Nutella Banana Dessert Pizza With Toasted Hazelnuts

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 slices
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 32 minutes, plus 45 minutes for dough to come to room temperature

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or fine semolina, for shaping
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Nutella or chocolate-hazelnut spread
• 2 medium ripe bananas, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional

Do This

• 1. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 475°F for at least 30 minutes.
• 2. Toast hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, then chop.
• 3. Stretch dough into a 12-inch round on a floured sheet of parchment.
• 4. Brush dough with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake for 9 to 12 minutes until golden and puffed.
• 5. Warm Nutella for 15 to 20 seconds, then spread it over the hot crust, leaving a small border.
• 6. Top with banana slices, toasted hazelnuts, powdered sugar, and a tiny pinch of flaky salt if using. Slice and serve warm.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It feels special but stays simple: Store-bought pizza dough turns into a bakery-style dessert with very little effort.
• The texture is irresistible: You get a crisp, chewy crust, creamy warm Nutella, soft banana slices, and crunchy toasted hazelnuts in every bite.
• It is perfect for sharing: Slice it like a pizza and serve it warm for a fun family dessert, party treat, or casual weekend sweet.
• Easy to customize: Add berries, caramel, coconut, marshmallows, or a drizzle of peanut butter depending on what you have on hand.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 medium ripe bananas
• Dairy: Unsalted butter
• Pantry: Prepared pizza dough, all-purpose flour or fine semolina, Nutella or chocolate-hazelnut spread, hazelnuts, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, powdered sugar, flaky sea salt

Full Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 pound prepared pizza dough, brought to room temperature for 45 minutes
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or fine semolina, for dusting and shaping
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Topping

• 1/2 cup Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread
• 2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional but recommended

Helpful Equipment

• Pizza stone, baking steel, or sturdy rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin or your hands for stretching the dough
• Small microwave-safe bowl for warming the Nutella
• Fine-mesh sieve for dusting powdered sugar

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Bring the dough to room temperature

Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator 45 minutes before baking. Keep it covered on the counter so it does not dry out. Room-temperature dough stretches more easily and bakes with a better crisp-chewy texture, which is especially important for dessert pizza.

Step 2: Preheat the oven and baking surface

Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or upside-down rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F for at least 30 minutes. A fully heated surface helps the bottom of the pizza crust brown quickly and prevents a pale, soft center.

Step 3: Toast the hazelnuts

Place the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the nuts smell fragrant and show a few golden spots. Transfer them to a cutting board and let them cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop. If your hazelnuts still have skins, rub them in a clean kitchen towel after toasting to loosen most of the skins before chopping.

Step 4: Shape the pizza dough

Place a sheet of parchment paper on the counter and dust it with the flour or semolina. Put the dough on top and gently press it into a round. Stretch or roll it into a 12-inch circle, leaving the edge slightly thicker than the center. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue shaping.

Step 5: Add the cinnamon-sugar butter

In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Brush the shaped dough with the melted butter, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the buttered surface. This gives the crust a lightly sweet, warm flavor that works beautifully with banana and Nutella.

Step 6: Bake the crust

Carefully slide the parchment and dough onto the preheated pizza stone, baking steel, or baking sheet. Bake at 475°F for 9 to 12 minutes, until the crust is puffed, golden around the edges, and lightly browned on the bottom. If any large bubbles form in the center, gently press them down with the back of a spoon after baking.

Step 7: Warm and spread the Nutella

While the crust bakes, place the Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl and warm it for 15 to 20 seconds, just until it is loose and easy to spread. Do not overheat it. Remove the hot crust from the oven and let it stand for 1 minute, then spread the warm Nutella evenly over the top, leaving the raised crust border visible.

Step 8: Finish with bananas, hazelnuts, and powdered sugar

Arrange the banana slices over the warm Nutella in a single layer, overlapping slightly if needed. Sprinkle with the toasted chopped hazelnuts. Dust with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve, then add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if you like a sweet-salty finish. Slice into 8 pieces and serve warm for the best texture.

Pro Tips

• Use ripe but not mushy bananas: Bananas with yellow peels and a few brown freckles are sweet and flavorful while still holding their shape.
• Do not spread Nutella before baking: It can dry out or become too firm in the oven. Baking the crust first keeps the topping creamy.
• Preheat the pan or stone well: Dessert pizza still needs strong bottom heat for a crisp base that can hold the toppings.
• Slice bananas right before topping: This keeps them fresh-looking and prevents browning.
• Let the pizza rest for 2 minutes before cutting: The Nutella settles slightly, making the slices neater without losing that warm, soft texture.

Variations

• Strawberry Banana Nutella Pizza: Replace one banana with 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries for a bright, fruity version.
• Peanut Butter Swirl: Warm 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter for 10 seconds and drizzle it over the Nutella before adding bananas.
• S’mores Dessert Pizza: After spreading the Nutella, add 1/2 cup mini marshmallows and place the pizza under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds, watching carefully, then finish with crushed graham crackers instead of powdered sugar.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This dessert pizza is best served warm, shortly after assembly, when the crust is crisp and the Nutella is soft. Leftover slices can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though the bananas will soften and darken slightly. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes; add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar after warming. To make ahead, toast and chop the hazelnuts up to 5 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also shape the dough on parchment up to 2 hours ahead; cover it loosely and keep it in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 305 kcal | Carbs: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Sodium: 250mg | Cholesterol: 4mg