With no artificial additives or fillers, this homemade dairy-free Nutella is packed with hazelnuts and chocolate. And with just 4 ingredients, it's super easy to make!

I have loved Nutella ever since first discovering it while studying abroad in England. I think I’ve eaten my weight in banana-Nutella crepes over the years.
But guess what? This recipe is SO MUCH BETTER than the store-bought stuff. Without additives and chemicals masking the flavor, the chocolate and hazelnut flavors are much more intense.
What's more, this homemade recipe doesn’t have that waxy residue of the store-bought variety. It's creamy, rich, nutty, gluten-free, dairy-free, and it can be prepped in just 10 minutes!
With Valentine’s Day coming up, this chocolate hazelnut spread would make a fantastic homemade gift. Present it in a cute Mason jar, and your Valentine will be forever grateful.
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⭐️ Why This Recipe Is The Best
Creamy and spreadable
Healthy snack or breakfast
Excellent topping for toast, waffles, pancakes, or fruit! (use it on toasted chewy ciabatta rolls)
Chocolaty and nutty
Quick & Easy
🍫 Ingredient Notes
- Hazelnuts - The main ingredient for making chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella). Be sure that your hazelnuts are both toasted (for a deeper flavor) and cooled before grinding them into a paste.
- Dark chocolate (60% or higher) - I prefer Guittard vegan dark chocolate chips, but you can use your favorite brand of plant-based chocolate. And if you are not a strict vegan, you can use any dark or milk chocolate of your liking.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder - Adding cocoa powder intensifies the chocolate flavor, but you only need a small amount.
- Vanilla extract & salt - Vanilla adds richer flavor to sweets and salt amplifies the flavor of all foods. I don't make anything without adding at least a small pinch of salt!
🥄 How To Make Homemade Vegan Nutella
1. Melt the dark chocolate in a saucepan over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth. Let cool completely.
2. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
3. Add the melted chocolate and blend well.
4. Place into airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
⏲ Expert Tips
- When you grind the hazelnuts, you will see that they go through stages: they become fine crumbs after the first minute or two. But if you keep grinding for another 2-3 minutes, the hazelnuts will turn into hazelnut butter, which is what you want.
- Use skinned hazelnuts. If you can't find skinned nuts, you can do this step yourself: After roasting, place hazelnuts onto a dish towel and roll them around to remove the skins. The skins come off very easily after roasting.
- If you prefer your nutella to be sweeter, add 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to your mixture when blending.
- Storage: Store homemade vegan nutella in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks, for optimum freshness.
- How to freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
- To re-warm: Place in the microwave for 30 second intervals and stir until you have the desired consistency for spreading.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
No, it contains skimmed milk powder.
The texture depends on how fine you grind your hazelnuts. As you grind them, they will go in stages - from hazelnut meal to eventually turning into hazelnut paste/butter. The texture is totally up to you! Think of it as the difference between chunky and creamy peanut butter.
This recipe uses just 4 ingredients (plus salt): (vegan) dark chocolate, hazelnuts, unsweetened cocoa, powder, and vanilla extract. Homemade vegan Nutella doesn’t have that waxy residue of the store-bought variety. It's creamy, rich, nutty, gluten-free, dairy-free, and it can be prepped in just 10 minutes!
🍪 Related Recipes
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Homemade Vegan Nutella
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (vegan) dark chocolate (60% or higher)
- 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and cooled
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the dark chocolate in a saucepan over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth. Let cool completely.
- In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
- Add the melted chocolate and blend well.
- Place into airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- When you grind the hazelnuts, you will see that they go through stages: they become fine crumbs after the first minute or two. But if you keep grinding for another 2-3 minutes, the hazelnuts will turn into hazelnut butter, which is what you want.
- If you prefer your nutella to be sweeter, add 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to your mixture when blending.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks, for optimum freshness.
- How to freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
- To re-warm: Place in the microwave for 30 second intervals and stir until you have the desired consistency for spreading.
Sharon
I discovered Nutella on a trip to Italy a few years back, but never thought to make it myself. I love how chocolatey and hazelnuty (is that a word?) this is! I added a tablespoon of maple syrup to make it slightly sweeter and have been eating it with a banana for breakfast all week. I am transported back to Italy every morning! 🙂
Gastronotherapy
Awww, I love that this Nutella recipe is transporting you back to Italy, Sharon! I also have fond memories of enjoying Nutella in Italy. 🙂 I like to spread mine on toast in the morning, but have also drizzled it on vanilla ice cream when I need a special treat!