This one tastes like a Nutella based ice-cream, I’m not exaggerating. The combination of melted dark chocolate, pure hazelnut butter, cocoa powder, and honey spun through creamy whole milk produces something so intensely chocolatey and nutty that it genuinely reminds me of a Ferrero Rocher — but cold, scoopable, and made with real ingredients you can actually pronounce.
The secret is using both dark chocolate and cocoa powder together. The chocolate gives body and that deep, slightly bitter richness; the cocoa amplifies it and prevents the ice cream from tasting too sweet. And the hazelnut butter (not Nutella, but pure 100% hazelnut butter with no added sugar) brings a natural roasted nuttiness that ties everything together beautifully.
Honey is my sweetener of choice here because it keeps the base from freezing too hard, which means a smoother spin every time.
A naturally gluten-free treat
All five ingredients are naturally gluten-free, so this is a great option if you’re cooking for someone with a gluten intolerance — just double-check your dark chocolate label, as some brands process on shared equipment. Beyond that, there’s nothing to swap or substitute. It’s a very straightforward recipe.
If you want to make it dairy-free, swap the whole milk for oat milk or a barista-style almond milk. The result will be slightly less creamy but still absolutely delicious — just make sure to run a re-spin for the best texture.
Tips & variations
- Use the darkest chocolate you enjoy. 70% gives a well-balanced result; 85% makes it more intense and less sweet. Avoid milk chocolate: it’ll make the base too sugary and it won’t freeze as well.
- Cool the base before freezing. Pouring a warm base into the Ninja Creami pint is fine, but letting it cool first speeds up the freezing process and can improve the final texture slightly.
- Hazelnut butter tip. Stir the jar well before measuring — the oil separates and you want a smooth, fully combined butter for the best result.
- Mix-in idea. After the first spin, add a handful of roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts or chocolate wafers into the centre, press back in, and run the Mix-In programme for a Ferrero Rocher moment in every bite.
- Dairy-free version. Swap whole milk for oat milk or soy milk in equal quantity, and use maple syrup instead of honey to make it fully vegan.
Dark chocolate & hazelnut Ninja Creami ice cream
4
servings10
minutes24
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
3.5 oz Dark chocolate (100 g )
7 tbsp Pure hazelnut butter – no sugar added (100 g)
2 cups Whole milk or soy (500 ml)
3 tbsp Honeyt(60 g)
2 tbsp Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
How to
- In a saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until it’s hot but not boiling. Whisk in the cocoa powder and honey until fully dissolved with no lumps. Add the chocolate and whisk until melted.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the hazelnut butter until completely smooth.
- Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then pour into your Ninja Creami pint container up to the max fill line.
- Freeze for a minimum of 24 hours, ideally 24–48 hours for the smoothest result.
- When ready to process, place the pint in the Ninja Creami and run the Ice Cream program. If using soy milk, run the sorbet program. Check the texture after the first spin: if it looks crumbly, run a Re-spin. It should come out beautifully smooth and creamy.
- Serve straight away for soft-serve, or return to the freezer for 30 minutes for a firmer scoop. Top with a few crushed hazelnuts for crunch if you like.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 392kcal
- Fat: 25.8g
- Carbohydrates: 30.5g
- Protein: 10.2g
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