How to Make the Best Homemade Nutella (Easy Recipe)
Nutella is my kryptonite (especially with strawberries… omg YUM…), but the storebought stuff includes a lot of palm oil, a TON of sugar, and surprisingly, not that many hazelnuts.
I set out to create a homemade version – after all, if I could do it with Ranch seasoning, I knew I could do it with Nutella.
My version’s primary ingredient is hazelnuts (as it should be, right?!), and it uses a tiny bit of avocado oil for smoothness.
Many homemade Nutella recipes call for coconut oil, but I found it delivered a chocolate-hazelnut-coconut flavored result, and it just wasn’t the same as the storebought version.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better ingredient list: my homemade Nutella recipe has hazelnuts as the first ingredient, unlike the storebought stuff, which is mostly made of sugar. We’ve also swapped the palm oil for a touch of avocado oil and ditched the lecithin.
- Easy and quick to make: buying roasted hazelnuts allows you to skip the roasting step, and the Nutella comes together in less than 10 minutes thanks to the power of a food processor.
- Tastes just as good, if not better, than the store-bought version: Nutella is extremely sugar-forward, which makes sense as that’s its first ingredient. My version keeps hazelnuts at the forefront with a reasonable amount of powdered sugar to keep it sweet. I actually think it tastes better.
- Uses less sugar than storebought Nutella for a much healthier option: Just 1 tbsp of the storebought Nutella contains 10.5 g of sugar. Our version? Just 5.1 g.
The Recipe Testing Journey
This would hardly be my blog if I didn’t bring you along for the recipe testing ride!
I started by looking at the Nutella ingredient list, which consists of:
- Sugar
- Modified Palm Oil
- Hazelnuts
- Skim Milk Powder
- Cocoa
- Soy And/Or Sunflower Lecithin
- Vanillin
Recipe test 1
The first time I tried this recipe, I reverse-engineered the ingredient list. I swapped the palm oil for coconut oil and a little butter, and I used whole milk instead of skim milk powder. And, of course, I used real vanilla extract.
The result was all wrong… the texture was grainy and loose and the flavor was off thanks to the coconut oil.
Recipe test 2
After the total failure, I took a step back and decided to simplify everything.
I simply relied on roasted hazelnuts, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. The result was so close I could cry, but there was still a slight grainy texture that just wasn’t the same as Nutella.
Recipe test 3
To hopefully solve the grainy issue, I streamed in some avocado oil to the mixture. Problem solved… the third time was the charm!
Smooth, beautiful texture with no coconut aftertaste.
When I added in a little vanilla extract, I did notice the texture shift slightly – still delicious, but slightly less creamy in appearance.
That’s why I consider the vanilla extract optional. It adds a tiny improvement to the flavor complexity, but the shift in texture may be unwanted by those who truly want the store-bought experience with a better ingredient list.
Ingredients in Homemade Nutella
- Roasted hazelnuts: The star of the show – buy roasted hazelnuts so you don’t have to roast them yourself! Raw hazelnuts can be used, but you’ll need the extra step of roasting them on a baking sheet first.
- Powdered sugar: Adds sweetness without graininess. Worked much better than regular sugar!
- Cocoa powder: Adds that chocolate-y flavor!
- Avocado oil: Essential for getting a smooth, silky spread. Substitute melted coconut oil if you want, but that will add a slight coconut aftertaste.
- Pinch of fine salt: Don’t use coarse salt for this recipe – I got random bites of super salty Nutella when I did. Use a very fine salt that will get well-dispersed. This little touch helps balance the sweetness.
Homemade vs Storebought Nutrition Information
Because we use more hazelnuts than sugar (unlike storebought Nutella), our nutrition facts are a bit kinder.
Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate and should not be construed as a guarantee. Values may vary based on ingredient substitutions and portion sizes.
Just 1 tbsp of the storebought Nutella contains 10.5 g of sugar. Our version? Just 5.1 g. That’s just about half as much sugar, and I promise you don’t miss the sweetness overload.
How to Store Nutella
Store in an airtight container or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
As far as where to store it, there’s much debate. From what I’ve researched, the safest way to store homemade Nutella is in the fridge, and it should last for up to 2 months.
However, my second recipe test is still in my pantry (at room temperature), and after 3 weeks, it hasn’t gone rancid. There is just a slight separation of the oils from the hazelnuts. A quick stir gets it right back to tip-top shape.
If you refrigerate your homemade spread, the texture will harden, so let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes before spreading. If you need it softened quickly, microwave 1-2 tablespoons for 10-15 seconds.
