4-Ingredient Hazelnut Chocolate Spread Recipe

This healthy vegan hazelnut chocolate spread contains only 4 ingredients. It's made without coconut, honey or maple syrup, contains a moderate amount of sugar and tastes absolutely delicious!

Chocolate and hazelnuts make a fantastic flavour duo and today I am sharing an easy chocolate hazelnut spread recipe. This spread does not try to emulate store bought nutella as, unlike nutella, it's made using healthy, natural ingredients including lots and lots of hazelnuts.  It's nutty and chocolatey and spreadable and delicious!  

Why you will love this recipe

• It's quick and easy to make.
• You control the amount of sugar that goes into this spread.
• It's a high in protein, healthy chocolate snack.

Hazelnut chocolate spread ingredients

Apart from the main ingredient - hazelnuts - this chocolate spread recipe contains dark chocolate, cacao powder (use cocoa instead if you prefer) and a touch of powdered sugar.

I tried making this hazelnut spread recipe using maple syrup but the mixture was cloggy, not spreadable at all. Using powdered sugar produces much more reliable results.  

Top tip

For best results I recommend using dark chocolate containing 50-60% cocoa solids so the overall chocolate flavour is well balanced and not too 'dark'. 

How to prepare the hazelnuts

If you buy blanched hazelnuts you can use them straight from the packet.  If you can't get blanched hazelnuts you can remove the skin yourself by roasting the hazelnuts on top of a baking sheet in a single layer at 180 C for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, wrap the hazelnuts in a towel and rub until most of the skin has come off.

How to prepare the chocolate

There are 2 ways of melting the chocolate for this recipe. One is to simply melt it in a microwave. The other involves placing the chocolate pieces in a bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (without the bowl touching the water) and slowly melting stirring often.

Top tip

Whichever method you choose remove the chocolate from the heat when some of the pieces are still visible and stir until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.  That way your chocolate will not be too warm when you are combining all the ingredients.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Melt the chocolate in the microwave almost completely, then stir until completely melted. Set aside.

2. Place the hazelnuts in a blender and blend on a low speed until the mixture thickens and starts coming together (it will still be grainy). If using a high speed blender this should only take about a minute. Do not overblend.

3. Add the melted chocolate, cacao and powdered sugar and blend briefly until all the ingredients have been thoroughly incorporated.

4. Transfer your hazelnut chocolate spread into a jar and chill until the mixture thickens. If you keep it in the fridge too long and the spread solidifies simply microwave it for a few seconds and give a good stir to loosen the consistency.

Serving suggestions

This healthy hazelnut butter is delicious on toast, with or without sliced banana, on waffles, with crepes, breadsticks or on its own as a high protein snack. Try blending it with natural yogurt and banana and make your own homemade flavoured yogurt.

Top tips and FAQs

• You can make this hazelnut spread in a food processor or high speed blender. I like to use the latter as it's quick. Blend the mixture on low (ignore the 'nut' button if your blender has got one) though be careful not to overblend.  High speed blenders are very powerful so it's easy to overblend and turn the hazelnuts into liquid rather than nut butter.
• Use a clean and dry bowl and spatula for melting the chocolate (ensure it doesn't come into contact with moisture).
• If using a high speed blender melt the chocolate before making the hazelnut butter (it only takes a minute to make the butter). If using a food processor melt the chocolate about half way through making the butter (it will take several minutes to make).
• Keep the spread in a jar for up to a week.  The consistency of this hazelnut chocolate butter improves over time and gradually becomes smoother and creamier.  If you keep it in the fridge (I keep mind in a cupboard) it will solidify but this is easy to fix by popping in the microwave for a few seconds before using.  
• Freeze for up to 3 months. 

You might also like

• Chocolate Almond Hazelnut Cookies (Healthy)
• Chocolate Raspberry Sauce
• Quinoa Chocolate Porridge with Banana

You may also like this collection of 27 everyday healthy cacao recipes as well as easy vegetable breakfast recipes.

Keep in touch!

If you make this hazelnut spread I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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Recipe

4-Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Recipe

This vegan chocolate hazelnut spread contains only 4 ingredients. It's made without coconut, honey or maple syrup, contains a moderate amount of sugar and tastes absolutely delicious!

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Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American, vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

• ▢
  Blender or food processor

Ingredients

• ▢ 10.58 ounces (300 g) hazelnuts blanched, see *Notes below
• ▢ 3.53 ounces (100 g) dark chocolate with 50-60 % cocoa solids, chopped into similar size pieces
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cacao/cocoa powder
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons icing sugar/powdered sugar

Instructions

• Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and heat up in the microwave until almost completely melted. Stir until smooth.
• Place the hazelnuts in a blender and blitz until the mixture thickens but is not silky smooth. If you are using a high speed blender do this on a very low speed (it should take only about a minute).
• Add the melted chocolate, cocoa and powdered sugar into the blender and whizz briefly just to combine.
• Transfer the spread into a jar and chill before using. If you keep it in the fridge too long and the spread solidifies simply microwave it for a few seconds and give a good stir to loosen the consistency.
• Store in a cool place for up to 5 days.

Notes

• *If you buy blanched hazelnuts you can use them straight from the packet.  If you can't get blanched hazelnuts you can remove the skin yourself by roasting the hazelnuts on top of a baking sheet in a single layer at 180 C for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, wrap the hazelnuts in a towel and rub until most of the skin has come off.
• You can make this hazelnut spread in a food processor or high speed blender. I like to use the latter as it's quick. Blend the mixture on low (ignore the 'nut' button if your blender has got one) though be careful not to overblend.  High speed blenders are very powerful so it's easy to overblend and turn the hazelnuts into liquid rather than nut butter.
• You can either melt the chocolate in a microwave or by placing it in a bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (without the bowl touching the water) and slowly melting stirring often.
• Use a clean and dry bowl and spatula for melting the chocolate (ensure it doesn't come into contact with moisture).
• If using a high speed blender melt the chocolate before making the hazelnut butter (it only takes a minute to make the butter). If using a food processor melt the chocolate about half way through making the butter (it will take several minutes to make).
• Keep the spread in a jar for up to a week.  The consistency of this hazelnut chocolate butter improves over time and gradually becomes smoother and creamier.  If you keep it in the fridge (I keep mind in a cupboard) it will solidify but this is easy to fix by popping in the microwave for a few seconds before using.
• Serving: delicious on toast, with or without sliced banana, on waffles, with crepes, breadsticks or on its own as a high protein snack. Try blending it with natural yogurt and banana and make your own homemade yogurt.
• Freeze for up to 3 months. 
• Total Time refers to making the spread using a high speed blender. It will take longer to make the spread in a food processor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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