Nuts for Nutella
If someone offered you portable chocolate that could instantly be spread on bread, fruit, crackers and pastries, how could you refuse? Thus began my love affair with Nutella, a European spread made of hazelnut butter and cocoa.
During my days at NYU, I was at a make-your-own sandwich bar when I first tried Nutella with French bread. What a revelation! The chocolate oozed out of the nooks and crannies of the insides, while the spread’s smoothness contrasted the bread’s crunchy crust. I then saw that bagels were an excellent vehicle for Nutella. So were pretzels. And bananas. And gummy bears.
Fascinated by this new condiment, I bought myself a jar and finished it in one week. I’ve never met any food that does not taste better with a little dollop of Nutella. Sometimes the best way to enjoy Nutella is to take a spoonful and just plop it in your mouth.
According to Ferrero’s website, Nutella was created in the 1940s in the midst of a chocolate shortage. Pietro Ferrero, a pastry-maker, stretched chocolate by thinning it out with ground hazelnuts. It became so popular that it’s as ubiquitous in Europe as peanut butter is in the U.S. If you ignore the high sugar content, Nutella actually has a nutritional profile similar to peanut butter. Its fat comes from the nuts, not the chocolate (Nutella gets its flavor from cocoa solids rather than cocoa butter). True, nuts are high in fat. But if you’re going to be eating fat, it might as well come from nuts rather than steaks.
According to Mort Rosenblum’s Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light, a 13-ounce jar of Nutella contains 50 (2/3 cup) hazelnuts, 1 1/2 cups skim milk, “enough cocoa to make it brown, and a lot of sugar.” As much as I love Nutella, today’s commercial version is actually sugar that’s been flavored with hazelnuts and cocoa. You can tell because sugar is first in the ingredient list. And oh, there’s lots of added oil to make it spreadable.
The version that I make at home is truly chocolate-flavored hazelnut butter: I use 2 cups of hazelnuts rather than Ferrero’s puny 2/3 cup. This recipe is the same that I’ve sent out in Blogging by Mail and that Nic (of The Baking Sheet) used for her Nutella biscotti.
If you love this original recipe and repost it, please give credit where it’s due. Thank you.
Update: For an even richer version, try the second formula, which has caramel powder and no added oil. Unless you have a professional nut grinder, it won’t be as smooth as commercial Nutella, but the flavor more than makes up for it.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread (easy version)
Yield: about 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)
2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
up to 1/4 cup vegetable or nut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
- Since the skin is bitter, you’ll want to discard them. Wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, and rub until most of the skins have come off. Don’t fret if you can’t get off all the skins.
- Process nuts in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. First, you will get coarsely chopped nuts, then a fine meal. After a little while, the nuts will form a ball around the blade, and it will seem like you only have a solid mass. Keep processing. The heat and friction will extract the natural oils, and you will get hazelnut butter!
- When the nuts are liquified, add in the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in enough oil to make a spreadable consistency. Since the mixture is warm, it will be more fluid now than at room temperature.
- Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread (caramel base)
Caramel instructions from Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts by Alice Medrich
Yield: about 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
- Preparation: Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Make the caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a 3- to 4-cup saucepan. Do not stir again during the cooking. Cover and bring sugar and water to a simmer over medium heat. Uncover and wipe down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush or a wad of paper towel dipped in water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Uncover and cook until the syrup turns a pale amber. Test by spooning a drop or two of the syrup onto a white saucer. Swirl the pan gently, continuing to cook and test the color until the syrup darkens to a medium amber color.
- Pour the caramel immediately onto the lined baking sheet. Tilt sheet to spread caramel as thinly as possible. Let harden completely, about 15 minutes.
- Toast the nuts: Meanwhile, place hazelnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast in the oven until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
- To get rid of the bitter skins, wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Rub until most of the skins have come off, but don’t worry if some remain.
- Make the nut butter: When the caramel is completely cool, break it into pieces and pulverize in a food processor. Try to get the caramel as fine as possible at this stage (it won’t get finer once you add the nuts).
