Do you love Nutella's rich chocolate and hazelnut flavor but need a dairy-free option? Here’s how to make vegan Nutella that’s alpha-gal friendly while packing more protein and less refined sugar than the original.
The information provided on this site is based on my personal experience living with alpha-gal syndrome. I consistently cite and link to expert sources, but nothing published on this site should be perceived as medical advice.
Alpha-gal sensitivities vary by person. You should understand your dietary restrictions, making any adjustments needed, and directing any questions to your physician.
Nutella, the creamy, dreamy hazelnut chocolate spread, has been a breakfast staple and dessert favorite for decades. But if you follow a vegan diet or are an alpha gal who avoids dairy, you’ll need an alternative chocolate cream to spread on your toast in the morning or to dip chunks of fruit into for an afternoon snack. The good news is that making vegan Nutella at home is fast and easy. And, when you replace the original with a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread, you add more protein and less sugar to your diet.
In This Article
What Is Nutella?
Nutella is a popular chocolate hazelnut spread originating in Italy that has become a beloved treat worldwide. Its sweet, nutty flavor is a delightful, chocolatey alternative to peanut butter, and Nutella is used in everything from breakfast dishes to desserts.
History of Nutella
Nutella was invented in the 1940s to overcome ingredient shortages after World War II. As cocoa was extremely scarce. Italian pastry chef Pietro Ferrero created a nut paste from hazelnuts, sugar, and just a little of the rare cocoa shaped into a loaf. A few years later, the nut paste was transformed into a creamier spread named SuperCrema. And in 1965, the recipe was improved and relaunched as Nutella. Today, Nutella is enjoyed in over 160 countries, where it is a staple in many households.
World Nutella Day
World Nutella Day is a delicious celebration of the globally adored chocolate hazelnut spread. Established on February 5th, 2007, by Sara Rosso, an American blogger and avid Nutella enthusiast, the day quickly gained traction as fans worldwide began sharing their love for Nutella through pictures, recipes, and creative ideas on social media. The celebration became so popular that in 2015 Sara transferred the day’s rights to Ferrero, the maker of Nutella, ensuring its continued growth and global recognition. To join the festivities, encourage a newbie to try Nutella for the first time, make a recipe with Nutella, or share your favorite photo of the sweet spread. Just be sure to tag it with #worldnutelladay.
Is Nutella Vegan?
Unfortunately, the beloved chocolate spread is not vegan because it is made with skimmed milk powder. So, if you’re an alpha gal who avoids dairy, Nutella is another food you’ll need to remove from your diet.
Even if you can tolerate dairy or don’t follow a vegan diet, some health- and environmental-conscious consumers may want an alternative product for other reasons. The primary ingredient in Nutella is sugar, with a two-tablespoon serving containing 21 grams of the sweet stuff. So, spreading a serving of Nutella on toast starts your day with roughly 40% of the maximum daily added sugar limit. Yikes! The second-listed ingredient on a Nutella label is modified palm oil. Palm oil cultivation has been associated with environmental concerns, including deforestation and wildlife habitat destruction.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
To create a delicious and vegan-friendly alternative to Nutella, gather these key ingredients.
Hazelnuts
As the star ingredient in any Nutella-like spread, hazelnuts are essential. I like to save time by purchasing pre-roasted hazelnuts. However, if you prefer to toast your own nuts or can only find raw hazelnuts, you can easily roast them at home. Simply spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then toast the nuts for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are fragrant and brown.
Sage Advice: If you can’t find hazelnuts, don’t love hazelnuts, or just want to switch things up, you can substitute them for another nut, like roasted almonds, macadamia nuts, or cashews.
Sugar
My sweetener of choice is organic powdered sugar because its light texture blends smoothly into the other ingredients. However, you can easily substitute another vegan-friendly sweetener, such as coconut sugar or stevia powder. I do not recommend maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey (although I know that’s not a vegan ingredient) as they can cause the Nutella to be clumpy rather than smooth.
As a dark chocolate lover, I don’t like my vegan Nutella to be too sweet. But if you want a sweeter version, add more of your chosen sweetener to suit your taste.
Cacao Powder or Cocoa Powder
Using 100% unsweetened cacao powder or cocoa powder helps ensure that your Nutella is vegan and alpha-gal friendly.
What’s the difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder? Cacao powder is derived from the cacao bean with minimal processing, preserving the rich nutrients that classify it as a superfood. On the other hand, cocoa powder undergoes extensive processing. I lean towards cacao powder when making vegan Nutella, although either can be used effectively in the recipe.
