Homemade Nutella

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Homemade Nutella beats the store-bought version any day. Blended with pure cacao and lots of hazelnuts, it’s silky smooth, deeply chocolatey, and secretly healthier.

Homemade Nutella in a jar with a spoon.

Jars of homemade almond butter or chia seed jam are essential spreads in my kitchen. They add a deliciously creamy texture to warm baked goods, or a touch of sweetness to a simple bowl of oatmeal. But when I’m craving something a little chocolatey, this homemade Nutella is my saving grace.

Unfortunately, store-bought Nutella contains dairy, soy, and processed sugara lot of processed sugar. That’s why it’s so addictively sweet.

And while I wouldn’t go so far as to call this version healthy, it’s certainly healthier and far less processed. Toasted hazelnuts (which make your house smell amazing), are blended with raw cacao powder (that’s rich in antioxidants), and sweetened with a touch of coconut sugar. The results are unbelievably creamy, decadent, and rich in that same chocolate-nutty flavor.

Ingredients for homemade Nutella on a table.

Ingredients For The Best Nutella Recipe

With just six ingredients, this homemade nutella recipe comes together easily. And bonus – it’s naturally dairy-free and vegan.

  • Raw Hazelnuts: This star ingredient adds the most delicious nutty flavor and pairs beautifully with chocolate. 
  • Coconut Oil: Helps to make the consistency a bit more smooth and creamy. 
  • Coconut Sugar: An unprocessed sugar that gives just the right amount of sweetness. 
  • Cacao Powder: I like to use cacao powder, but you can also use cocoa powder. 
  • Vanilla Extract: Deepens the richness of this spread. 
  • Salt: A pinch to balance out the sweetness. 

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

Roasting hazelnuts on a sheet pan for homemade Nutella

How To Make Homemade Nutella 

The base of this recipe is a quick hazelnut butter made in your food processor. And to achieve that creaminess, you need to roast your hazelnuts to help release their natural oils. So preheat your oven to 350F and continue with the steps below.

  • Roast the hazelnuts. Spread them out on a sheet pan and cook for about 10-12 minutes, until the skins darken and crack. 
  • Remove the skins. Once the hazelnuts are cooled, transfer them to a kitchen towel.  Grab up the corners of the towel to create a sac and give them a good rub until the skins are removed. 
  • Blend into a butter. In a food processor, blend the hazelnuts for about 5 minutes until it becomes a creamy butter. Then add the oil and blend for another minute. 
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the sugar, cacao, and vanilla and blend until it’s combined. (I recommend turning the coconut sugar into powdered sugar before blending so it’s less gritty).
  • Store or serve. Pour and scoop the Nutella into a storage container (it will firm up slightly as it cools) or enjoy right away.
Blending ingredients in a food processor for homemade Nutella.

Ways To Use Homemade Nutella

If you’re wondering, what should I put this on? Think warm baked goods and fresh cut fruit that transforms into indulgent breakfasts, sweet snacks, and of course – desserts. 

Pouring homemade Nutella into a jar.

A Few Questions Answered

  • Do you have to pre-roast your hazelnuts? Yes! Similar to how you roast almonds before making almond butter, roasting helps to release oils from the nuts to create a smoother butter. 
  • Can you use a blender instead of a food processor? Yes, you can. But just make sure to double the recipe as you need a minimum quantity of ingredients in the blender container, to blend properly. 
  • Can you add chocolate to this recipe? Absolutely. Heat about 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate bars (use semi-sweet or dark chocolate) in the microwave. Then slowly add this into the final mixture and blend until everything is combined.
  • Why is my nutella not super creamy? Make sure that your plain hazelnut butter is really creamy before adding the rest of the ingredients. If that butter doesn’t blend smoothly, add in a bit more coconut oil. 
  • Can you use honey or maple syrup instead of coconut sugar? I tried it and the liquid sweeteners made the batch of homemade Nutella seize up, to no longer be beautifully spreadable. I even tried re-thinning it with oil and water, but it never returned to the perfect consistency of this version. So stick with coconut sugar or an organic powdered sugar.
  • Will the nutella firm up in the fridge? Yes, it will. But just 5 minutes at room temperature will soften it up again. It will also soften on warm toast to become smooth and spreadable, as pictured below.
Homemade nutella spread on toast.

