5-Ingredient Homemade Nutella (More Hazelnut, No Chemicals)

Who is not a fan of Nutella? From kids to adults – everyone loves it. And it is so deliciously addictive that you just open the jar for a spoon and it would be hard to keep the jar back. There is no self-control when you eat Nutella 🙂 I have seen Jatin eating spoons after spoons and then having a sugar rush and a sleepless night afterward. He loves it a lot and that is why I decided to make it at home so that he can have good quality, good ingredients Nutella and satiate his cravings.

Since I made it at home, he never bought the pack of Nutella from the stores. He checks the ingredients and put the jar back and tells me to make it at home. Yay.

Is Nutella Healthy?

You can decide it yourself. The photo below has the ingredients of Nutella that are sold in Europe (or Germany). The ingredients may vary in your region but they would be more or less exactly the same.

The store-bought pack has just 13% hazelnut and 7.4% cacao in a CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD. It is just 20% of the total. That is way too less. Other than that it has milk powder (8.7%), sugar, palm oil, lecithin (added to thicken the spread), and vanillin (artificial flavor).

So, when you spread Nutella on your toasted bread and have it over breakfast or when you give Nutella to your kids thinking that they are getting protein from it, the reality is that you are just consuming palm oil and a chemical-based product. In my opinion, it is not healthy at all especially when it is a part of your regular breakfast or dessert. Once in a while, it is okay if consumed in moderation because no doubt, it is tasty.

Homemade Nutella Vs Store-Bought Nutella

With homemade Nutella, the control of the ingredients is in your hands. You can buy the best quality ingredients and serve a natural chocolate spread to your kids and your family. A homemade one is without a doubt much healthier.

The recipe which I shared has more than 50% hazelnut butter while the store-bought one has just 13%. That means it has a much more nutty flavor without any artificial flavor. It is all-natural. Apart from that, it has sugar, milk powder, and cacao powder. I even added a spoon of extra virgin olive oil but that is totally optional. You can add it if your Nutella looks a little bit dry. Moreover, making Nutella is extremely easy so why buy 🙂

Now, you can see that the homemade one has no chemicals, no artificial flavor, and no palm oil at all which makes it a healthier choice. Palm oil is not only bad for the health but also for the environment too.

Easy Swaps

1. Hazelnut Butter: You can make it with roasted hazelnut too. Just blend them in a food processor until it forms a smooth buttery texture and oil releases. I used hazelnut butter because I don’t have any food processor and using 100% hazelnut butter (no sugar or chemicals) makes the job much easier.
2. Sugar: I used powdered white sugar but you can even use coconut sugar, date sugar, brown sugar, or jaggery. Just make sure that the sweetener is absolutely fine or powdered because sugar doesn’t dissolve in butter or oil.
3. Oil: I used extra virgin olive oil but you can use any neutral flavor cooking oil. Add oil only if your Nutella looks dry.

Can I use liquid sweeteners in homemade Nutella?

I know we all would want to substitute sugar with honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or date syrup. But liquid sweeteners (or any liquid) will seize the nut butter. Their texture becomes as if it has curdled. The reason for this is that liquid and fat don’t mix together.

Why homemade Nutella is not as smooth as store-bought one?

The reason for this is that sugar and milk powder do not dissolve in nut butter or oil. That is why it is important to use absolutely powdered sugar and milk powder and make sure there are no lumps either.

Because of this reason, the texture of the homemade Nutella won’t be as smooth as the store-bought one. But don’t worry, there will be no complaints about the taste and the benefits that it will give.

Why homemade Nutella is not as thick as the store-bought one?

There is an ingredient (or chemical) added – lecithin – in the store-bought Nutella. This ingredient helps in making it thicker. The homemade Nutella is not as thicker but keeping it in the refrigerator firms it up a little so that it can be easily spread on the bread or crepes.

But if you make a smaller quantity of it, like in a small bowl, and mix everything using a spoon, it remains much thicker. Mixing in a food processor or stand mixer heats up the butter and releases the oil. It makes the overall result slightly runny.

Is this recipe Vegan?

This recipe uses milk powder which is not vegan or plant-based. But if you are vegan, you can skip adding milk powder. the taste will be slightly different but it will still be good. You can even mix cashew butter and hazelnut butter. It may give a nice creamy texture. I did not try it though.

How to store homemade Nutella?

Homemade Nutella can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can even refrigerate and use it for up to a month.

What recipes we can make with Nutella?

There are many recipes that can be made with Nutella and if it is homemade, you know that you are eating clean and healthier. You can try the following recipes:

1. Nutella Crepes
2. Pancake with Nutella
3. Nutella Muffins
4. Nutella Cake
5. Fruit platter with Nutella
6. Nutella Puffs
7. Nutella Toast

Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make this delicious sweet treat at home. It is the perfect spread or condiment which you must keep in your refrigerator at all times. This way you can make a quick breakfast or dessert for yourself and your family. I am sure your kids will love it.

If you try this recipe & like it too, please share the photo of your creation on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa & Jatin