Homemade Nutella

This easy Homemade Nutella recipe is for you whether your local store run out of Nutella or perhaps looking for a healthier chocolate hazelnut spread alternative (that is also crazy delicious). This is hands down the ultimate Nutella recipe that you can make in 15 minutes using a few simple ingredients. It is smooth and has a deep nutty flavor with delicious cocoa afternotes. It is sophisticated, and sweet but very well balanced in sweetness compared to the store bought Nutella version. Make your own Nutella!

Jump to:

• 📖 What is Nutella made of?
• 🌟 Why this is the best recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 🎓 Expert tips
• ❓ Recipe FAQs
• 🍫 🌰 More Chocolate Hazelnut desserts
• Easy Homemade Nutella

📖 What is Nutella made of?

Nutella is well known worldwide as the sweetened chocolate hazelnut spread that is often used to spread on toast for breakfast, fill cakes, cupcakes, or simply it is eaten out of a jar with a spoon on gloomy rainy days. Nutella is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was first introduced in 1964.

The recipe for Nutella slightly varies by country, but the main ingredients are sugar and palm oil, and also contains hazelnut, cocoa solids, and skimmed milk. The label states that Nutella does not need to be refrigerated. This is because the large quantity of sugar in the product acts as a preservative.

This homemade Nutella taste seriously better than the store-bought and most importantly, contains much healthier ingredients such as hazelnut paste, chocolate, cocoa powder, and a very small amount of sugar.

🌟 Why this is the best recipe

1. Super simple to make – This super yummy, but so easy to make and requires no fancy equipment or ingredients
2. It is so delicious – The deep yet natural hazelnut and chocolate notes in this fantastic homemade spread will impress everyone
3. It is an easy-to-follow tutorial – This detailed tutorial is foolproof. I've shared every tip and trick I know, so you can create the most delicious dyi Nutella. I want you to succeed!

📝 Ingredient notes

1. Hazelnut: Nutella is effectively a chocolate hazelnut spread so you will definitely need hazelnut to make it. You have two options: either buy raw whole hazelnut with skin on it, roast it yourself then process the nuts in a food processor until smooth - for this option you will need a food processor and the stronger the food processor is the smoother the hazelnut spread will become. Another option is to purchase hazelnut butter or hazelnut spread that contains 100% hazelnut
2. Chocolate: You will need some good quality milk chocolate to make Nutella, the one I am using is Callebaut Milk Chocolate (callets). The chocolate has two functions in this homemade Nutella recipe; it gives the chocolate flavor and also provides texture. Since chocolate is solid at room temp, it will make your Nutella thicker and effectively less runny
3. Powdered Sugar: Everyone knows that store-bought Nutella is quite packed with sugar. You can make this homemade Nutella either with or without sugar, depending on your preference, if using please use powdered sugar. From a texture point of view, it is not strictly necessary to use sugar but from a taste point of view, it would be more similar to the original Nutella. Alternatively, replace it with a small amount of maple syrup. If you want to learn about the different types of sugar and how to use them in baking, please read my  sugar guide
4. Cocoa powder: Use dark, so-called Dutched processed unsweetened cocoa powder, I find its taste is superior compared to eg. raw cacao powder. I recommend either Callebaut or Valrhona brands
5. Salt: An essential ingredient in most dessert recipes. Balances flavor and enhances other ingredients
6. Vanilla: Please avoid using artificial vanilla, use organic pure vanilla extract if you can access it
7. Some sort of fat: Now this is totally optional and largely depends on how much fat gets released as you process the hazelnut. If you feel that your mixture is too thick, use one tablespoon of oil eg. hazelnut oil, coconut oil, or even melted butter however if there is enough fat in your hazelnut paste mixture, this can be left out

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all Ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe

1. How to roast hazelnut

Roasting hazelnut is an absolute must. Roasting brings out their flavor and is always recommended whenever you work with nuts.

Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 392F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place hazelnuts on the sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Easy! Monitor the color of the hazelnut towards the end as you want it to turn golden brown and the skin to loosen up but make sure you do not burn the hazelnut. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer hazelnut onto a clean kitchen towel. While hazelnut is still warm gently rub the nuts with the towel until the skin comes off properly.

💡 Top Tip: Alternatively, roast the hazelnut in a saucepan, until a lovely nutty smell achieved

2. How to make hazelnut paste (hazelnut butter)

For making hazelnut paste, all you need is a good quality food processor that will process hazelnut until finely ground. Hazelnut will start to release some oil in about 5 minutes and then becomes a smooth paste.

Now truth is that unless you have a good quality food processor you won´t be able to make hazelnut paste or it won´t become smooth enough. Make sure you do not burn your food processor and avoid it being over-heated.

💡 Top Tip: Alternatively buy the hazelnut paste from the store or online, make sure you purchase 100% hazelnut that is free from any additional oil or sugar

3. The process of making Nutella at home

This homemade Nutella recipe comes together in 15 minutes, really super easy even if you are a beginner in the kitchen.

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave but make sure you do not over-heat it. Milk chocolate temp should not go above 45C / 113F
2. Prepare the hazelnut paste as explained above, or purchase it from the store
3. Once the hazelnut paste is ready, the chocolate is melted, add cocoa powder, powder sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, and process the mixture for a minute or two, and done! Use a food processor or blender.

💡 Top Tip: If the mixture is too thick, add in 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter

4. How to use this homamde Nutella

Use it exactly the same way you would use store-bought Nutella! You can use it on cupcakes, pancakes, or cheesecakes, or eat it straight out of the jar to lift your mood! I have an amazing Nutella Babka recipe too, dangerously delicious and totally addictive, you have to try it!

🎓 Expert tips

1. Use high-quality milk chocolate and roasted hazelnut as that will define the taste of your Nutella
2. Feel free to make this recipe sugar-free for an even healthier alternative
3. If you do not own a high quality food processor, it is better to go with store-bought nut butter that has a similar consistency as a smooth peanut butter
4. Speaking of peanut butter, feel free to replace hazelnut butter with peanut butter and make a chocolate peanut spread instead!
5. If the mixture is too thick, add in 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter

❓ Recipe FAQs

🍫 🌰 More Chocolate Hazelnut desserts