Storage Instructions

While you might be tempted to store this homemade Nutella in your pantry – don’t. It won’t last very long. Store-bought versions have been processed with high-heat pasteurization and preservatives, allowing them to be shelf-stable at room temperature. 

For this homemade version, store it in a container in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks. And if you want it to be extra creamy again, just microwave it for 15-20 seconds to soften it back up.

Homemade Nutella Recipe Video

Watch the video below to see how I make it!

More Easy Chocolate Recipes

While this recipe is one answer to a chocolate lover’s dream, just wait until you give these desserts a try!

If you make this recipe, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

A spoon with a jar of homemade Nutella.

How to Make Homemade Nutella

4.89 from 54 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This homemade Nutella beats the store bought version any day. Blended with pure cacao and lots of hazelnuts, it’s silky smooth, deeply chocolatey, and secretly healthier. Watch the video above to see how I make it!

Video

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 350F. Then, place the hazelnuts on a sheet pan and spread them out. Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until the skins become dark and cracked.
    Roasted hazelnuts on a baking sheet for homemade Nutella.
  • Let the hazelnuts cool to the touch, then transfer them to a kitchen towel and rub them until the majority of the skins have been removed.
    Rubbing skins of hazelnuts for homemade Nutella.
  • Place the hazelnuts into a food processor and blend for 5-6 minutes, or until you have a creamy hazelnut butter. Add the oil and blend for another minute.
    Blending hazelnuts for homemade Nutella in a food processor.
  • Add the sugar, cacao and vanilla and blend until fully combined. If you can powder the coconut sugar in a spice grinder before combining, even better.
    Blending ingredients for homemade Nutella in a food processor.
  • Pour the nutella into a storage container (where it will firm up slightly as it cools) or enjoy immediately.
    Homemade Nutella in a glass container with spoon.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: homemade nutella, Nutella
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally published September 2016, but updated to include new photos and information. 

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.89 from 54 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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230 Comments

  1. I found your channel several weeks ago after finding myself most prepare almost all my food by myself, thanks to Keto diet. You mentioned that this recipe is not completely healthy and I think that’s because of the sugar isn’t it? I’m just thinking about making this with zero-carb  sweetener  Like golden monk fruit  Or any regular white sweetener but I’m not sure i’m going for the same result since you already tried with maple and honey. What do you think? Thank your for being (your recipes) a big part in my new life.

    1. Hi Farhad – you can certainly try this with a keto sweetener. If you do, let us know how it turns out!

  2. Hej
    Can you make the nutella in the blender. .?
    From Annette sommer, Denmark 

  3. I’m not vegan, dairy-free or paleo, but I made this today and it was so tasty. I tested it right from my blender on a fresh strawberry and happiness arrived at once. Thank you!

    Nutella love from
    Anita in Norway5 stars

  4. Just love it. Me and my friends… once I share it with them, it’s hard not to not eat all in one serving :)
    Thanks5 stars

  5. Hi! I just made this. It’s so good! Wondering: How long will it keep in the fridge? Thank you!

  6. Made it this weekend and it’s already gone (pancakes, breakfasts, snacks…). Nothing tastes better than “homemade”. Super easy and tasty.5 stars

    1. Hi Mia – I couldn’t agree more! Homemade things always have something about them – plus they taste super fresh. I’m glad your whole family enjoyed this recipe :)

  7. Hello, I bought everything but the cacao…I have cacao nibs instead…should I grind them to powder? Otherwise I have cacao Droste (Belgian high quality) it says cocoa powder on one side of the box and cacao on the other. Thanks, love every bit of your recipe

    1. Hi Laura – you can use any cocoa or cacao powder in this recipe. I’d probably use the one you have versus the cacao nibs. :)

  8. It’s amazing! I used my Blendtec with the twister jar, 40 sec to make short work of turning the hazelnuts into a super smooth butter. I replaced the sugar to make it keto. So happy to have “Nutella” back on the menu! Thank you Lisa! Now will be a test of self restraint. ;-)5 stars

    1. Hi Jel – I haven’t tried this recipe yet in my Vitamix, but I’m sure it could work. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!

