Healthy 6-Ingredient Homemade Nutella Recipe

Creamy homemade nutella! Whip up the beloved chocolate hazelnut spread with just 6 ingredients for a healthier, and tastier version. Made with toasted hazelnuts, semi-sweet chocolate, and a splash of honey for natural sweetness, this homemade nutella recipe is simple and delicious.

Using only wholesome ingredients, this homemade version is leaps and bounds better than store-bought Nutella. Spread over toasted whole-wheat bread, graham crackers or pancakes, or drizzle over ice cream for a decadent dessert. 

What you’ll need for this recipe:

• Hazelnuts (find hazelnuts in the baking aisle or bulk section of the grocery store)
• Kosher salt 
• Pure vanilla extract 
• Pure almond extract
• Semi-sweet chocolate bar (bar is better than chips)
• Oil (hazelnut, coconut or olive)
• Honey

Tips on how to make the best homemade nutella

1. Toast the hazelnuts: this adds flavor and it loosens the natural oils, making it easier to blend. The best way to toast nuts is to toast them on a baking sheet in the oven. Toasting in the oven creates a more even toast as opposed to on the stove top. 
2. Skin the hazelnuts: this creates a creamier nut butter. Transfer the toasted nuts to a clean kitchen towel, fold the towel over the hazelnuts and using your hands, roll the nuts around to release their skins. There will be some pesky skins—do your best to remove as many as possible.
3. Blend into a butter: blend the nuts on low speed for about 10 minutes until a smooth hazelnut butter forms. You’ll need a high-powered blender (such as a Vitamix or Ninja) or food processor for this step. Nut butters can be hard on kitchen appliances, so make sure you trust the motor of your blender or processor! 
4. Add flavor: add a splash of vanilla and almond extract (I find just a tiny bit of almond extract makes this spread taste like the real stuff). Season with a dash of salt. 
5. Add melted chocolate: add the melted chocolate and blend until smooth. I prefer semi-sweet for this spread, but you can also use milk or dark chocolate. High-quality chocolate bars are best for this recipe (chips will work but not as well).
6. Add oil and sweetener: add 2 tablespoons of desired oil and 1 tablespoon honey; blend until smooth. I prefer coconut or hazelnut oil, but olive oil works too. Add only 1 tablespoons of honey—the more liquid sweetener added, the thicker/stiffer this spread will become. If you want the spread to be sweeter, add ground coconut sugar or confectioners’ sugar. 

How to store homemade nutella

Because this homemade nutella doesn’t contain preservatives (and hasn’t been pasteurized), it should be stored in the refrigerator. (If you plan to use the chocolate hazelnut spread within a few days, you can store it at room temperature.)

Keep in mind, the nutella will harden in the refrigerator. To soften up the mixture and bring it back to it’s creamy state, microwave the chocolate spread in 15-second increments (for a total of 30–45 seconds) until drippy. 

How long does it last?

Stored in the refrigerator, homemade nutella will last up to 1 month. 

Is homemade nutella healthy?

Per 2-tablespoon serving, this homemade Nutella recipe is significantly healthier than the store-bought version.

Variations:

• Sweeten it up, use ¼ cup to ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) instead of honey.
• Swap the melted chocolate for ¼ cup cocoa powder.
• Use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate for a sweeter version.
• Swap the semi-sweet chocolate for dark chocolate (at least 72%) for a less-sweet version.

How to use homemade nutella 

• Spread onto crepes, pancakes, or waffles. 
• Spread onto banana bread, carrot bread, and sweet potato bread. 
• Sandwich between homemade graham crackers. 
• Swirl into or drizzle over ice cream.
• Drip strawberries, bananas, and apples in nutella.  

You might also like…

• Cashew Butter
• Spiced Pumpkin Butter
• Healthy-ish Puppy Chow
• Hazelnut Shortbread

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