This delicious smooth and creamy healthy homemade Nutella recipe is one of the most popular recipes I’ve ever posted, and for good reason!
The Best Nutella Recipe
Currently with more than ten thousand positive online reviews, this surprisingly easy Nutella recipe is definitely a huge reader favorite.
Super rich and creamy, it effortlessly holds its own against that famous Ferrero chocolate spread in the iconic red and white plastic jars at the grocery store.
And yet the homemade version also has fewer than half the calories per serving.
It’s much healthier than store-bought, without sacrificing any of the kid friendly classic chocolate taste that we all know and love.
Also be sure to try these Black Bean Brownies
Homemade Nutella
Just one spoonful of the thick chocolate vegan Nutella recipe, and you’ll absolutely never want to put the spoon down again.
Yes, it’s that good.
Unless, of course, you don’t like Nutella… is such a thing even possible?
Is there really a single person in this world who can resist that luxuriously rich and velvety hazelnut chocolate spread?
If true, please send me your spoon so I can happily eat your portion.
I’m nice like that.
Healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
I didn’t specifically set out to make a low calorie Nutella.
It just turned out that way.
Unlike store-bought Nutella, which lists palm oil and sugar as the first two ingredients, this option is suitable for vegans or those with dairy allergies and is lower in sugar or can be a sugar free recipe.
It’s also high in Vitamin E, B vitamins, and healthy fats.
My first introduction to Nutella was in preschool, and it was love at first bite.
Back then, the spread wasn’t popular like it is now. All of the other children in my class thought I was so weird for bringing Nutella sandwiches to school, neatly packed into a lunchbox with the crusts cut off.
Day after day, they ate their boring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, while I blissfully devoured a chocolate sandwich.
Needless to say, in just a few months I’d hooked all of my friends on this miracle hazelnut cocoa spread, and soon everyone was bringing Nutella for lunch, as sandwiches or a dip for fresh apple slices, strawberries, or bananas.
Vegan Nutella Ingredients
I gave up eating Nutella upon going vegan years ago. Vegan Nutella or gianduja brands, including Justin’s or Nutiva, do now exist, but buying them can get expensive.
Making your own hazelnut spread at home saves money, and you get to control exactly what ingredients to use.
For the milk: If you choose a nondairy milk such as almondmilk or coconut milk, the recipe can be naturally dairy free, gluten free, egg free, and soy free.
The sweetener: Use your favorite all purpose sweetener, such as date sugar, regular granulated sugar, or coconut sugar. Liquid sweeteners like pure maple syrup, agave, honey, or date syrup also work but will yield a much less creamy and spreadable result.
For a low carb or keto Nutella recipe: Simply use a sugar free sweetener such as xylitol or erythritol instead of the sugar. The low carb version will have just 0.1 net carbs per serving.
I haven’t tried sweetening the Nutella with stevia or allulose, so feel free to experiment and be sure to report back with results if you do.
The hazelnuts: Look for raw hazelnuts in the bulk aisle of health food stores or online. I’ve also seen them sold in bags at Costco. Feel free to sub unsalted roasted hazelnuts and skip the roasting step in the recipe instructions below.
If you can’t find hazelnuts at all, the spread can be made with almonds instead. The flavor will be different but it’s still tasty.
How To Make Nutella At Home
Gather all of the ingredients, and preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast the two cups of raw hazelnuts on the oven’s center rack for about 6 to 8 minutes.
Rub the roasted nuts together in a cloth or paper towel to remove the skins. Don’t worry if some of the skins refuse to come off.
In a high speed blender (like a Vitamix) or food processor (like a Cuisinart), blend the hazelnuts until they turn into a smooth butter.
Add all remaining ingredients, and blend on high for a few minutes until the texture resembles real Nutella.
Homemade Nutella Storage Instructions
Is using the oil instead of milk, the homemade Nutella is shelf stable and does not need to be refrigerated. It can be stored in a tightly covered container in your kitchen cabinet for up to two weeks. Or refrigerate for up to two months.
If using the milk, it’s best to store the recipe in the refrigerator, where it should stay good for two to three weeks.
After this time, to prevent the nuts from going rancid, you can freeze leftover Nutella. The texture will not be as smooth, but it still tastes great!
Is Nutella Healthy?
The main ingredient in store-bought Nutella is surprisingly not cocoa powder or hazelnuts. Palm oil and sugar make up more than 50% of the spread, which also includes skim milk, whey, soy lecithin, and vanillin (artificial flavor).
Two tablespoons of the packaged hazelnut spread with cocoa contain 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 21 grams of sugar.
