Homemade Vegan Nutella
Ginny McMeans
Published:
September 13, 2023
Last Modified:
August 13, 2025
This homemade vegan chocolate hazelnut spread is toasty, rich, and best of all–easy to make! It looks like silky melted chocolate, with a sweet taste that is perfectly balanced by the flavor of savory hazelnut.

I’m a nut butter fanatic. Salty almond butter, creamy peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, and don’t forget my homemade maple peanut butter and cashew butter–my idea of a well-stocked pantry contains at least a few of these creamy, dreamy spreads.
Nutella, or chocolate hazelnut butter, is on my must have list too. Seeing as the big brand, store bought Nutella contains milk powder, it’s off the shopping list and into the vegan recipe book!
It’s velvety, versatile, and made with just 6 whole food ingredients. Plus, by making it at home, you can control the proportions and adjust the sweetness to your liking. Homemade vegan nutella here we come!
Vegan Nutella Ingredients

- Raw hazelnuts – Also known as filberts, hazelnuts are the key ingredient in any homemade nutella. Choose raw, unsalted hazelnuts as we will be roasting them ourselves, as well as adding salt to the finished product.
- Dark cane sugar – Using a dark brown sugar will add a deeper, more complex flavor to your nutella. Make sure to choose a vegan sugar brand, as not all sugar products are. Organic sugars are typically vegan as well.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Gives your homemade vegan Nutella its deep, dark chocolate flavor! Make sure to choose a pure cocoa powder that is free from dairy ingredients or additives and sift it to remove any lumps before adding it to your hazelnut butter.
- Coconut oil – Helps to give your vegan chocolate spread a silky smooth texture and characteristically shiny appearance.
- Vanilla extract – A standard addition to most chocolate flavored dishes and desserts. Rather than making the dish taste like vanilla, the contrast actually makes the cocoa taste all that much more chocolatey.
- Salt – Accentuates the nutty flavor of the hazelnuts as well as enhances the natural richness of the cocoa.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange whole, raw hazelnuts in a single layer.
- Roast. Roast the hazelnuts in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. You can see in my photo the way the dark outer skins start to crack and flake–that’s what we’re looking for!
- Remove skins. Wet a dish towel and wring it out as best you can, then place it flat on your work surface. Dump all the roasted hazelnuts into the damp dish towel, then fold the dish towel over the hazelnuts and rub firmly and quickly, back and forth. The friction of the damp towel and the motion will work together to peel most of the thin shells away from the nuts.
- Pick through. Hand-pick through the hazelnuts, removing any stubborn ones that may still be holding tight to their shells. If some of the nuts still have small bits of shell attached to them, don’t worry, they’re just fine to use! Transfer the peeled (and mostly peeled) hazelnuts to the food processor.
- Blend. Process the hazelnuts for about 5 minutes, allowing the machine to rest (so as to cool the motor) about every 30 seconds or so. You will see the hazelnuts start to clump together around the blades and then turn into a smooth paste.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add all of the remaining ingredients: dark cane sugar, cocoa powder, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Blend again. Continue blending until the mixture becomes cohesive, silky, and smooth. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure all of the ingredients are integrating evenly.
- Serve! Enjoy your homemade vegan nutella however you like it–as a dip, spread on a slice of toast, as an ingredient in your favorite dessert, or as a vegan crepe filling!
Watch Us Make Homemade Vegan Nutella
How To Store
At Room Temperature It’s best to store homemade vegan Nutella in an airtight container at room temperature. Avoid exposing it to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures.
Freezing I would not suggest freezing vegan Nutella because it may affect its texture and cause separation.