- Add the nuts and process until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Be patient; the nuts will go from a fine meal, to forming a ball around the blade, to nut butter. Add the cocoa, vanilla and salt and process until smooth.
- Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.
Notes:
- Please use whole raw nuts, and toast them yourself to intensify the flavor. Pre-toasted or pre-chopped nuts are often spoiled.
- To further intensify the nut flavor, use unrefined nut oil (for version 1), which is tan in color. Refined nut oils have the color and flavor removed. Peanut oil is especially cheap in Chinese supermarkets. I bought 20 ounces for $2.38! There’s a lesson: if you’re looking for a “gourmet” ingredient, try an ethnic market.
- To make any standard nut butter, use this procedure but omit the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla and extra oil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp granulated sugar. Try making your own cashew butter: you may never go back to peanut butter again!
Resources:
Official Nutella site
Nutella recipes
Nic said,
Oh, I’m so glad that you are finally sharing the recipe, Jessica! Several people have asked me for it recently, and now I know just where to point them.
And, as someone who has tasted Jessica’s nutella, it’s amazing! Try the recipe!
December 19, 2005 at 2:35 am
Natalie said,
Mmmm…Nutella! I love it when you put it on toast right out of the toaster and it melts so deliciously. You’re making me hungry!
December 20, 2005 at 9:57 pm
beastlysum said,
Wow–I love Nutella, but always did want more hazelnut. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
December 26, 2005 at 1:44 pm
Mila Tan said,
I saw your post about LA desserts and then did a read through your archives, am glad I did. I love Nutella, I also add it to my oatmeal and it makes a wicked chocolate-nut oatmeal, no need to add milk or sugar to the bowl. Yum.
January 4, 2006 at 1:54 am
Jessica said,
Hi Mila,
I love Nutella in oatmeal too! I also add sliced banana on top. It smells just like banana bread when it’s cooking in the microwave. Then I slather on Nutella and mash it with the banana while still hot. I feel healthier because I don’t add any sugar either.
January 5, 2006 at 10:48 pm
clare eats said,
Yay your nutella recipe that I have heard so much about! I can’t wait to try making it myself!
January 11, 2006 at 1:43 am
deborah said,
oh… how lovely, although i think you should change the name to nutjessa or something
i’ll definitely give this a go. thanks for sharing
May 11, 2006 at 12:09 am
Jessica said,
Hi Deborah, what a great idea! Or maybe it should be Sutella?
May 11, 2006 at 10:19 pm
katrina said,
hey i love your site…. im obsessed with both baking and eating healthy and occasionally try to combine the two but it doesnt always work… but the recipes on ur site look soo yummy and awsome…. i just finnished making this like 5 minutes ago and about half is gone already … oops!!! lol its AMAZING…. i made half a batch b/c only had 1 c hazelnuts… i only added 1/3 c powdered sugar and still think its a lil too sweet for me but its AMAZING….. if you continue processing it enough you dont really need to add oil at the end i only added about 1 tsp…. your amazing for coming up with this recipe
June 10, 2006 at 7:11 pm
Jessica said,
Hi Katrina, wow I’m so glad you love the Nutella. Please try the other recipes; I only post my favorites!
June 10, 2006 at 9:39 pm
tian said,
it’s so amazing that when my dad saw my blog, he said he’s gonna try to make it too.
thank you, thank you!
http://abananaplease.blogspot.com/2006/08/tummy-troubles.html
August 21, 2006 at 6:26 pm
Liz said,
ohmigollygoshgoodness, YES ! ! ! Boy am I ever looking forward to making this!
Have you tried Nutella on dried apricots? HEAVEN!
August 31, 2006 at 10:31 am
Laura said,
I love Nutella. Its toally my fav!!!
October 12, 2006 at 7:25 pm
Laura said,
I meant totally. Anyway, I am going to IGA right now to get some nanners and some rice crispys to make my own recipe, I will let ya’ll know how it turns up.
October 12, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Ida Therese Jablanovec said,
Hi Su,
For Thanksgiving this year, 2006, I made it with Nutella! It was wonderful! I called it my “Demonic Dream Pie.” My family tried it and their eyes lit up and sparkled! I didn’t tell them I used Nutella.