  9. Hello! I just found your YouTube channel last night when I went searching for a spiralizer. I’m very impressed with myself since I didn’t stay up watching all night, I really wanted to! I’m focused & committed on making the transition to a plant-based diet.I wanted to buy a juicer, but after asking for recommendations on FB, several friends have me thinking a vitamix blender is the way to go. In your video for making homemade almond butter, you used a vitamix blender…can that be used instead of the food processor from this video? I’m really new to all this, whats are the differences between each? 

    1. Hi Glen – I’m glad you’re enjoying my recipes and videos. Yes, theoretically you could use the Vitamix to make this recipe as well, though I haven’t tried. In the Vitamix, you just want to make sure you have a minimum amount of ingredients, especially when it comes to blending nuts (see all the tips on my almond butter post). So the food processor is handy sometimes for smaller quantities and things that are more sticky in nature.

    2. I tried this in the Vitamix and it came out super delicious! Probably creamier than what you would get in a food processor, but I haven’t tried that yet. Almost a smoothie-like consistency! We’re using our Vitamix for everything now since we threw out our Ninja.5 stars

  10. I have made a couple cookbook hazelnut spreads…. your recipe is the best! Not grainy, very creamy – pulsing the coconut sugar and using a food processor did the trick. 5 stars

      1. Hello. I loved the video and i’m definitely going to try the recipe, but I was wondering what is the size of the serving for this?!

      1. All of the brands I recommend are linked on the Shop page on my website. And I don’t see why not on the cacao powder.

    1. Hi, I will be trying this recipe today with already roasted and salted hazelnuts. I hope it turns out good! They didn’t have raw hazelnuts at my local grocery store. What is your opinion on this substitute?

      P. S. Thanks for this recipe, you inspire us to eat healthier and make it easier to do so! We have been eating keto for several months now and I’m always looking for healthy things to make at home. My kids should love this one. I also love your other stuff!5 stars

      1. Hi Jennifer – it’s always best to roast the nuts yourself, as store-bought ones will usually contain additional oils. But you can give it a try. Also, make sure to not add any additional salt, as it may turn out too salty. Hope it turns out for you!

  11. Hi Lisa,
    Thank for sharing this. I have recently come across your YouTube channel and have been learning quite a bit about healthy eating by watching your videos.

    Nutella is my favorite but I don’t eat that much because of how bad the store made Nutella usually are for health. So minute I saw this video, I have decided to try this at home :) 

    Quick question about the ingredients: I have Costco Kirkland extra virgin olive oil, Costco Kirkland vegetable oil, peanut oil. Can I use any of these instead of coconut or hazelnut oil? If yes, should the amount of oil remain the same?

    Thanks,
    Pavan

    1. Hi Pavan – I’m glad you’re enjoying my videos! I wouldn’t use the EVOO or peanut oil as it will flavor the nutella too much. So I’d go with the vegetable oil. And yes, same quantity.

      1. Hi Lisa, so I did make the Nutella using my brand-new a2500 Vitamix (thanks to you for the inspiration) and unfortunately it didn’t turn out as good as yours :(. May be because I used Vitamix instead of a food processor. Vitamix struggled to blend the hazelnuts into that semi liquid consistency that you showed in the video even after multiple attempts. But in the end, it did manage to make some thick paste like consistency. It tastes yummy though. Though it didn’t turn out to be as pretty as yours, I’m happy with the outcome.

        Let me know if you have any tips to do this using a Vitamix instead of a food processor.

        Thanks,
        Pavan

        P.S: now that I have a Vitamix, I’m going to try more and more of your vegetarian recipes. Looking forward for it :)

      2. Hi Pavan – When blending nuts in the Vitamix there is some nuance. I’d recommend you check out the tips on my almond butter recipe. But happy you still loved this nutella recipe, even if it was a bit thicker. :)

  12. Thank you for this delicious And easy recipe! Was a hit with the children and hubby too! 
    No need to buy Nutella when can make a healthy alternative in minutes:) 5 stars

  13. After I made this recipe for the first time, we no longer buy nutella. And it is much healthier and tastier option. 
    We always have some in the fridge. After finding this recipes I became a big fan of Lisa’s. :) 5 stars

    1. Hi Dunja – I am so glad you enjoyed this homemade Nutella! It really is better than store-bought versions :)

  14. What a lovely recipe, it truly tastes like Nutella! I did not have the best of luck with removing the skins off the hazelnuts despite roasting them to the point that a few extra minutes would turn them bitter. Nevertheless, they turned into a yummy butter and the addition of the rest of the ingredients really hit the mark. I only substituted the coconut sugar with powdered sugar and that work perfectly. Thanks for the yummy recipe, I am off to make crepes!5 stars

