Dreamy Nutella Ice Cream Pie in a Jar
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Get ready for squeals of joy when you serve these yummy individual Summer ice cream pies in cute mason jars!
Put together this dreamy Nutella ice cream pie in just 15 minutes by layering your favorite vanilla ice cream on top of a sugar cone crust with creamy Nutella hazelnut spread, homemade chocolate whipped cream (oh, yeah!) and crunchy pecans. It’s an easy ice cream dessert everyone swoons over!
Most ice cream pies are made with a graham cracker crust, but I love the sweet cookie crunch in my easy 3-ingredient sugar cone crust. This ice cream pie has all the delight of eating an ice cream cone without all the messy drips!
Not only that, this ice cream dessert recipe is easily adaptable, too. Simply layer your favorite ice cream flavors and toppings to create your own frozen masterpiece. Check out the key ingredients and substitutions for tasty combination suggestions.
Looking for more fun Summer desserts? I have an entire list of individual desserts served in mason jars, including pies, cakes, and parfaits. Or, you may like my mint chocolate chip milkshake served up in a chocolate-drizzled glass or these blueberry cheesecake popsicles — perfect for a hot and sunny day!
Why you’re going to love it!
- No baking required. Never turn on the oven, even for the crust!
- Easy to put together. Layer it all in 8-ounce mason jars or make one single 9-inch pie.
- Rich and delicious. Perfect for spring or summer.
Nutella Ice Cream Pie: behind the recipe
Let me just be honest… I adore ice cream. So much so, I once owned and operated an ice cream parlor. Even on a bad day, hand someone an ice cream cone and you get rewarded with a smile. Truth.
Anyway, I’ve made my fair share of ice cream cakes and pies and probably scooped a million cones in my lifetime. That makes me a self-proclaimed ice cream connoisseur of sorts!
So what’s special about today’s Nutella ice cream pie?
Truthfully, it’s the combination of creamy vanilla ice cream, the crunchy cookie crust, smooth chocolate whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolatey hazelnut spread. Topped off with pecans, it’s the perfect ice cream sundae in a pie!
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Ice cream — Here’s where you can get creative. I use basic vanilla ice cream, but chocolate, French vanilla, or butter pecan would also be delicious.
- Nutella hazelnut spread — The ever popular chocolate and hazelnut spread is a wonderful topping for this dessert, but you’ll need to warm it a little to thin it out enough to drizzle. If you’re feeling particularly industrious, try making your own homemade nutella spread. Other topping options include chocolate or caramel syrup, or melted peanut butter!
- Sugar cones — Crush the cones and combine with butter and a little brown sugar to make the crust. Or, you may use 3/4 cup graham cracker, Oreo, or shortbread cookie crumbs instead.
- Heavy whipping cream — It only takes 5 minutes to whip up homemade whipped cream, but you may use Cool Whip for convenience.
Ice cream pie flavor variations
- Peanut Butter Dream Pie — Peanut butter ice cream + Oreo cookie crust + chocolate syrup
- Caramel Cream Pie — Vanilla ice cream + graham cracker crust + caramel syrup
- Death by Chocolate Pie — Chocolate ice cream + Oreo cookie crust + Nutella hazelnut spread
Special equipment needed
- Food processor — Using a food processor makes crushing the cones and mixing up the crust extremely quick and easy.
- Mason jars — Use either 4-ounce jars or 8-ounce jars depending on the size serving you want.
How to make ice cream pie in jars
STEP 1 | Make the crust
- Break the sugar cones into small pieces and place in the food processor bowl. Pulse until you have fine crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar to the food processor and pulse just until it is incorporated.
- Evenly divide the crumb mixture among mason jars and tamp or press down to form a crust on the bottom.
STEP 2 | Layer hazelnut spread and ice cream
- Melt Nutella hazelnut for a few seconds in the microwave, then add a spoonful on top of each crust.
- Add a 2 scoops of softened vanilla ice cream on top and smooth it out. If you use a soft-churn ice cream, you can basically scoop it straight out of the freezer without waiting for it to soften.
STEP 3 | Make chocolate whipped cream
- Ahead of time, place your mixing bowl and the whisk attachment for your electric mixer in the freezer. Leave it there while you make the crust and assemble the jars (about 15 minutes). If you do this, it only takes a minute to whip the cream.
- Add all the ingredients to the cold bowl — and be sure your heavy whipping cream is really cold, too — and beat on high speed for 1 minute until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon the whipped cream on top of the ice cream.
STEP 4 | Garnish and serve (or freeze)
- To serve immediately, drizzle with more Nutella and add a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
- If you plan to serve later, cover with lids and freeze before you garnish with the additional Nutella and nuts. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and let sit for 10 minutes. Then, garnish with Nutella and pecans and serve.
tip
- To make this recipe in a pie plate:
Double the ingredients for the crust and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch glass pie plate; freeze for 15 minutes. Remove the crust and layer with 1/4 cup softened Nutella, the softened vanilla ice cream, and chocolate whipped cream. Freeze for 2 hours. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer for 10 minutes, then drizzle the remaining Nutella on top and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Nutella Ice Cream Dessert in a Jar
Ingredients
Crust
- 6 sugar cones
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pie
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream softened
- ½ cup Nutella hazelnut spread divided
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans chopped
Instructions
- Before you start, place a bowl and electric mixer whisk attachment in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
Crust
- Break up the sugar cones and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until they become fine crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and brown sugar to the food processor and pulse until combined.
- Evenly divide the crumb mixture among 6 small (8-oz.) mason jars and tamp or press down to form a crust on the bottom.
Whipped Cream
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and cream of tartar.
- Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer and pour in the heavy whipping cream, cocoa mixture, and vanilla extract.
- Beat on high speed for 1 minute or until stiff peaks form. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Pie
- Drizzle a tablespoon of melted Nutella spread in the bottom of each jar (or on top of the pie crust).
- Scoop softened vanilla ice cream on top, then spoon a layer of chocolate whipped cream.
- If serving immediately, drizzle with more Nutella and add a sprinkle of chopped nuts.
- If serving later, cover with lids before drizzling with Nutella and pecans. Store in the freezer. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving, then drizzle with melted Nutella and chopped pecans.
Notes
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