Even if you use all regular sugar in the recipe below, it will still only have 70 calories, less than a gram of saturated fat, and under 5 grams of both fat and sugar per two tablespoon serving, making the homemade Nutella a much healthier option.
Recipes With Nutella
Other good uses for homemade Nutella include spreading it over toast or Vegan Pancakes, frosting cupcakes or adding a spoonful to hot chocolate, or eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon!
Above, watch the step by step homemade Nutella recipe video
Homemade Nutella Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups hazelnuts (240g)
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup sweetener of choice (see above for options that work here)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk of choice or 2 tbsp oil, optional
Instructions
- Homemade Nutella Recipe: If hazelnuts are not already roasted, preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for 6-8 minutes or just until they begin to brown. Rub them together in a paper towel to get the skins off. It’s okay if a few stubborn skins won’t come off. In a Vitamix or food processor, blend the nuts until they’ve turned to butter. (This could take up to twenty minutes in a food processor.) Then add all other ingredients except milk or oil and blend a long time until it’s smooth like Nutella! If desired, add in the milk or oil. Storage tips are listed above.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
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Hi Katie, This looks AWESOME and am excited to give it a try! It doesn’t specify in the recipe but I assume since it has almond milk in it that this recipe should be refrigerated once it is made??? It also doesn’t specify how long it will last but manufacturers usually recommend using milk within 7 days of opening so I would also assume the same would apply here. Is there anything you could recommend to replace the almond milk(not a fan of the shelf-stabilized milk they sell in the stores) which would give this homemade Nutella a longer shelf life?
Yes, fridge it after using. I made mine on Friday, and it’s still good… but I can’t really say how long it’ll last since it hasn’t gone bad yet.
You can omit the milk, but it’ll be less smooth.
Okay, I have 2 more questions for you….when you made your batch did you use agave or sugar(It says to use either I’m just curious which you used)…also when you say cocoa powder, does that mean the unsweetened kind Hershey makes for baking? Sorry for all the questions. 🙂
I actually tried it both ways! 🙂
The sugar way is a bit grainier, and the agave way is a bit gummier… but most people couldn’t tell much of a difference. If I had to choose, I’d say I liked the agave way better… but it only wins by a tiny hair!
Yes, I used unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa (or Dagoba or another cocoa like that).
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it!
Oh. Em. Gee.
YUMM!
Yummy…..have to make this 🙂
Katie- You have no idea how excited I am to see this. I was like you too, a fan of nutella back in my childhood years. One of the drawbacks for me, being vegan now, was no nutella 🙁 I am making this recipe ASAP. Thanks so much!!
Honestly? I’ll be sending you my spoon. BUT the one time I really enjoyed Nutella was when I was visiting Venice. I passed the most heavenly smelling vendor ever and discovered he was serving up HOT crepes stuffed with Nutella. Soooo delicious
I remember when I first discovered Nutella. I love the Justin’s version but I’m always down for homemade!
I used to bring nutella and halawa (Middle Eastern pistachio paste) sandwiches to school and some girls went around telling everyone I was eating mud sandwiches. If mud tastes like that….
I haven’t eaten Nutella since i don’t remember when because of its price but I can’t imagine living without some kind of chocolate spread in my life. A healthier version would make it even better. I wish my blender was powerful enough for this.
The Nutri Bullet (new version of the Magic Bullet) is AWESOME! I have a VitaMix, but use the Bullet to make nut butters (and morning smoothies, and sauces, etc.). It’s the BEST $99 (less 30% at Kohl’s!!) that I have EVER spent!
YUMMMM!!! I love Nutella. I also love Justin’s chocolate nut butters, but you’re right, they aren’t quite as smooth. I’ve had Nutella ice cream – to say it was unbelievable is an understatement. Thanks for another great recipe!
Nuspli is better than Nutella but I bet this is delicious!
I’m okay with Nutella, but I actually don’t love it! I went to Switzerland when I was younger, and everything came with chocolate+hazelnuts; I got a bit burnt out after a week and a half!
Sending my spoon your way 🙂
I’ve never tried Nutella. I’ve been meaning to, but never remember to buy it.
Mmmm this looks so good! I badly want nutella I haven’t had it in months. I will be making this as soon as I buy some hazelnuts. It could work with any nuts right? Maybe I’ll use almonds
If you try it with another nut, let me know how it goes! 🙂
I totally need to get a Vita sometime so that I can make all sorts of smooth yummy stuff. Although I don’t like hazelnuts, so I’ve never tried Nutella or Justin’s version. But I eat chocolate peanut butter practically daily!
Nutella used to be my thing as a kid too! I tried Justin’s chocolate hazelnut spread, but like you said it’s not smooth enough. This looks so good! Hazelnuts and a better food processor are going on my shopping list. I need to try this!