Vegan Nutella
Skip the store bought stuff, and make your own vegan Nutella at home. It only takes about 15 minutes to make a huge amount, and you can control the amount of added sugar while avoiding dairy ingredients. Makes about 3 cups.
Why you’ll love this homemade nutella
The month before we gave up dairy, I ate two pieces of toast slathered in Nutella. I mean we were living in France, and I was 9 months pregnant.
That’s what I was supposed to do, even if it wasn’t the healthiest decision I’ve ever made. Since then, I haven’t thought about eating Nutella. Maybe it was a good thing I overdid it, because it’s not something I could buy anyway.
When I was shopping at Fresh Thyme recently, I noticed that they had hazelnuts in their bulk bins, and it got me thinking about making my own. Not only could I make my own without dairy, but I knew I could probably limit the amount of sugar it would have. That’s a double win in my mind.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this hot fudge sauce recipe, and this vegan caramel sauce and this cranberry salsa.
Searching for more dairy free sweets? grilled pineapple / aquafaba mousse / vegan banana pudding / dairy free frosting / microwave fudge / maple pecans
Ingredients & substitutions
- Dairy free chocolate chips – Dairy free chocolate chips are readily available at most grocery stores, but sometimes they are located in the organic section rather than the baking aisle. If you’re unsure, just read the label and look for milk listed as an ingredient.
- Blanched hazelnuts – Blanched hazelnuts are a game-changer for homemade Nutella. By removing the skins, you get a smoother, creamier spread with a cleaner, nuttier flavor. Compared to using raw hazelnuts, blanched ones give your homemade nutella a more refined texture and taste. The skins on raw hazelnuts can add a slight bitterness and grittiness, but blanching gets rid of that, letting the rich hazelnut flavor shine through. This little extra step makes your homemade Nutella not just good, but amazing and perfectly spreadable.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make vegan Nutella
Make a nut butter. To make homemade Nutella, you want to start by making a nut butter with your hazelnuts, which is easier than you might think. You’ll want to make sure you’re using hazelnuts with the skins removed.
But, basically, you throw your hazelnuts into a food processor or high speed blender, and process them. They will slowly turn from chopped nuts into a gritty paste. As they blend, the nuts release their oils and it helps to smooth out the spread.
Add remaining ingredients. Once the hazelnut butter has reached the gritty stage, I add the rest of my ingredients and continue to blend until it’s all smooth. Transfer to an airtight storage container, such as a mason jar and pop your Nutella in the fridge to let it set (the Nutella will be thin from the heat created during processing). You can store the chocolate hazelnut spread in the fridge or in your pantry, but at room temperature, it tends to be a tiny bit runny. I like to take mine out of the fridge a little bit ahead of time to make it a little easier to spread.
To thicken your Nutella more, you can always a bit more powdered sugar, but, keep in mind that it will change the sweetness of it.
Ingredients
- 1 pound hazelnuts (skins removed)
- 3 tablespoons softened coconut oil
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until a nut butter has formed.
- Add remaining ingredients and continue to process, until smooth. Scrape sides as needed.
Can you use an oil other than coconut? I don’t like the flavor
Should I use natural cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa powder (alkalized)?
You can honestly use either since we aren’t worried about chemical reactions. I used natural cocoa powder though!
Do you toast the hazelnuts before using them in the recipe? Love the flavor boost of toasted hazelnuts. Would that change the consistency of the nut butter if the oil content is reduced?
I don’t, but you totally can and it won’t affect the flavor of the recipe. It will probably be even better!