Rich, creamy, and chocolatey! Once you try this homemade chocolate hazelnut spread, you’ll never want the store-bought version ever again! It’s quick, easy, made with simple ingredients, and is way healthier!!
About This Recipe
If you’re anything like me and obsessed with Nutella than you have to try this healthier alternative that’s actually really delicious! This homemade chocolate hazelnut spread is made with roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate and cocoa powder. It’s super rich, creamy, decadent and just pure deliciousness!!
I cannot stress enough how easy it is to make as well! Literally just throw everything into a food processor and blend! It’s made with only a handful of ingredients and very little sugar, which you could swap out for a natural sweetener if you’d like.
Why should you make this homemade chocolate hazelnut spread?
- It way healthier than store bought chocolate spread. When making chocolate spread at home, you have complete control over the quality and type of ingredients used. You can choose to use organic, high-quality ingredients and avoid any artificial additives or preservatives that are often found in store-bought versions.
- It’s easy! This recipe comes together in minutes, quite literally.
- It’s delicious! Seriously, the taste of hazelnuts blended with dark chocolate is to-die-for! It’s not too sweet and has a perfect creamy texture. By the way you could add as much sweetener as you’d like, so you have full control on it’s sweetness.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Hazelnuts: I used roasted and peeled hazelnuts. If your hazelnuts aren’t already roasted, you can easily roast them in the oven, the instructions are available below.
Cocoa powder: I used dutch-processed cocoa powder, this gives an intense and rich chocolate flavor. Remember, the better the quality of the cocoa powder you use, the more chocolatey your spread will taste.
Powdered sugar: you only need a little bit, but this can be replaced with any natural sweetener like honey or agave. Or you could leave it out completely for a more bitter chocolate hazelnut spread (if you do leave out the sweetener, don’t leave out the melted chocolate, otherwise your chocolate spread will taste very bitter and bland.)
Dark Chocolate: you’ll need melted chocolate. I used dark chocolate because I love the bitterness it adds to the finished spread, but if you’d like, you could also use milk chocolate instead. You could also leave out the melted chocolate entirely and only use cocoa powder and some sweetener, but I find using chocolate really makes a difference in the taste and texture of the final product.
Oil: I used melted coconut oil. You could use olive oil, sunflower oil, or even canola oil.
Salt: adding a tad bit of slat really brings out the flavors in a sweet chocolate spread.
Vanilla: this is optional, but adding vanilla extract just makes it better!
How To Make Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Step 1: In a food processor or a strong blender, blend roasted hazelnuts on high speed until they become a chunky paste. Add in some coconut oil and continue to blend until the mixture turns into a smooth paste. This may a couple of minutes depending on your food processor or blender.
Step 2: Add in the remaining ingredients except for the melted chocolate and blend until the mixture is as smooth as you can get it.
Step 3: Add in melted dark chocolate and blend until combined.
Step 4: Transfer the chocolate hazelnut spread into an air-tight (clean) jar and store in the refrigerator. Note that the chocolate spread will be runny, but once refrigerated it hardens up into a tick and creamy texture.
Storing The Hazelnut Chocolate Spread
Store the homemade chocolate hazelnut spread in an air-tight jar or container. It’s best to keep it in the refrigerator for a smooth and creamy texture.
Pro Tips
- You could use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate if you don’t like the bitterness that dark chocolate adds to the spread. If you do however, adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.
- Don’t skip the salt! It enhances and balances the flavors. It helps to intensify the sweetness of the other ingredients and can also help to cut through the richness of the sugar and fat in the recipe.
- If your blender or food processor gets hot while processing the hazelnuts, give it a rest for 5 minutes before continuing to blend.
FAQ’s
How to roast hazelnuts at home?
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast the hazelnuts in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are fragrant and lightly browned. Make sure to stir the hazelnuts halfway through the cooking time to ensure even roasting.
- Keep a close eye on the hazelnuts as they can burn quickly. Remove them from the oven as soon as they are done.
- Let the hazelnuts cool down slightly, then transfer them onto a large kitchen towel. Cover and rub the hazelnuts in the towel to remove the skin. Now you can use your hazelnuts to make chocolate spread.
Can I use a different type of nut?
Surprisingly yes! A great option would be almonds but of course it won’t be chocolate hazelnut spread anymore it’ll be chocolate almond spread! And obviously it’s going to taste different.
Does the chocolate hazelnut spread need to be stored in the fridge?
Yes, store the chocolate spread in the fridge. This hardens it up making it super smooth and creamy, a perfect texture for spreading on toast.
Can I use honey/maple syrup instead of sugar?
Of course, you could use whatever sweetener you’d like. Just make sure to start with a little, then you can taste it and add more if needed.
Check out my YouTube Channel for detailed recipe tutorials! Made one of my recipes? Tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations!
If you’re looking for more easy, and healthy alternatives for your favorite breakfast options, you should definitely try out my homemade granola recipe, or my delicious and healthy homemade granola bars!
Recipe Card
Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Rich, creamy, and chocolatey! Once you try this homemade chocolate hazelnut spread, you’ll never want the store-bought version ever again! It’s quick, easy, made with simple ingredients, and is way healthier!!
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Total Time: 10 min
Course: Breakfast/Desserts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups roasted hazelnuts (225g)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 4 Tbsp powdered sugar (50g), or to taste
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (14g)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted (100g)
Equipment/Utensils
- Food processor
- Spatula
- Medium sized jar
Instructions
- In a food processor or strong blender, blend the roasted hazelnuts on medium-high speed until it forms a chunky paste.
- Add in coconut oil and continue to blend until the mixture turns into a smooth paste.
- Next add in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue to blend on high speed until the mixture is as smooth as you can get it.
- Finally add in melted dark chocolate and blend until it’s fully incorporated into the mixture.
- Transfer the chocolate hazelnut spread into a jar and store in the refrigerator. NOTE: the chocolate spread will be runny, but when chilled it hardens up and becomes a smooth and creamy texture perfect for spreading. Enjoy!
Nutrition (for the total yield)
Calories: 2396.45kcal
Total Fat: 195.55g
Carbs: 150.33g
Sugars: 97.13g
Protein: 42.47g
Sodium: 1176.59mg
Fiber: 33.32g
** Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more. **