Homemade Nutella (Chocolate Hazelnut Spread)

Why make your own homemade Nutella?

Here are the top 3 reasons it makes sense to make homemade Nutella rather than buying a jar…

1. You control the ingredients. Note that while sugar is the main ingredient in commercial Nutella, hazelnuts are the main ingredient in my homemade version (that speaks volumes.)
2. It’s insanely delicious. When you follow my recipe the result is very close to the manufactured version in taste and texture.
3. It’s a lot of fun! If you’re not having fun in your kitchen, you’re doing something wrong!

ingredients for chocolate hazelnut spread

Nutella is an ultra processed food, a category of food products that undergo multiple levels of processing with ingredients not commonly used in home cooking. These ingredients often include preservatives, artificial flavors, colorings, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and other additives designed to enhance flavor, texture, shelf life, or appearance. My homemade Nutella comes so close to the commercial version, using regular pantry ingredients!

• hazelnuts
  • I buy raw hazelnuts and then roast them before using in this recipe.
• milk chocolate
• powdered sugar
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• vegetable oil
  • I use almond oil, you can also use softened butter.
• vanilla extract

the Nutella story

Pasta Gianduja

• Creation: In the 1940s, during World War II, cocoa was in short supply, leading Pietro Ferrero, an Italian pastry maker, to create Pasta Gianduja. This was a solid block of sweetened hazelnut paste with a small amount of cocoa, inspired by the traditional Italian Gianduja chocolate.
• Supercrema: Later, in the 1950s, Ferrero modified the formula to create a spreadable version called Supercrema Gianduja, which was softer and more suitable for spreading on bread.

Evolution into Nutella

• Nutella Launch: In 1964, Ferrero rebranded and further refined the product, officially launching it as Nutella.

how to make homemade Nutella, 4 easy steps

1. Start with roasted, skinned hazelnuts. Roast in the microwave for 3 minutes. Let cool then wrap in a towel and rub the nuts together to release their skins.
2. Blend the nuts in a high speed blender, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary, until they break down into a fluid paste.*
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep processing until you have a silky smooth spread. Stop to scrape down the sides of the machine often, and always begin on low speed and work up to high speed.
4. Your spread will look grainy at first, but keep blending and you’ll be rewarded with a silky texture.

*I love roasted hazelnuts so much I was really tempted to stop right there, add some salt, and enjoy my very own homemade hazelnut butter. But I pressed on in the name of chocoholics everywhere.

how I use homemade Nutella

1. Spread on toast or bread:

• This is how the Europeans do it. Don’t forget muffins and croissants!

2. Dip for fruits:

• Pair your homemade Nutella with sliced apples (my favorite) bananas, strawberries, or pears.

3. Filling for pastries:

• Use it as a filling for croissants, crepes, or puff pastries. Simply spread a layer inside before baking, or drizzle it over the top. Try it instead of the jam in my Raspberry Almond Puff Pastry Danish.

4. Bake with it:

• Swirl homemade Nutella into brownie or muffin batter before baking for a rich, chocolatey flavor throughout. See this in my Nutella Banana Bread and my Nutella S’mores Bars.

5. Drizzle on pancakes or waffles:

• Drizzle homemade Nutella over pancakes, waffles, or French toast for a sweet, indulgent breakfast.

6. Top ice cream:

• Warm the Nutella slightly and drizzle it over ice cream just like Hot Fudge Sauce. Or you can use your homemade chocolate hazelnut spread to make Nutella Magic Shell ice cream topping.

7. Make Nutella sandwich cookies:

• Use it as a filling between two cookies to create a sandwich cookie. I love it in my Nutella Sandwich Cookies. It would be amazing in these Red Velvet Cookies.

8. Add to smoothies:

• Blend into a smoothie with bananas and almond milk for a rich and satisfying treat. Or use it to make instant Chocolate Hazelnut Milk.

9. Use as a cake frosting:

• Use your homemade chocolate hazelnut spread in frostings. Check out my Banana Cake with Nutella Frosting!

10. Whip it with cream:

• This makes an instant chocolate mousse like the one in my Dreamy Nutella Mousse Pie!

the bottom line

I try to reserve my high praise for recipes that truly deserve it. It’s true that I usually only post about successful dishes, I don’t really see the point in sharing something that doesn’t work. But every once in a while something turns out better than expected. This is one of those times. This is wonderful, if you like Nutella you will love it.

faqs and variations on homemade Nutella

How about a dark chocolate Nutella?

• You can do that using a dark cocoa powder like Hershey’s Special Dark, and dark chocolate chips.

Can I use a different nut?

• Nutella is made with hazelnuts, but you can use a different nut like walnuts or pecans to make a different type of chocolate spread.

Why do I have to roast the hazelnuts?

• Roasting the nuts is super important because it brings out their flavor, and also makes it easier to break them down in the blender.

Is this homemade Nutella vegan?

• Yes if you use dark chocolate made without milk solids instead of milk chocolate. Pure cocoa powder is milk-free, but always check the labels to be certain, especially if you have a dairy allergy.

Can I use an alternative sweetener?

• Yes, use honey, or an alternative sweetener of your choice like Stevia or Erythritol.

A spice to your Nutella

• You might add cinnamon or even a pinch of cayenne!

Make coffee Nutella

• Add a teaspoon of dry instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder while blending.