Vegetable Oil
Instead of the palm oil and skim milk used in regular Nutella, this vegan Nutella recipe is made with vegetable oil to give it a creamy and spreadable consistency. I recommend choosing a neutral-tasting option like olive oil, sunflower oil, or grapeseed oil.
How to Make Nutella
Making Nutella at home is easy when you follow these simple steps.
- Add roasted hazelnuts to a high-speed blender or food processor and turn them into creamy hazelnut butter.
- Then add the remaining ingredients and blend until incorporated.
That’s it. It’s that simple!
Best Store-Bought Vegan Nutella Brands
Although it’s fast and easy to make vegan Nutella at home, sometimes you want to skip that step and immediately dig into that creamy hazelnut chocolate flavor you crave. If you’re looking for a vegan alternative to Nutella, several delicious options are available. These are some of my favorites.
tbh Hazelnut Cocoa Spread
Hazelnuts as the number one ingredient and a sweet blend of organic sugar and monk fruit make tbh a delicious vegan cocoa spread. Plus, it’s got three times the protein and half as much sugar as the original. So even if you’re not an alpha gal or vegan, this store-bought Nutella alternative is much healthier than the original.
Artisana Organics Hazelnut Cacao Spread
Another delicious vegan Nutella option is Artisana Organics’s hazelnut cacao spread. It’s sweetened with coconut sugar and uses coconut oil instead of palm. And with organic hazelnuts listed as the first ingredient (rather than the sugar on the Nutella label), each serving contains twice the protein as the original chocolate spread.
KoRo Organic Crunchy Hazelnut Spread
If you’re on team crunchy (rather than team creamy), this is the store-bought vegan Nutella alternative for you. Made with hazelnut paste and cocoa powder and sweetened with coconut sugar, KoRo’s crunchy hazelnut spread features little chunks of hazelnuts.
Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut & Almond Butter
Justin’s is a well-known brand in the world of nut butters. Founded by Justin Gold, the brand offers a wide selection of nut-based spreads and butter cups that are perfect for those following a plant-based diet. This store-bought Nutella alternative features a blend of dry roasted hazelnut and almonds sweetened with organic powdered sugar. While this vegan chocolatey nut butter packs twice the protein punch as regular Nutella, it does include palm oil.
How to Store Homemade Vegan Nutella
Let’s get back to homemade vegan Nutella. Once you’ve whipped up a delicious batch of this cocoa-powered nut spread, transfer it to an airtight container. This step will help prevent moisture or nearby ingredients from affecting the taste and consistency of your homemade spread. Like the jarred varieties you can purchase at the grocery store, I like using mason jars to store my vegan Nutella.
Once properly packaged, you can store your homemade Nutella at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you choose to store it at room temperature, keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight – like the pantry. When appropriately stored at room temperature, your homemade Nutella can last up to two weeks.
You can store your vegan Nutella in the refrigerator – which I typically do. This is an excellent idea if you live in a warm climate or want to extend its shelf life further. When you keep your homemade Nutella in the fridge, you can enjoy it for up to two weeks or even longer.
Ways to Use Vegan Hazelnut Spread
You can enjoy vegan hazelnut spread in all the delightful ways you used regular Nutella before your alpha-gal diagnosis. And, you can feel good knowing your vegan Nutella contains more protein and less sugar than the original. Here are a few suggestions.
Spread It
Spread vegan Nutella on crusty bread, bagels, or crackers to add a delectable twist to your morning toast or afternoon snack. You can also incorporate vegan Nutella into your breakfast routine by spreading it on pancakes, crepes, or waffles.
Vegan Nutella also makes a wonderful filling or frosting for cakes. Whether baking a cake, crafting cupcakes, or whipping up a batch of brownies, this homemade Nutella alternative adds a decadently irresistible extra touch to your creations.
Dip It
Use vegan chocolate hazelnut spread as a dip for strawberries, bananas, apples, pineapples, or another favorite fruit. Dunk chunks of fruit in vegan Nutella or make a dip by blending it with your favorite combination of cream cheese or whipping cream, using plant-based options, as desired.
Drizzle It
You can also drizzle vegan Nutella over pancakes, add a spoonful to your morning smoothie, or cap off your day with a swirl over ice cream.
By the Spoonful
And, of course, you can always enjoy a generous spoonful of vegan Nutella straight from the jar.