Easy Homemade Nutella
Equipment
- Weck jars (optional, for storage)
Ingredients
- 300 g roasted hazelnuts (about 2 1/4 cup)
- 20 g avocado oil (about 1.5 tbsp)
- 150 g powdered sugar (about 2/3 cup)
- 50 g cocoa powder (about 1/2 cup)
- Pinch of fine salt
Instructions
- Add 300 g roasted hazelnuts to a food processor. Process for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture drips off a spoon. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently with a spatula. Do not rush this step – stopping too early will lead to gritty Nutella.
- With the food processor running, drizzle in 20 g avocado oil until smooth. Add 150 g powdered sugar, 50 g cocoa powder, and a Pinch of fine salt. Turn on the food processor for another 30-60 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can add 1-2 tsp vanilla extract, if desired, but I found it did change the texture. The flavor it added is great, but it’s much thicker.
- Store in a cool, dark place (like your pantry) for 2-4 weeks or in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Conclusion
It was trickier than I expected to land on a DIY Nutella recipe that’s truly amazing, but I’m so glad I stuck with it.
The result is a delicious chocolate hazelnut spread that I don’t feel bad about eating or giving to my kids.
I appreciate you so much, and thank you for visiting my website. Be sure to share your opinions in the comment section below – I read every single one.
More pantry staple recipes to try:
I can’t wait to try this, looks so good. My grandkids, LOVE Nutella , so this homemade version will be great. Question about the vanilla extract, did you use liquid or paste? Paste may not change the texture? Just a thought
I used liquid here but I want to try the paste!!
QUESTIONS: would EVOO work and organic cacao powder?
Thank you,
Sonja
EVOO might add a little bitter flavor but it’s not a ton in there, so should be fine. Organic cocoa powder is great!
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏. It won’t last so long . Thank you for your effort 🌹🌞😎
Thank you!
Ok wow. Not only am I super happy about this recipe it is soooo good, I’m super thankful Rebekah for your time and effort you put in making this and testing it. I haven’t bought the store one in forever because I learned the yucky ingredients it contained. Just the amount of fat was umm disgusting. Now I have a healthy version from my favorite sourdough chick to use and for my family. Much appreciated. Keep up the amazing work.
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that! You’re welcome!!!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Thank you for posting it. I remember seeing you on Instagram stories sharing about the first couple times you made this and it didn’t turn out right. I have a question about the cocoa powder. Does it have to be Dutch Processed or can it be regular cocoa powder? Thank you!
Either cocoa powder is fine! Thanks for following along!
I followed the exact method & it’s still very grainy. Anyway to find it? I guess 10mns wasn’t enough but it looked like it was smooth. Thinking of throwing it in to a vitamix.
The graininess was an issue for me until I extended the food processing time. Streaming in the avocado oil also helped a lot.
This worked like a charm and is soooo delicious! Thank you for doing the work for us. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
What a beautiful photo!! Thanks for sharing it!
So delicious and Easy!!! Simple ingredients too! Thank you!
Wow yours looks ever better than mine!! Haha!! Great job and thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!! Thank you for all your effort put in to perfecting this recipe. I’m wondering if you could use organic granulated sugar and put it in the food processor first with the salt to pulverize them to a powder? Avoiding the cornstarch in powder sugar or is it needed?
Simply amazing! I am not a big fan of Nutella because of all the ingredients it has but omg this is sooooo delicious and I’m so happy to know what’s in it
It’s delicious, but sooo thick. Essentially the texture of a cooked brownie haha. The processor when blitzing the hazelnuts did warm up a LOT so I think the cacao powder baked a little. Ended up making ‘protein balls’ with some and rest is brownie crumble.
Also super bitter with the organic cacao powder I used, next time I’ll only use half.
Oh no – yeah that texture isn’t right! Don’t add the cacao powder until the hazelnuts are fully processed so they don’t get blitzed for longer than about a minute. If you did that already, I’m not sure what the issue is as I’ve never come across this texture.
I made this out of curiosity. It definitely required the full seven minutes in order to get liquidity. I thought about adding vanilla and noted your comment about it getting thick. I didn’t expect quite as thick though. I’m sure I’ll use it up, but definitely would not add vanilla should I make this again. Recipe was easy to follow and would’ve worked a lot better had I not added the vanilla
This is the second time I’ve made this. Super easy directions to follow. This Nutella tastes so much better than store bought! LOVE