This decadent Nutella Pecan Bread Twist is velvety soft and loaded with creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread, crunchy pecans, and cinnamon-sugar. An enriched, brioche-style loaf that’s easy to make and even easier to eat!
Hey, friends! I’m super excited to share this Nutella Pecan Bread Twist with you. Why so excited, Molly? Because it’s just about the most decadent, divine loaf of bread ever to come out of my oven. And the perfect bread for transitioning into fall baking. That’s why.
This Nutella pecan bread twist is an enriched, brioche-style bread that’s soft and velvety on the inside with a deliciously golden chewy exterior. And let’s talk about the filling. The filling! Swoon. I really love the flavors and textures that come together in this bread: creamy chocolate and hazelnut spread + crunchy pecans + extra sweetness and a little warmth from the cinnamon makes this a flavor combination that’s hard to beat. It’s rich, it’s decadent, it’s cozy, it’s everything.
If you’re new to baking bread or working with yeast, this a great recipe to try. This dough is really easy to handle and super forgiving. I give you all the information you need to successfully make the dough, fill and shape the dough, and bake this to perfection, so be sure to read through all my notes and the recipe in its entirety before you begin. You’ll find helpful information like how to check for proper gluten development using the windowpane test (the answer to “when do I stop kneading the dough?”), step-by-step pictures on how to fill/ twist the dough, and tools that I use to make baking this Nutella pecan bread twist super enjoyable. Therapeutic, even.
One more quick note. Because this is an enriched bread made with eggs, whole milk, and lots of butter, I suggest proofing the dough overnight in the fridge. A slower, longer proof yields a softer, more flavorful bread. However, if you’d like to make this bread all in one go, check out my recipe notes for a faster option.
Alright, friends, have fun with this one! Happy bread baking!
What you’ll need to make this Nutella pecan bread twist:
Active dry yeast: Yeast is the key player in bread fermentation. By feeding on sugars in the dough and producing carbon dioxide, yeast serves as a leavening agent, strengthens the dough, and helps develop flavor.
Sugar: Adds flavor, helps tenderize the dough, and activates the yeast in the fermentation process.
Whole milk: The fat content in whole milk makes this bread extra soft. The sugars in the milk help activate the yeast and tenderize the dough.
Flour: I use regular, all-purpose flour in this bread dough! Gluten strands in the flour are strengthened during the kneading process, giving structure and chewiness to the dough.
Kosher salt: For flavor and balance.
Eggs: For structure and binding. The fat content in the yolks also add moisture and richness.
Butter: Adding softened butter to the dough makes this bread soft, flavorful, and moist.
Nutella, sugar, ground cinnamon, and pecans for the Nutella pecan filling.
What’s the windowpane test and how do I do it?
When it comes to making bread, proper gluten development is key. During the kneading process, gluten strands in the flour are strengthened, giving the bread structure, chewiness, and the ability to withstand shaping.
After kneading the dough for the recommended amount of time, you’ll need to check for proper gluten development to see if your dough is ready to undergo the first proof. To do this, I recommend using the windowpane test. First, gently pinch off a ball of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it is translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not ready; knead for another minute and check again. Here’s what the dough will look like if it passes the windowpane test:
How to shape your Nutella pecan bread twist:
Helpful tools for this recipe:
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Nutella Pecan Bread Twist
- Prep Time: 65 minutes (plus additional proofing time)
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert, Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Description
This decadent Nutella Pecan Bread Twist is velvety soft and loaded with creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread, crunchy pecans, and cinnamon-sugar. An enriched, brioche-style loaf that’s easy to make and even easier to eat!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 7 gm (2 1/4 teaspoons, or 1 standard packet) active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 240 gm (1 cup) whole milk, warmed to 108-110°F
- 500 gm (4 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 75 gm (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 222 gm (3/4 cup) Nutella
- 56 gm (1/2 cup) pecans, finely chopped (plus more for sprinkling)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and warm milk. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, until the yeast is activated and the mixture becomes foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and kosher salt and mix to combine. Add the eggs and foamy yeast mixture, and mix on medium speed until the ingredients come together to form a dough. If the dough doesn’t come together at first, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together (it’s okay if this milk is cold from the fridge).
- With the mixer on medium speed, knead the dough for 6-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Reduce the mixer to medium-low speed, and add the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, being sure that each bit of butter is fully incorporated before adding the next. This will take you about 4-6 minutes. Once all the butter has been incorporated, increase the mixer to medium speed and knead for an additional 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test*.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 60-90 minutes.
- Punch down the dough to deflate, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to proof overnight, at least 8 hours**.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature to soften, about 30-45 minutes. In the meantime, lightly grease a 9″ springform pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to be used for the filling.
- Punch down the dough to remove any excess air. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a 12×16″ rectangle. Spread the Nutella evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2″ bare border along the long sides of the dough. Next, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the Nutella, followed by the chopped pecans, gently pressing the pecans onto the surface of the dough so that they adhere.
- Starting with one of the long sides of the rectangle, roll the dough into a tight jelly roll, pinching the dough together along the length of the roll to seal. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the jelly roll in half lengthwise, leaving 1 1/2″ inches intact at the top. Starting from the top, twist the two pieces together into a braid, keeping the filling facing upward, pinching the ends together at the bottom of the braid to seal.
- Pull the two ends of the braid together to form a wreath, pinching the two ends together to seal. Carefully place the wreath in the prepared springform pan.
- Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave to proof in a warm, draft-free place until the dough is puffy and filling the pan, about 30-45 minutes. In the meantime, place the oven rack in the lower one-third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brush plain areas of dough with egg wash. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf registers 190°F. Start checking the bread around the 40-minute mark, and loosely tent with foil if it starts to brown too quickly. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing the rim of the springform pan. Serve warm.
Notes
*Windowpane test: Use the windowpane test to check for proper gluten development. Gently pinch off a ball of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it is translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not ready; knead for another minute and check again.
**Faster option: For a faster timeline, you can skip the overnight proof. After the dough has undergone the first proof and has doubled in size, simply punch the dough down and continue with the recipe.
Storage: store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container. For best results, warm leftovers in the microwave before serving.
