Nutella has taken the world by storm with its rich flavour, velvety texture, and wonderfully moreish effect on food. If youāve got a hankering for Nutella, you may be tempted to buy a lot of it and then freeze the spread. But, is this possible?
Can You Freeze Nutella?
Yes, you can freeze Nutella for up to 6 months. The best way to do this is to simply place an unopened jar into the freezer and leave it there. It will freeze solid, and remain perfectly safe to eat for at least 6 months provided it’s still in the airtight container.
Do Does Nutella freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Nutella? Yes
How to Freeze Nutella
The best way to freeze Nutella is to ensure that the jar youāre working with still has an airtight seal, isn’t rancid, and then place it directly in the freezer.
We recommend NOT using a Ziploc bag as it’s challenging to get the Nutella in, and then out again later. Plus, you increase the chance that it’ll go bad by exposing the Nutella to air prior to freezing.
Additionally, Nutella is exceptionally prone to freezer burn, so allowing the surface of the spread to develop frost and, potentially, total freezer burn will cause the Nutella to degrade in quality significantly.
Expansion?
Itās worth pointing out, in this instance, that you do not need to worry about the expansion of water within Nutella as it freezes, as you might worry about things like jam or other water-based spreads.
The reason for this is that Nutella is essentially a hazelnut paste with added seasonings and oil to ensure that itās as smooth as possible.
This means that there is no water content that might freeze, expand, and cause the jar itself to crack, split, or break in any meaningful way.
Once the Nutella has frozen to a solid consistency, it will freeze very well, and store in the freezer for around 6 months.
There are some sources that contend that Nutella’s consistency can be altered by a prolonged time in the freezer, though we would disagree with them – while itās in the freezer, the fat content of the spread freezes at a different consistency to the non-fat content.
This means that the Nutella may have separated during freezing, but it will be entirely safe and tasty when itās thawed.
3 Tips for Freezing Nutella
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Nutella to have the best results:
Ensure the Container is Sealed
The container youāre freezing the Nutella in must be sealed when the spread enters the freezer. The reason for this is that the fat and sugar content behaves differently from the other elements of Nutella, meaning that condensation can dissolve them, drawing them out of the Nutella and ruining the spread itself – this is less than ideal.
Beware of Glass
When itās freezer cold, glass can be very brittle indeed. The exception to this rule is the borosilicate glass, which items like Pyrex dishes are made from. A Nutella jar is made from regular glass, so it will be very brittle when frozen. Be careful not to drop the jar or treat it too roughly.
Allow Nutella to Fully Thaw
Allowing the Nutella to thaw before removing the lid will allow you to instantly mix the solution youāre dealing with, rather than having to try to mix a partially frozen liquid. The Nutella may separate slightly during freezing, so a post-freeze mix will make the spread a little more appetizing.
How Long Can You Freeze Nutella?
You can freeze Nutella for around 6 months. Beyond that time, freezer burn will likely start as ice crystals form on and in the Nutella. This will dissolve the sugar content of the Nutella, ruining the texture itself.
It doesn’t! Nutella cannot be put in the fridge. It will seize up and become impossible to spread.
How Do You Defrost Nutella?
The best way to defrost Nutella is to leave it on the counter in your kitchen for a few hours. If you leave it in the fridge, the fat content will still be a little solid when you come to it, making it difficult to spread.
Instead, allowing it to sit at room temperature results in a smooth spread.
Can You Refreeze Nutella?
Yes, you can refreeze Nutella. The main barrier to refreezing different food is that the texture of food can change during and after being frozen. Nutella wonāt encounter this problem, which means it can be refrozen several times.
Does Nutella Freeze Well?
Yes, Nutella does freeze well. The reason is that although Nutella can separate slightly while in the freezer, it can easily be recombined by stirring it when it is returned to room temperature.
No overall texture or flavour is lost by freezing Nutella – it typically returns to normal after itās thawed.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing Nutella or Nutella in general, then these may help:
Although Nutella sandwiches can be frozen, it’s not a good idea. They will never thaw well. Instead, freeze Nutella and bread apart.
No, Nutella does not freeze in the fridge but it will go hard. Unfortunately, it becomes impossible to spread and will be difficult to mend.
Yes! Although we recommend only freezing them overnight (no more than 48 hours). Simply coat the strawberries with Nutella, place them on a parchment lined tray, and freeze them.
