Homemade vegan hazelnut spread is packed with nutty hazelnuts, rich chocolate, and is dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and palm oil-free. With just 4 simple ingredients, it's so easy to make. Spread it on toast, waffles, or fruit!
Guess what? This vegan hazelnut spread is SO MUCH BETTER than store-bought Nutella. Without additives and chemicals masking the flavor, the deep chocolate and hazelnut flavors are much more intense.
What's more, this dairy free chocolate spread doesn’t have that waxy residue of the store-bought variety. It's smooth, creamy, rich, nutty, spreadable, and it can be prepared in just 15 minutes.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, this vegan chocolate spread would make a fantastic homemade gift, along with chocolate pecan bark and vegan truffles. 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, spreadable, rich, and nutty vegan Nutella alternative
- Healthy snack, breakfast, or dessert that's dairy-free, gluten-free, palm oil-free, and soy-free
- Delicious topping for toast, waffles, healthy buttermilk pancakes, 3 ingredient banana oat pancakes, or fruit
- Quick & easy recipe that's ready in 15 minutes
🍫 Ingredient Notes
- Hazelnuts - Make sure that your hazelnuts are both toasted (for a deeper flavor) and cooled before grinding them into a paste. To toast hazelnuts: place on a baking sheet and stick in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
- Vegan/dairy-free dark chocolate - I prefer Guittard dark chocolate chips, but you can use your favorite brand of vegan/dairy-free chocolate.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder - Adding cocoa powder intensifies the chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla extract - Adds richer, deeper flavor
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Make it sweeter. For a sweeter dairy free hazelnut spread, add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (or see my list of the best maple syrup substitutes) to your mixture when blending.
- Orange extract. For a slightly citrus flavor, add ½ teaspoon of orange extract.
- Nuts. Substitute peanuts to make "chocolate-peanut butter spread", almonds to make "chocolate-almond butter spread", etc. There are many delicious flavor combinations!
🥄 How To Make Vegan Hazelnut Spread
Melt the vegan/dairy free dark chocolate in a saucepan over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Using a food processor, grind the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes, until it's reached the consistency of nut butter. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of bowl.
Add the melted chocolate and blend well. Scrape down sides one more time and blend for another 30 seconds.
Pour into an airtight container. Can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for later use.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Be patient. When you grind the hazelnuts, you will see that they go through stages: they become fine crumbs after the first 1-2 minutes. But if you keep grinding for another 6-8 minutes, the hazelnuts will turn into nut butter, which is what you want.
- Toasted and cooled nuts. Make sure that your hazelnuts are both toasted (for a deeper flavor) and cooled (they can be warm but not hot) before grinding them into a paste. To toast hazelnuts: place on a baking sheet and stick in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
- How to serve: Spread on toasted ciabatta rolls, waffles, pancakes, crepes, or your favorite fruit.
- 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.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- How to freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
- How to re-warm: Place hazelnut spread in the microwave for 30 second intervals and stir until you have the desired consistency for spreading.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
No, Nutella contains skimmed milk powder. But it's easy to make a homemade vegan version that's even more delicious!
If you're a strict vegan, store-bought Nutella should be avoided as it contains skimmed milk powder.
It's dairy-free, but I recommend double checking to make sure that it doesn't contain honey, which is not vegan.
No, Nutella contains dairy in the form of skimmed milk powder.
🍪 Related Recipes
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Vegan Hazelnut Spread (Nutella) Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
Ingredients
- 12 ounces vegan/dairy-free dark chocolate
- 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the vegan/dairy free dark chocolate in a saucepan over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Using a food processor, grind the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes, until it's reached the consistency of nut butter. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of bowl.
- Add the melted chocolate and blend well. Scrape down sides one more time and blend for another 30 seconds. Pour into container with a lid. Can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
- Be patient. When you grind the hazelnuts, you will see that they go through stages: they become fine crumbs after the first 1-2 minutes. But if you keep grinding for another 6-8 minutes, the hazelnuts will turn into nut butter, which is what you want.
- Toasted and cooled nuts. Make sure that your hazelnuts are both toasted (for a deeper flavor) and cooled (they can be warm but not hot) before grinding them into a paste. To toast hazelnuts: place on a baking sheet and stick in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
- How to serve: Spread on toasted ciabatta rolls, waffles, pancakes, crepes, or your favorite fruit.
- 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.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- How to freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
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!