Tonight I made a pie with macadamia nut butter and white choc
olate!
I will treat my family to two great cream pies!
My “Demonic Dream Pie” with Nutella, lots of whipped cream, shaved chocolate and chopped hazelnuts on top; and my “Angelic Dream Pie” with my macadamia nut butter and white chocolate, topped with lots of whipped cream, white chocolate shavings and chopped macadamia nuts!
Happy Holidays and the calories be damned!
November 26, 2006 at 6:21 am
Jessica said,
Hi Ida, mmm sounds delicious.
November 26, 2006 at 1:55 pm
paul said,
i don’t like anything…ever…okay, maybe not that extreme but trying to give context to this post.
i had bought some roasted hazelnuts bulk and was wondering what to do with them all when i thought i might try to make nutella. there are quite a few recipes on the web but i tired this as the ingredients seemed the most logical.
UN. BE. LIEV. A. BLE. it’s that good. it’s that easy. it’s that fast.
process it long enough and i challenge anyone to choose the name brand over this recipe.
i’m thinking of having a go at adding a wee dram of lecithin to keep it from separating but then again i’ll probably never get around to that experiment!
thank you. thank you. thank you.
cheers
November 27, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Maria said,
This recipe is so good! I had some left over hazelnuts,and I only made half a batch, but it is SO GOOD! It took me 2 minutes to google the words Homemade Nutella and to decide on a recipe, and another 10 to make the thing! It is sitting in the fridge now,and I am licking my fingers…SO GOOD and more genuine than the actual Nutella, since you can feel the nuts and play with the cocoa dose!
June 23, 2007 at 8:23 am
Aequitas said,
This is a simple sandwich I like to have as a snack: Peanut butter, nutella, and banana slices on whatever toast you choose. It’s delicious.
September 7, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Diane Drinkwater said,
I’m a bit nutella fan but it’s just too nice. Dangerously nice. It’s one of those things you can actually hide in the kitchen eating with a spoon from out of the jar.
It’s good on bread, toast, crackers, pancakes, waffles, and the spoon.
September 8, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Cenk said,
So nice to find another Nutella fan! I dip everything and anything in it. I recently baked a banana bread and smeared Nutella on top of it. There are pictures on my blog. Check it out if you have the time. Best
September 8, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Ute said,
Should you ever get a chance to go to Germany do try their nutella, it tastes even more like hazelnuts because they don’t put peanut oil in it. I’ll be spending the entire month of October in Germany. Do you want me to bring you a jar, since you seem to be a great fan? You can compare for yourself.
September 9, 2007 at 12:57 am
Jessica "Su Good Eats" said,
Ute, thanks for the offer ha ha, but I’ll just keep making my Nutella at home. I did buy an extra large jar from France though. It’s so much better there because it’s less cloyingly sweet and there’s no hydrogenated oils.
September 9, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Lauren said,
Do you think this would taste more authentic with a couple of tablespoon of heavy cream stirred in, or would the texture be weird? I’d love to try a sugar free version of this.
October 24, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Lauren, it does taste more authentic with milk powder (I think I used 1/3 cup), but I don’t always have it around.
One time I tried to make it “sugar” free by adding date paste (I ground up some dates and added a tablespoon or two of water to make it spreadable.) The mixture immediately seized. I had a really hard chocolaty blob and oil leaking out from the bottom. I think the small addition of water ruined it. Adding cream would probably do the same thing, but let me know what happens if you try it.
October 24, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Lauren said,
Good advice, Jessica. I’ll look for some powdered cream to stir in instead. Hopefully with hazelnut oil, erythritol, Lo Han Guo, Stevia, and Splenda it’ll turn out tasty and low carb! Thanks so much for this recipe.
I’ve been waiting soooo long for my Nutella fix since cutting back on carbs. Will let you know how it turns out!
October 24, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Emily said,
Hi,
I’m going to make this recipe (I made one last night that I found on allrecipes, but it’s not “the one”). I always keep powdered milk at my house, so if I use it in the recipe, is it another addition, or does it take the place of something else… would I just use the powder by itself or mix it with a liquid? Thanks so much.
