprising her with freshly baked breakfast pastries in the morning. Will the dough keep in the refrigerator? I wanted to prepare the entire thing a head of time the night before and then just bake them in the morning. Would that be okay?
Megan
May 13, 2009I’m in a french class so this better work
looks yum
Sara
April 6, 2011I just made these – a note for anyone seeing this recipe now, I added about 3 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla to the dough to make it more flavorful. Very good!
Rashel
May 14, 2012Nutella and Bananas will be great too!
Danya Banya
August 4, 2012I made these using wholemeal (wholewheat) flour and bananas. The banana did make them hard to cut, and so less pretty, but still yum nonetheless 🙂 I served them cold at my daughters birthday party.
See photo at the bottom of this blog post http://www.danyabanya.com/2012/08/easy-custom-themed-homemade-cupcake-toppers.html.html.