    1. Hi Alexandra – I’m so glad your Nutella came out perfectly! A homemade version really is so simple and in my opinion, tastes a lot better :)

  15. Hi, having just made my own peanut butter I’m super excited to try this! is that 180cals for 2tbsp? do you absolutely need the 2tbsp of oil? could you get away with just 1? when I’ve made my peanut butter instead of sugar I added 3 drops of sweet lead stevia drops which was more than adequate, and just took the bitterness off – but it’s individual taste I guess :-) love the blog and YouTube videos!

    1. Hi Heather – yes, that nutrition info is correct. You do need the 2 tbsp of oil for the proper spreadable texture, but if you want a thicker nutella, you could try 1 tbsp. So happy you love my website and videos! :)

  16. Lisa, this is an amazing recipe! I love Nutella, but now refuse to eat it because of all the yucky ingredients. But this is pure and delicious! Thanks for all you do to promote healthy, gluten free living.5 stars

      1. Hi Iris – So glad you enjoyed this homemade nutella! Sounds delicious with apples :)

  17. Can’t wait to try this! I currently do not own a food processor – can I get the same results using a Vitamix?

  18. Thanks for this recipe who looks delicious. When I live there isn’t coconut sugar, can I replace it with powdered dates (entirely dryed and powdered dates, so the fibers are still here but powdered).
    Thanks.

    1. Hi Moussa – Thank you for reaching out. I haven’t tried making this recipe with powdered dates but it sounds like it should work. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out. :)

  19. Hi i love this recipe already all my neighbours are mking this delicious home made nutella, the only question i have is how can i make it less runny? currently it is as you show on the picture but we would like to have it more solid as a spread. any tips please? thank you5 stars

  20. Hello Lisa,

    My son is allergic to hazelnut. Do you think I could do the recipe with almonds?? (it’s the only nut he is not allergic to).

    Thanks

      1. Besides making the recipe less healthy, what would the downsides of using table sugar instead of coconut sugar? Thanks a lot!5 stars

  21. Made this today – think I used a different coconut oil (solid this time instead of watery last time) – it was so thick, thinned it out with your cashew milk – delicious!!  Children are asking for pancakes so that they can slather the Nutella on!  Guilt free treat in the grand scheme of things.

    1. Homemade pancakes, nutella and cashew milk – sounds like a perfect breakfast to me! And guilt free for sure. ;) x

  22. I don’t think you can make this in a vitamix. I tried twice (I don’t have a food processor) and both times as soon as the sugar and cacao go in to it it turns into something resembling cookie dough. It still tastes good at least

    1. That’s interesting. I’ll have to give it a try and test it out. Thanks for letting me know!

      1. Just made this in my vitamix with no issues.. I feel like removing the shell is important as is a low setting until the hazlenuts turn into butter. 

    2. Hey Lisa! I absolutely love all your videos & recipes.
      First of all, the “nutella” tastes amazing. Mine is really runny as well, but I only prepared it five minutes ago, so I’ll wait how it turns out in the fridge.
      I tried out another way as well, where I used my chocolate protein powder instead of the cocoa and I used no sugar. It had a very hard texture, so I wanted to thin it out with some almond milk – suddenly a cookie dough turns out! Well, they’re in the oven now, I’m sure they’ll turn out delicious as well ? x

  23. I just made this recipe! It’s wonderful; I can’t wait to mix it into some oatmeal tomorrow morning.

    I’ve become obsessed with your videos this past week – I bought my mom a kitchenaid vegetable sheet cutter attachment for mother’s day because of your recommendation! Can’t wait to give it to her on Sunday. Thank you for all the wonderful, healthy content!

    Cheers,
    Morgan5 stars

    1. Yay! Happy you loved this homemade nutella Morgan. And so happy to hear that you love all my videos! That’s awesome you bought your mom the vegetable sheet cutter also. Hope she loves it as much as I do! :) x

  24. I just made this recipe and had a few issues. Skins did not peel off on the majority of the hazelnuts. I also did not have a spice grinder for the coconut sugar so it came out gritty.