Emily
December 13, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Emily, I’ve added about 1/3 cup of powdered milk with the cocoa and sugar before. Sometimes I don’t have it around (since I use fresh milk for everything else), so I left it off the recipe. It makes the vegans/lactose intolerant people happy, too.
December 13, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Dani said,
OOO im excited to try this out.I love nutella but ive heard how sugary and bad for u it is even tho it is good for u a little bit.My friend makes it homemade and so now im excited to ba able to do it myself!Thanks and ill definatly be back for more recipeis
December 20, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Ella said,
hehe well i just made these (or in the process of making) and like me, just had to make a mistake along the way……i didnt take off the shells. It didnt ruin the recipe i just relized that since the shells still wernt turning black after 30mins something was wrong lol. So a warning/remindewr to all of those clumsies like me SHELL BEFORE ! Thnks great recipe anyways !
December 20, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Emma said,
Oh wow! My husband and I made a decision last year to only eat fairtrade chocolate/cocoa products, which meant of course that nutella was off the shopping list. My mum has sent me a couple of jars of Green & Black’s chocolate hazelnut spread from the UK, but it’s not exactly an optimal solution. So exciting to see that I can now make my own!
January 3, 2008 at 2:26 am
Sarah said,
I have been waiting weeks for a fancy-schmancy new food processor that I got for Christmas just to make this recipe and IT WAS WORTH IT!!!! YUMMMMMM!!!
It’s extra great, too, because I have many small, picky eaters that don’t like meat and have only recently come around to peanut butter and I need to get some protein in them! They love Nutella, but the commercial stuff has less protein in it than peanut butter.
Now if only my husband wasn’t allergic to nuts! Oh well, his loss!
January 4, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Sarah, I’m flattered that you got a food processor just for this recipe. Look out in the next week for an improved recipe.
January 5, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Spuler said,
When the recipe calls for 1/2 tsp vanilla, does that mean vanilla extract?
January 23, 2008 at 6:34 am
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Spuler, yes. I write my recipes in shorthand but forget that it’s not so clear for other people. I’ve corrected the recipe.
January 23, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Jeff said,
Since reading your post I’ve become totally preoccupied with making perfect homemade nutella, and last night I made 2 attempts — both caramel-based. The second time I pulverized the caramel into powder using my spice grinder, but in both cases, the nutella was really gritty. The crunchy flecks may have come from the caramel, but I get the feeling I may have stopped processing the hazelnuts too soon. When you say “liquify” do you mean they become totally smooth, like smooth peanut butter or commercial nutella? Any hits? Should I try powdered sugar instead?
February 20, 2008 at 11:51 am
Jeff said,
Sorry if this is a double-post - not sure if my last one got through! Anyway I’m looking for advice on how to to make really smooth nutella. I’ve tried twice and I’m getting a delicious but seriously gritty version. I pulverize the caramel powder in my spice grinder and process the hazelnuts until it looks more or less like peanut butter, but there are still crunchy bits. Am I not processing long enough? Does it ever become as smooth as commercial nutella?
February 20, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Jeff,
You pulverize the caramel in your spice grinder? That must take a while, since spice grinders are small. I just throw it in the food processor. How crunchy is your butter? Mine resembles natural-style peanut butter. At home, you can’t get it as smooth as commercial Nutella, because they use very strong nut grinders.
February 23, 2008 at 12:36 am
Jeff said,
Thought that may be the case. I’m sort of a perfectionist so I just wanted to make sure I was doing it right. Still, what a great recipe — making a third batch today. Thanks!
February 23, 2008 at 7:33 am
Gunter said,
Thanks for sharing the recipe - excellent! I just doubt it will last for 1-2 months …
February 23, 2008 at 11:53 am
Laila Hussein said,
Great Recipe! I’ll try it and link to it!
February 24, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Joi said,
Well, I just went from the Levain cookie blog (where I posted asking for a dairy-free Nutella recipe) to your main site, and found the Newtella info! This is on my agenda for this weekend!
