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If you’re craving a dessert that’s rich, creamy, and just a little bit fancy, chocolate hazelnut semifreddo is calling your name. This dreamy Italian frozen treat blends airy whipped cream, luscious zabaglione, and fluffy meringue, all swirled with Nutella and crunchy toasted hazelnuts. It’s impressive enough to wow your guests but easy enough to make ahead—no ice cream maker required. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or simply indulging yourself, this authentic semifreddo recipe is pure magic on a plate.
Treat your taste buds to this chocolate hazelnut semifreddo. It’s creamy, rich and offers amazing hazelnut and chocolate flavors in every sweet, indulgent mouthful.
You might also like to try authentic Italian tiramisu, lemon ricotta amaretti budino, and Italian rainbow cookies.
Why You’ll Love It
So simple to prepare: You’ll be delighted when you discover how easy it is to whip up this indulgent dessert.
Just a handful of ingredients: You only need 8 ingredients to make this classic Italian dessert.
No-churn magic: Skip the ice cream maker—this semifreddo sets up beautifully in the freezer for a creamy, dreamy texture with zero fuss.
Perfect make-ahead dessert: Prepare it the night before and let the freezer do the work—it’s ideal for entertaining or for stress-free special occasions.
Tastes incredible: The combo of chocolate-hazelnut spread, dark chocolate, and toasted hazelnuts creates a decadent treat with layers of rich and nutty flavor in every bite.
Nutella Semifreddo Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Heavy cream: Provides the creamy base for the semifreddo. This recipe also uses heavy cream to help prevent the chocolate from seizing. Chocolate can seize and become grainy when it comes into contact with even a small amount of moisture or if it’s overheated. Adding ¼ cup warm heavy cream ensures that the chocolate blends seamlessly into the zabaglione, resulting in a luscious and cohesive dessert.
Eggs: Egg yolks are for creating the zabaglione and egg whites make the meringue, to give the dessert an airy texture. Ensure your eggs are fresh and at room temperature.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dessert and stabilizes the meringue.
Chocolate hazelnut spread: Adds a luscious chocolate and hazelnut flavor. Brands like Nutella work well, but any similar spread can be used.
Dark chocolate: Enhances the depth of chocolate flavor. Milk chocolate can be used for a sweeter taste, but it will alter the richness.
Toasted hazelnuts: Provide a delightful crunch and enhance the hazelnut flavor. If unavailable, toasted almonds or pecans can be substituted.
Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
Salt: Enhances the flavor of the meringue by balancing and intensifying the sweetness.
How to Make Nutella Semifreddo
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Whip the cream: Beat the chilled heavy cream until soft peaks form and chill it in the refrigerator.
Make the zabaglione: Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla over hot water in a double boiler until the mixture thickens and looks pale.
Melt the chocolate: Combine the Nutella with the dark chocolate in a separate bowl until smooth, then mix into the warm zabaglione.
Prepare the meringue: Beat the egg whites with salt, and then mix in sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Fold and combine: Gently fold together the whipped cream, chocolate egg yolk mixture, meringue, and chopped hazelnuts.
Freeze the semifreddo: Pour into a prepared loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Serve and garnish: Invert onto a serving platter, top with more chocolate-hazelnut spread and chopped hazelnuts, and then slice and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you need a gluten-free version, double-check the ingredients in your chocolate hazelnut spread and chocolate chips.
No Nutella: Replace this ingredient with peanut butter or almond butter for a different flavor twist that’s still rich and creamy.
Berry burst: Fold in crushed raspberries or swirl in raspberry jam before freezing for a fruity contrast to the chocolate base.
Garnish: Try toasted almonds, pistachios or even chopped pecans in place of the hazelnuts. You can also add shaved chocolate as a garnish.
Different chocolate: Use white or milk chocolate chips instead of dark for a sweeter profile, or mix in mini chocolate chips for added texture.
Nut-free option: Omit the hazelnuts entirely or swap them for crushed cookies or toffee bits for crunch without the nuts.
Added texture: Chop torrone (Italian nougat) finely and add it for a contrasting chewy texture.
Boozy touch: Add a tablespoon of hazelnut liqueur or dark rum to the chocolate mixture for a fun adult-friendly variation of this frozen dessert.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your meal with juicy tomato burrata bites or crispy bruschetta with steak and shiitake mushrooms.
