Hazelnut Spread

Our hazelnut spread recipe is a delicious chocolatey and creamy recipe inspired by Nutella, a famous chocolate and hazelnut spread from Italy.

The recipe is primarily made with roasted hazelnuts blended with cacao powder, sugar, and a few drops of olive oil to help the hazelnuts turn into a luscious, velvety spread.

Homemade Nutella is rich, with a nutty, intense flavor and a smooth texture. You can make it in a high-speed blender or a food processor; it’s really quite easy to do.

Try this chocolate hazelnut spread on a slice of toast, waffles, overnight oats, or oatmeal for breakfast.

It’s delicious on vegan pancakes and banana pancakes, as a filling for vegan crepes, or spread on a slice of vegan banana bread.

You can even use it for more elaborate desserts, such as topping on our vegan cheesecake.

Its thick and creamy texture makes it ideal for dipping fruit such as sliced apples, strawberries, or breadsticks and topping ice cream.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Hazelnuts

We recommend using hazelnuts that are already peeled; it will make this recipe easier.

We recommend roasting the hazelnuts in the oven at 350°F or 180°C for 8 minutes so that their flavor intensifies and their natural oils warm, making them easier to blend.

Substitute toasted almonds, peanuts, and cashews for hazelnuts.

Cacao powder

Pick unsweetened cacao powder. It’s the easiest way to add the chocolate flavor to this delicious dairy-free Nutella.

Alternatively, substitute cocoa powder or 70% dark chocolate for cacao powder.

To do so, you’ll have to melt the chocolate first. We explain how to do this in the “variations” chapter below.

Sugar

You can use any sweetener, such as brown sugar, powdered sugar, white sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or agave syrup.

Add more or less sugar based on your dietary preferences and taste.

Olive oil

You’ll need a few drops of oil – we use olive oil – to get the blender going and help the hazelnuts turn into a creamy chocolate spread.

Substitute avocado oil, hazelnut oil, coconut oil, or any other vegetable oil for olive oil.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract adds a pleasant flavor that works beautifully with the chocolate.

Salt

A pinch of sea salt or kosher salt helps bring the flavors together and enhance the taste of this delicious homemade hazelnut spread.

Equipment

You’ll need either a high-speed blender – we use a Vitamix – or a good quality food processor – we use Magimix.

If you use a power blender like a Vitamix, blend for 5 minutes. You must blend for 10 minutes or more if you use a food processor.

You will get the smoothest results with a high-speed blender.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Add the hazelnuts to a rimmed baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 8 minutes.

Let them cool down at room temperature for 5 minutes, then add them to a high-speed blender with the sugar and a few drops of olive oil.

Tip: if your hazelnuts are unpeeled, remove some of the thin brown skin by rubbing them between your hands or in a kitchen towel.

Blend hazelnuts and sugar until they turn into a creamy hazelnut butter.

Note: You’ll just need a few minutes if you use a high-speed blender like Vitamix. You might need up to 10 minutes with a food processor and scrape down the sides of the food processor occasionally.

Now add the unsweetened cacao powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

Blend for a few more minutes until combined.

Ultimately, you’ll want a smooth hazelnut spread that you can store in a jar in the refrigerator for a couple of months.

The vegan Nutella will thicken a little as it cools in the fridge. You can store it in a bowl or a mason jar.

Hazelnut spread can be part of a nutritious breakfast on a slice of bread or toast.

Or add a spoonful of oatmeal, overnight oats, or bircher muesli, as if it were peanut butter.

You can also have it for a special weekend breakfast with our vegan crepes or as a dip for strawberries and apple wedges.

It’s also delicious as a snack, spread on a slice of vegan banana bread.

You can substitute dark chocolate chips or a dark chocolate bar with 70% cocoa content for cacao powder.

Chocolate will produce an even more decadent, silkier, and thicker spread.

You’ll need 5 ounces or 150 grams of dark chocolate to do so.

Cut the chocolate into small pieces, then melt it bain-marie or soften it in the microwave for a few seconds.

When it’s soft, add it to the blender with the hazelnut and sugar mixture and blend for a few more minutes.

Make ahead: this is an excellent recipe to make up to two months in advance.

Refrigerator: You can store hazelnut spread in your pantry or the fridge in an airtight container like a mason jar for up to 2 months.

Freezer: we don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

More chocolate recipes

• Easy chocolate cake
• Chocolate glazed donuts
• Vegan chocolate custard
• Vegan chocolate brownies

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