Vegan Hazelnut Spread
Ingredients
- 2 cups toasted hazelnuts
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cacao powder
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Gently rub roasted nuts in a clean kitchen towel to loosen up any skin. Remove the hazelnut skins and discard.
- Add the hazelnuts to a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth nut butter, scraping down the sides as needed. This may take a few minutes.
- Once the hazelnut butter is smooth and creamy, add the rest of the ingredients and blend again until fully incorporated.
Yum! I stopped buying Nutella years ago due to the crazy amount of sugar and other additives so finding this healthier homemade version was awesome! It tasted better than the store-bought and I am so happy to have it back in my life. Thanks!
It’s life changing, for sure!
This homemade Nutella is so much nicer than the store bought version. I reduced the sugar to suit my needs. It tasted fabulous!
I’m so glad you like it!
Thank you so much for offering a less sugar Nutella recipe! I have a sensitivity to almonds and peanuts (headache trigger for me if I eat too many) so I always love spreads that include different nuts. I need good protein options for working out but want low sugar without artificial sweeteners which also happen to be another headache trigger. This is so perfect! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Soooo glad this worked well for you! Sunflower butter might also be a great choice for you if you’re sensitive to both peanuts and some tree nuts.
I turned to this recipe after unable to find a dairy-free Nutella in local shops. It was perfect!
Hooray! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve tried the tbh brand vegan Nutella and it is very good, but I’m even more excited now that I can make my own! This is so delish and I love being able to control the amount of sugar. Thank you!
I don’t feel quite as guilty eating a spoon of this homemade Nutella straight from the jar.
What a simple recipe! And all with ingredients I can pronounce. That last little tsp of oil is really nice for making the texture ultra smooth and creamy.
It’s the secret ingredient. 😉
I never thought I could make chocolate spread myself. This recipe is a gem. My boys love Nutella and this makes a better tasting chocolate spread than Nutella. I can see myself making it again and again.
It’s so fast and easy, and so much better for you and your boys! 🙂
This Nutella recipe was super easy to make and the kids almost finished it. Will be doubling the next batch. Thank you.
This was so much easier to make than I thought it would be!!
And I love how healthy it is.
My kids couldn’t believe I was letting them have a nutella sandwich as an after school snack 😉
Really great recipe, thank you
I’m delighted to hear that you and your kiddos enjoyed the vegan Nutella! Isn’t it amazing how something so delicious can also be so easy to whip up? The first time I made it, I had to do a happy dance in my kitchen. 💃
I whipped this up so fast and it tasted just like the real thing! It is the perfect chocolatey spread.
Hey Marie! I’m thrilled to hear you whipped up the vegan nutella so quickly and loved it! Isn’t it amazing how something so simple can taste so close to the real thing? Enjoy spreading that chocolatey goodness on just about everything! 🍫
After seeing how much unwanted sugar was in my cupboard of goodies I am so happy I came across this recipe. The kids loved it and now it’s a family snack with strawberries when we watch movies at home. Thank you for that!
Hi Celina! Wow, your comment just made my day! I’m so glad to hear that the recipe has become a family movie-night staple at your house. Strawberries and vegan nutella sound like a match made in snack heaven.
I can’t believe this is vegan – it tastes just like the real thing! It’s become a staple in our house for spreading on toast, pancakes, and everything in between.
We love it! And with more protein and less sugar than the original, it feels good eating it.
Nutella-lover here! I will definitely give this one a try since this is also a healthier version. Yuhooo, let’s go DIY Nutella!
It’s sooooo yummy! You’ll never know it’s way better for you than the original!
Happy to have found this! I’m a bit skeptical about the regular Nutella because of the sugar content. But with this vegan-friendly alternative, I’d be glad to serve it to my family. Thanks for this!
Then this recipe is the answer to your less sugar prayers!
I recently made up this delightful vegan Nutella recipe, and I was thoroughly impressed! The harmonious balance between the sweetness and nutty flavors truly made it a hit in my household. Even my kids couldn’t get enough of it! This recipe is a must-try!
I’m so glad your family loved it!
Creamy, rich, perfectly sweetened, and most of all — it’s vegan! I love that it’s packed with hazelnuts, but still easy to whip up. Making this again once I finish this batch!
I tried to make this one and the result is great! I think it is way more better than the original one (and a lot more healthier!). Happy to find this recipe, I’ll make another after I finish eating the remaining ones that I made!