Main dishes: Serve tasty pasta e ceci, hearty gnocchi alla sorrentina or tender Italian meatloaf next.
Desserts: Enjoy this gorgeous chocolate hazelnut semifreddo for dessert.
How to Store Chocolate Hazelnut Semifreddo
Freeze: Keep the semifreddo covered in the freezer for up to a week to maintain its texture and flavor.
Top Tips
Be gentle: Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream gently to avoid deflating the semifreddo.
Easy mixing: Use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric mixer with the same, and whisk constantly. You could use a hand whisk if you have a lot of elbow grease and energy!
Chocolate choice: Using high-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) will provide a richer taste.
No loaf pan? Any freezer-safe container will work—just make sure it’s deep enough to hold the mixture and easy to unmold if you want those pretty slices.
Make it ahead: You can make semifreddo up to 3 days in advance. Just keep it tightly wrapped in the freezer and garnish right before serving.
Semifreddo Frozen Italian Dessert FAQs
Traditional semifreddo uses egg yolks and whites, but if you’re concerned about using raw eggs, make sure to cook the yolks into the zabaglione to 160°F and use pasteurized egg whites or an egg white substitute for the meringue.
Semifreddo means “half frozen” of “half cold” in Italian—it’s softer and more mousse-like than churned ice cream, with no need for an ice cream maker. It’s airy, smooth and melts like a dream!
This could be from overmixing or adding warm ingredients too quickly. Let your chocolate mixture cool to room temp and gently fold everything together to keep the texture light and airy.
Chocolate Hazelnut Semifreddo Recipe
Semifreddo Recipe
Equipment
- Loaf Pan 9 x 5-Inch
- Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Pot Medium
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ Cups heavy cream
- 4 large eggs, separated
- ¾ Cup granulated sugar
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ Cup Nutella, or similar hazelnut chocolate spread, plus more for garnish
- ½ Cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 Pinch kosher salt
- 1 Cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the top of the semifreddo.
Whip the Cream:
- To prepare the whipped cream, use a chilled mixing bowl and whip 1 ½ cups of the cold heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Zabaglione:
- To make the zabaglione, grab a heatproof bowl and whisk together 4 egg yolks, ½ cup of the sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until well combined.
- Set the bowl over a pot of simmering hot water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, turns pale, and reaches 160°F, 7 to 10 minutes. Once done, take it off the heat.
- In a separate heatproof bowl, melt ½ cup of chocolate-hazelnut spread with ½ cup of chopped dark chocolate in the microwave (in 20-second intervals, stirring in between) or a double boiler until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Slowly whisk the warm melted chocolate mixture into the warm zabaglione a little at a time until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Stir in ¼ cup of warmed heavy cream to help emulsify the chocolate mixture if the mixture becomes too thick or seizes. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature while you prepare the meringue.
Make the Meringue:
- In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and continue to beat until glossy, stiff peaks form.
Assemble the Semifreddo:
- Gently fold the cooled chocolate mixture into your prepared whipped cream until well combined.
- Fold in the meringue until no lumps or white streaks remain.
- Fold in ¼ cup of chopped hazelnuts, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
- Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top.
- Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the top to cover.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight for the best results.
- Before serving, unwrap the top of the semifreddo and invert it onto a serving platter.
Garnish the Dessert:
- Remove the plastic wrap and garnish with additional melted chocolate-hazelnut spread and sprinkle over ¾ cup of chopped hazelnuts.
- Cut into slices to serve.
Notes
Easy mixing: Use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric mixer with the same, and whisk constantly. You could use a hand whisk if you have a lot of elbow grease and energy!
Chocolate choice: Using high-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) will provide a richer taste.
No loaf pan? Any freezer-safe container will work—just make sure it’s deep enough to hold the mixture and easy to unmold if you want those pretty slices.
Make it ahead: You can make semifreddo up to 3 days in advance. Just keep it tightly wrapped in the freezer and garnish right before serving.
Nutrition
Once it’s frozen and ready to serve, each slice of this chocolate hazelnut semifreddo is like a chilled bite of heaven—light and airy with velvety chocolate swirls and a satisfying nutty crunch. Make it ahead for that special occasion you’ve got in mind. Just slice and garnish the semi frozen mousse and enjoy the compliments later. This is a great dessert that looks fancy but feels like a delicious secret you’ll want to keep making again and again.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
The Nutella swirl and hazelnuts were perfection, and it had that creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes you go back for seconds.