February 26, 2008 at 11:23 pm
pia said,
I tried your recipe and LOVE it. Thank you for sharing this.
Delicious. Especially over sliced bananas.
March 13, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Absinthe said,
Wandered over here in a bit of web-indipity and found your homemade nutella recipe. I made it last night using Green & Black’s cocoa powder and it is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten–better than the storebought version because it’s not cloyingly sweet. I have a pretty powerful food processor and this turned out very, very smooth–far creamier than I thought it would. I also didn’t need to add oil, rather surprisingly.
Thanks for generously posting this recipe.
April 29, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Absinthe, wow, what kind of food processor do you have? I wish I had an industrial strength one.
April 29, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Absinthe said,
Hi, Jessica.
It’s not industrial, lol, just a Cuisinart 14 cup one, but it’s a vast improvement over my old one. I just processed the heck out of the hazelnuts and then again after adding the cocoa powder & sugar. It ended up a little smoother than the natural peanut butter I buy. I love my food processor and will miss it when it goes into storage this summer when we move to Europe for a while. Thanks again for the recipe, and I’m really enjoying poking around your blog.
April 30, 2008 at 11:23 am
Joanie said,
I used to buy Nutella until I discovered a hazelnut spread made by Major Gourmet that is so much better than Nutella. NO HYDROGENATION!!It’s imported from Germany.But I will try your recipe. Thanks.
May 30, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Lisa said,
Jess,
I used the caramel based version as a cake filling last weekend. With limited time, I almost gave in and bought a jar of nutella to fill it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Shortcuts that involve processed, already made foods, a la Sandra Lee, is simply out of the question when it comes to my baking and/or cooking.
Anyway, I remembered you had posted a nutella recipe, and I used the caramel based nutella to fill my cake. WOW, to say people flipped over it, is actually an understatement. Thank you so much for researching, testing and posting this recipe! I love being able to offer people the option of a homemade nutella filling, whether it be in cookies, cakes, bars, pastries,tartlets, tarts, et al..(the leftover for ME to eat with a spoon..lol)
Naturally, you get full credit when asked for the recipe and where it can be found. ;D Thanks again!
June 13, 2008 at 12:06 am
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Lisa, you’re too kind. I made some over the weekend and forgot how much I liked it.
June 18, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Mae said,
Hi; I found this recipe on the web and am very excited to try it! I have a jar of half-eaten Nutella in the cabinet right now, but I do feel badly about all the hydrogenated oils it contains and was hoping to find a way to make it myself. Wowsers, to say that I’m excited about trying your recipe is an understatement! However, I lament that I do not have a food processor; just a rather cheapster blender. Do you think it will still blend hazelnuts? Thanks a ton!!
June 25, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
Mae, I learned the hard way, a blender does not work. It will jam every five seconds, and it’ll grind the nuts into pebbles. Sorry. But another reader here got a food processor just for this recipe, and she though it was worth it.
June 28, 2008 at 10:22 am
Mae said,
Hi Jessica; thank you for the words of wisdom regarding the blender. I tried it this weekend anyway because I was curious. I used store-bought pre-roasted cashews, since hazelnuts are not in season here and I couldn’t find them anywhere. I crushed them in ziplock baggies with a hammer prior to blending them; got them pretty well pulverized that way. The blending took a long time; I had to stop every few seconds to scrape down the nuts, and had to add a good drizzle of peanut oil to the mix to keep things moving. The blender did eventually mostly liquefy the nuts; there were a few chunks that just wouldn’t blend but I counted myself lucky I got that far. (this process took me about an hour, by the way…just to get the nuts done!) Then there was more time on top of that to mix everything else in, and I had to change the ratios of the other ingredients to make up for the fact that I wasn’t using hazelnuts. The chocolate cashew-butter turned out to be good, it’s pretty salty since I got pre-roasted nuts, but I prefer the “hazelnutty” taste of nutella. I will try this again in the fall when I can find some. Thanks for the recipe!
June 30, 2008 at 2:32 pm