Crunchy Homemade Nutella – Healthier and Adjustable
This homemade Nutella recipe is a healthier, adjustable chocolate hazelnut spread made with roasted hazelnuts, cocoa powder, a little sugar, and vanilla. You can make it silky smooth or leave it slightly rustic with tiny hazelnut pieces, which is how my family loves it. It is easy to customize, kid-friendly, and perfect for toast, pancakes, crêpes, fruit, or sneaky spoonfuls straight from the jar.
Homemade Nutella is one of those little recipes you’ll want to use everywhere, not just on toast. Try spreading it over a stack of crunchy weekend French toast, swirling a spoonful into these coffee-shop style overnight oats, or adding it beside a slice of this soft make-ahead blueberry breakfast bake.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Crunchy Homemade Nutella – Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Recipe
- 🍽️Serves: 20 tablespoons
- ⏰Ready In: 25 minutes
- 🔥Calories: 66
- 🥣Main Ingredients: 140 g raw hazelnuts without skin, cocoa powder, sugar, hazelnut oil, vanilla, of salt, warm milk
- ⭐Why You’ll Love It: This easy homemade Nutella is made with roasted hazelnuts, cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and a little oil for a rich chocolate hazelnut spread you can make smooth or slightly crunchy. It’s family-friendly, adjustable, and perfect for toast, pancakes, crepes, oatmeal, or eating straight from the spoon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You control the sweetness.
- No palm oil.
- Easy dairy-free or vegan option.
- Can be made smooth or rustic.
- Fun recipe to make with kids.
- Uses simple pantry ingredients.
Before I had kids, Nutella was just a treat from the store. Now, making chocolate hazelnut spread together has become a little family tradition on cozy afternoons. We laugh, make a mess, and argue about smoothing the last bits in the blender.
Ingredients
You’ll need:
- Hazelnuts
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Sugar
- Hazelnut oil or neutral oil
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Warm milk or water
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-Step: How To Make Nutella At Home
1. Roast the Hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Spread hazelnuts on a tray and roast for 10–15 minutes, until golden and fragrant. (If your nuts have skins, rub them in a kitchen towel to remove as much as possible.)
Tip: For the best flavor, do not skip roasting the hazelnuts. Roasting brings out the nutty taste and makes the spread much richer.
2. Blend Everything
Add roasted hazelnuts, cocoa, sugar, vanilla, oil, warm milk, and salt to your blender or food processor. Process until it looks like nut butter, scraping sides as needed.
Add more oil/warm milk for a smoother finish, or stop sooner for a rustic, nutty spread.
3. Taste and Adjust
Dip a spoon and taste. Add more sugar or cocoa as you wish. Blend longer for smoothness, or keep it a bit chunky for that “homemade” feel.
Smooth or Rustic Crunchy Homemade Nutella
We actually love our homemade Nutella a little crunchy and rustic – not perfectly smooth, but full of flavor and tiny hazelnut bits you can see and taste. If your blender isn’t super powerful, or if you just like texture, you’re in good company! If you want it luxurious and spreadable, blend a bit longer and add oil/milk slowly.
Substitutions
- Milk: Use warm water for a dairy-free or vegan version.
- Sugar: Use powdered sugar for a smoother texture, or regular sugar for a more rustic spread.
- Hazelnut oil: Use a neutral oil if you do not have hazelnut oil.
- Hazelnuts with skin: They work fine, but remove as much skin as possible after roasting for a smoother flavor.
Equipment
- Baking tray
- Kitchen towel, if using hazelnuts with skins
- High-speed blender or food processor
- Spatula
- Clean glass jar
Tip: A high-speed blender will make the smoothest spread. A food processor also works, but the texture may stay more rustic and slightly grainy, which is still delicious.
Storage, Shelf Life, and Re-softening
Room temp: 5–7 days
Fridge: Up to 2–3 weeks (it firms up—just let the jar sit at room temp or float in warm water for 10 minutes before using).
FAQs
How do you make Nutella at home smooth?
Blend for a few more minutes with slow additions of oil and milk, scraping the sides.
Can I make it dairy-free or vegan?
Yes! To make this homemade Nutella dairy-free or vegan, use warm oat milk, hazelnut milk, almond milk, or water instead of dairy milk. Oat milk or hazelnut milk will give the spread a creamier texture, while water keeps it simple and lighter. Make sure your cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla are also vegan-friendly if needed.
Why is my Nutella a bit grainy?
No stress: extra texture means it’s homemade, and sometimes the little nutty bits are the best part!
Can I make homemade Nutella without hazelnut oil?
Yes. Use a neutral oil instead. Hazelnut oil adds more flavor, but the recipe still works without it.
Can I use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar?
Yes. Powdered sugar can help create a smoother texture.
How to Use Homemade Nutella
- Spread on toast, pancakes, or banana slices
- Swirl into yogurt or oatmeal
- Fill crêpes for a special breakfast
- Or, in true mom fashion: eat a spoonful before anyone else sees
Pin, Share, and Enjoy!
Love this recipe? Pin it to Easy Chocolate Desserts, Breakfast And Brunch, or Homemade Spreads and Sweet Sauces for easy finds later!
Got your own tweak, or made it with your kids? Tag me – real life isn’t perfect, and neither is our Nutella, but it’s always delicious.
Crunchy Homemade Nutella – Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup 140 g raw hazelnuts without skin
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
- 3 tbsp sugar adjust to taste (3-5 tbsp=
- 3 tbsp hazelnut oil (2-4 tbsp=
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp warm milk or water for dairy-free (2-4 tbsp)
Instructions
Roast the hazelnuts
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10–15 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. If the hazelnuts have skins, rub them in a clean kitchen towel to remove as much skin as possible.
Blend all ingredients
- Blend hazelnuts, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, salt, oil and warm milk. Blend until desired smoothness
Taste and adjust
- Taste the homemade Nutella and add more sugar or cocoa powder if needed. Blend longer for a smoother spread, or leave it slightly chunky for a rustic, crunchy texture.
Notes
For a smoother texture, blend longer and add the oil or warm liquid slowly.
If your spread is a little grainy, that is normal for homemade Nutella, especially if using a regular blender or food processor.
The spread will firm up in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature or place the jar in warm water for about 10 minutes before serving. Storage:
Store at room temperature for 5–7 days.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks. Serving Ideas:
Spread on toast, pancakes, waffles, crepes, or banana slices.
Swirl into oatmeal or yogurt.
Use as a filling for crepes or sandwiches.
Enjoy a spoonful as a quick chocolate treat.