Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
This rich, chocolaty spread has the texture of fluffy mousse, and the flavor of Nutella. It’s brimming with roasted hazelnuts, scented with vanilla, and sweetened with dates. Yes, no added sugar! I kept this batch a little textural, but you can keep blending until the spread is smooth as silk. If you’re a fan of Nutella, you need this homemade version in your life!
I’m completely floored by how delicious this hazelnut spread is! It tastes exactly like Nutella, but the texture is way better! It’s light and fluffy, and great on all kinds of things – whether you spread it on your morning toast, or smear it on a banana after dinner!
You’ll need a high-powder blender or food processor to make this spread. I used my Tribest contra-rotating impact blender which made quick work of the task! Thanks to the contra-rotating design, the blade and internal container rotate in opposing directions, so the food comes in constant contact with the blades. You can make spreads like this (with dry nuts and sticky dates) without having to add tons of extra liquid. I used the auto-high preset, which ran for 4 minutes. After the first 4 minutes, I decided to do another 4 for a creamier consistency. You can keep going for a satiny spread if desired.
If you don’t have the Tribest backspin blender, use a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) or food processor, just note that you may need to process the ingredients for a lot longer, up to 15 minutes or more.
I also love that the Tribest blender has a vacuum seal, which means it removes oxygen from the blender before you blend, creating extra flavorful blends with a longer shelf life.
Make sure to roast the hazelnuts first! Roasting the hazelnuts not only makes removing the skins a lot easier, but it adds a wonderful toasted quality to the hazelnuts. Just make sure to keep an eye on them – they only need about 6 to 8 minutes in a 400-degree oven (roast until just golden). Once roasted, rub the hazelnuts in paper towels (or a dish towel) to remove the skins. It’s OK if some skin is left behind; some can be nearly impossible to remove!
This spread is perfectly sweet with no added sugar! You get all the sweetness you need from just 6 medjool dates! I also love the fact that this spread isn’t granular; when you use regular sugar, the spread never gets smooth enough (in my opinion). There’s always a little granular sugar in every bite. Medjool dates solve the problem – never grainy and always sweet!
How should you store your hazelnut spread?
Transfer your spread to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week, or refrigerate for up to 1 month. You can also freeze the spread for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before using, and stir before serving if needed (when frozen and thawed, the ingredients may separate a little). A quick stir and it’s right back to its original creaminess.
Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts
- 6 pitted mejool dates
- 3/4 cup hazelnut milk, or almond milk, or milk of choice, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Spread the hazelnuts out on the prepared pan and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, until just golden brown. Place the hazelnuts in paper towels, or kitchen towel, and rub until the skins come off (it’s OK if some skins are too hard to remove; they can stay).
- Transfer the hazelnuts to a high-powered blender or food processor and add the dates, hazelnut milk (or milk of choice), cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Puree until smooth. Note, when using a high-powered blender or food processor, it can take up to 15 minutes to reach a totally smooth consistency. With my Tribest contra-rotating blender, I did two rounds on auto-high (4 minutes each) for a virtually smooth consistency. I wanted a little texture so I stopped there.