Homemade Nutella
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I’m not sure anything has disappeared from my kitchen faster than a jar of this chocolate hazelnut spread! Creamy, rich and smooth, this homemade version of Nutella has lovely toasted notes from the just-roasted hazelnuts. Spread onto sourdough discard waffles for breakfast or sourdough crepes for dessert, I’m betting this delicious Nutella won’t last long in your home either!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Rich and Decadent - there’s nothing like warm just-made Nutella straight out of the blender, it’s so chocolatey and smooth. You may find yourself doing more taste-testing than originally planned!
Easily Adjustable - I don’t go too crazy on the sugar here so you really get the cocoa and hazelnut coming through, plus it makes the spread just a bit healthier. But if you want a sweeter taste, feel free to add more powdered sugar.
Pure, Delicious Flavors - making Nutella from scratch means no extra additives or preservatives and a really lovely depth from the golden toasted hazelnuts.
Ingredients
- Hazelnuts - You want the raw, skinless kind so you can toast them yourself and avoid any bitter skins.
- Powdered sugar - Also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar, this finely ground sweetener gives a satiny smooth texture.
- Cocoa powder - Use any kind you have. I used a fairly dark powder for a rich flavor.
- Vanilla extract - Vanilla paste will work too, for a slightly stronger flavor.
- Salt - Just a pinch, to bring out the flavors.
How To Make Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Preheat your oven to 400F/200C. Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast until they turn a warm golden-brown color, 7 to 10 minutes. I like to shake the pan halfway through just to get a more even color. You should be able to smell the nuts roasting towards the end, it makes your kitchen smell amazing!
Once the hazelnuts are toasted, carefully transfer them to a blender, ideally a high-powered one. Blend on high speed. The hazelnuts will first get pureed into a fine crumb.
As the blending continues, the hazelnuts will release more oil and turn into a smooth paste the consistency of peanut butter. My blender takes about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed, but time will vary depending on your blender (or food processor, which will take longer).
When you like the consistency, add in the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Blend again on high speed, scraping down the sides as needed, until all the ingredients are incorporated and you have a nice smooth texture. Taste and add more powdered sugar or a pinch more salt if desired before transferring to an airtight container.
Kate's Recipe Tips
- I keep a close eye on the hazelnuts towards the end of toasting. You want a lovely golden color, but you definitely don’t want burnt nuts!
- If you can only find skin-on hazelnuts, roast them the same way as the skinless ones and let them cool slightly. Then put the warm hazelnuts carefully into a kitchen cloth and rub them until the skins loosen and fall off. Don’t worry if a few skins are left on, you’ll be fine as long as most of them are removed.
- If you can only find roasted hazelnuts, that’s fine too. I still recommend heating them in the oven for a few minutes, as they will be easier to blend when warm and release more toasty flavors.
How To Use/What To Eat With
As you can see by the photos, my family loves Nutella on sourdough discard waffles! Of course, sourdough discard pancakes are also delicious, whether whole wheat or made with bananas.
Homemade Nutella on a sourdough dutch baby is a huge hit for brunch. Don’t forget the whipped cream!
These sourdough discard crepes are super easy to make and I love the crispy edges with the rich, smooth Nutella.
Drizzle some Nutella on a big bowl of oatmeal, yogurt, or sourdough granola.
Sometimes simple is the best - just spread homemade Nutella on buttered sourdough and eat!
How To Store + Freeze
Just like peanut butter, this homemade chocolate hazelnut spread doesn’t actually need to be refrigerated. Seal it in an airtight container and keep it somewhere cool and dry. I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just keep in mind it will take longer for the hazelnuts to turn into nut butter. My blender took about 3 minutes, while my food processor took about 12 minutes. The texture was ever so slightly less smooth, but the Nutella still turned out delicious.
If the chocolate hazelnut spread is too thin, you can blend in more powdered sugar.
If you find your Nutella is coming out too thick, blend in a bit of a neutral-flavored oil, like a light vegetable oil or even a hazelnut oil.
Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Blender (ideally, a high-powered one) or food processor
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 250 g Hazelnuts (raw)
- 65 g Powdered Sugar (icing sugar)
- 30 g Cocoa Powder
- 2 g Vanilla Extract
- Salt (just a pinch)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast until golden, shaking halfway through to rotate the nuts. This should take about 7 to 10 minutes depending on your oven.
- Carefully transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a high-powered blender. Blend on high speed to the consistency of smooth peanut butter, 3 to 5 minutes. If using a food processor, the process may take 10 to 15 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and pinch of salt to the blender. Blend again on high speed, scraping down the sides as needed, until all the ingredients are incorporated and you have a lovely smooth texture. Taste and add more powdered sugar, vanilla, or a pinch more salt if desired before transferring to a clean, sterilised jar.This recipe makes 1 x 250 ml jar of chocolate hazelnut spread but you can easily double or triple the recipe.
Nutrition