    1. It sounds like you may have needed to bake your hazelnuts a bit longer. Every oven is slightly different. And for the grittiness, that’s why I recommend it’s preferable to grind (or blend in a Vitamix) your coconut sugar first. It comes out much smoother and not at all gritty. :)

  25. Thank you for the incredible recipe, Lisa! Mine turned out beautifully! I have a dairy allergy and am so excited to be able to enjoy Nutella. I am a baker and am dreaming up all the ways I can use it. 5 stars

    1. Wonderful! So happy to hear you loved the recipe Kristen! I’m sure you’ll come up with lots of delicious ways to use it. ;) x

      1. Hi Sasa – You can use stevia, however you will need to test out the measurement as Stevia can be much sweeter than coconut sugar!

    2. Hi Lisa, I have tried several versions of homemade nutella, this is the one having the best taste. What’s just bothering is that it’s runny even if it’s straight from fridge, so for lunchboxes after a while it will melt more. Did I make something wrong or this is how it should be.

      1. Hi Nistrine – mine definitely firms up in the fridge. Maybe try adding a little less oil next time. :)

    1. Oh no, that’s a bummer. Perhaps you can pinpoint where things went wrong by comparing your version to the video above. Did you have a thin hazelnut butter before adding the other ingredients? You may be able to salvage it by adding some water. Try adding a few tablespoons and see if that works.

      1. At least it would be kid-safe play doh hahahah. Ok, so I think I didn’t peel the hazelnuts properly and I think I put more cocoa in than I should have. I added more hazelnuts (made sure they were more liquified than the previous mix) then, I ended up putting it in a blender and high speed with some coconut milk and it looks creamy now. Not as liquid as yours but it tastes nice. Thank you for the recipe! ;)5 stars

      2. I’m so glad you were able to save it and figured out what went wrong. Peeling the hazelnuts is key as is making sure you have a fairly creamy and liquid hazelnut butter, before adding the other ingredients. The good news is I’m sure you’re next batch will be even better! ;) x

    2. At least it would be kid-safe play doh hahahah. Ok, so I think I didn’t peel the hazelnuts properly and I think I put more cocoa in than I should have. I added more hazelnuts (made sure they were more liquified than the previous mix) then, I ended up putting it in a blender and high speed with some coconut milk and it looks creamy now. Not as liquid as yours but it tastes nice. Thanks for the recipe! ;)

  26. Hi Lisa. Great video! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. Just want to confirm the cacao powder measurement… I’m assuming it’s 1/3 CUP, is that right? And it looks like you added just a pinch of salt at the end??

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Ellen – thanks and good catch on the measurements! Yes, you’re correct. I’ll fix that right now. :) Enjoy the recipe!

    1. I haven’t done it yet, but I’m sure it could work. Nearly everything is possible in a Vitamix! ;)

    1. You can store the homemade nutella for 1-2 months in the refrigerator. If you’d like to store longer, I’d recommend freezing it. Though to be honest, it never usually last that long in my house. ;)

  27. Hi Lisa. This video was great! I was intimidatedthat to try the whole hazelnut roasting. .. but you made it look so easy. Thanks! I wanted to ask you, have you ever made this recipe with stevia? I’m having a hard time getting past the coconut sugar.
    When I first ran into your blog, the first thing that caught my eye was your raw cheesecake! I would love to see you make one. ..sometime!

    1. Hi Francesca – So glad you’re loving the videos! I do have my raw cheesecake on the video “to do” list, though it may take a few months as the list is ever expanding. Lol. As for the nutella, I’ve not made it with stevia, but I think that should work fine. I think it’s the stickiness of the maple and honey that just don’t work as well in this recipe. Give it a try and let me know! And so glad you’re gonna give roasted hazelnuts a try. The smell and flavor is amazing and well worth the little bit of effort. :) x

  28. Nourishing Nutella version + another awesome demo video = you’re on a roll! :) Love it. And I look forward to your upcoming crepe video!

  29. Can you believe I tried Nutella for the first time just a couple months ago?! Clearly I was living under a rock! I love that this is a healthier option with real ingredients!

    1. If you live in the US, I’d say that’s totally understandable as it’s just not the “thing” it is in Europe. But it’s probably for the better, because now you can jump off on the healthier nutella foot! ;) x