Vegan Nutella Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup dark cane sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange whole, raw hazelnuts in a single layer.Â
- Roast the hazelnuts in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes until the dark outer skins start to crack and flake.Â
- Wet a dish towel and wring it out as best you can, then place it flat on your work surface. Dump all the roasted hazelnuts into the damp dish towel, then fold the dish towel over the hazelnuts and rub firmly and quickly, back and forth. This action should separate most of the skins from the nuts.Â
- Hand-pick through the hazelnuts, removing any stubborn ones that may still be holding tight to their shells. If some of the nuts still have small bits of shell attached to them, they’re still fine to use. Transfer the peeled (and mostly peeled) hazelnuts to the food processor.
- Process the hazelnuts for about 5 minutes, allowing the machine to rest (so as to cool the motor) about every 30 seconds or so, until the hazelnuts are quite fine and clumping around the blades.Â
- Add all of the remaining ingredients: dark cane sugar, cocoa powder, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt.Â
- Continue blending until the mixture becomes cohesive, silky, and smooth. Stop the machine and carefully scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Enjoy your homemade vegan nutella however you like it–as a dip, spread on a slice of toast, as an ingredient in your favorite dessert, or as a vegan crepe filling!Â
Video
Nutrition
55 responses to “Homemade Vegan Nutella”
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I want to stick my face in that bowl. Oh, holy YUM!
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Hahaha Kellie! You are so funny!
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You know, I had never even heard of Nutella until 5 or so years ago! This would be so dangerous in my house. I have a slight addiction (must be making up for my early years). 😉 Looks seriously amazing.
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It is dangerous Heather! I put my extra in the freezer and am hoping I keep forgetting about it. 🙂
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I made some homemade nutella and took it to our friendly neighborhood librarian (we homeschoolers need to keep tight with our library staff. 🙂 ) She LOVES it. She asks for more every time one of our family members goes in for books (which is frequently!) In other words, this homemade nutella is an effective friend-making device as well!
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Good to know Rebecca and you are an excellent patron 🙂
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I am SO making this! This would make great Christmas presents in jars with bows this year! YUM
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It really would Amanda. It will be so pretty too!
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My word, that looks delicious! I was also a “late bloomer” when it came to Nutella, and then I was very disappointed when I took time to read the label and realized it wasn’t vegan. But this recipe changes all that!
One question, though. Where do you buy your hazelnuts? I live in a rural area and I can’t usually find them here. Do you order them online? Thanks!
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Hi Nichole – I buy my hazelnuts at Sprouts and Whole Foods. They are also available online through Amazon and other places. I will place a link on the hazelnuts just to get you there. If the word ‘hazelnuts’ is blue in the ingredients that means I got it done so just click on that word. 🙂
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Thanks, Ginny! I can’t wait to try this. I agree with the others commenting–I think this would make a great gift idea come December. 🙂
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I love me some homemade nutella, mine is sugar-free but this one looks fabulous!
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Thanks so much Brenda. I bet your sugar-free one is great too!
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I didn’t try Nutella until recently either – I had been missing out! I can’t wait to try making it at home!
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It is so fun Ashley! Just remember not to overprocess it. 🙂
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Drool! I adore Nutella, a homemade version is so much better!
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Thumbs up!
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I should not have this information 😉 Looks dreamy!!
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Hahaha! Thanks Stephanie!
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Love. Love. LOVE!! Have I mentioned I might love this recipe??!! I’ve been making my own nut butters for the last year or so, but I haven’t attempted my own nutella. The use of the coconut oil and sugars pops this into the OMG category. Simply amazing!
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Thanks so much Kim and I love that you are making your own nut butters. People just don’t realize how easy and good they are until they try it.
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I feel like the heavens have just opened up 😀 I love Nutella and would eat it with a spoon, but I haven’t let myself buy it in quite some time as I’m not crazy about some of the ingredients in it. This looks awesome! And I can’t wait to have some of that spread again!!
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You are so funny! Thanks so much Alexis! Your praise is so appreciated. Hope you get to make it soon. 🙂
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I have a friend who loves Nutella, I must share this with her.
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Please do valmg!
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The texture looks incredible- even better than the original!
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You are the sweetest Lauren!
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I can’t stop staring at this. I want to slather it on everything. It’s delightful.
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Hahaha Kim! Thanks and you do have to be careful with it. 🙂
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Homemade nutella is the bomb! Looks great. I can’t wait to try this myself.
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Thanks Sam and you will love it!
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Will the texture be smooth or grainy? I’ve never attempted a homemade version before but I’m certainly looking forward to it. Looks delicious!
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Well, I find it incredibly smooth Maria. It never comes across as grainy to me.
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I once tried to get hazelnut skins off via a method I found online with baking soda and while it worked, the Le Creuset interior turned a horrid shade of black for a while. I love your idea much better (as will my pans *LOL*) Great recipe!
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Holy heavens! I need a spoon!
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Homemade nutella- I will definitely be making this! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
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My little brother INHALES nutella! I’m totally making him some of this!
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This is dangerous! My boyfriend will flip if he knows I can make it myself now.
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Certainly an easy recipe. Going to make this for christmas gifts this year. We have 9.5 acres of hazelnut trees so Ill definitely have plenty.
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I think I will also make this for Christmas this year! My family always exchanges homemade gifts and this would be PERFECT! Thanks for this great recipe 🙂
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Oh Mama!!! I adore Nutella… thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m going to be making my own and therefore will never, ever, ever have to run out.
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haha Liza! A great idea 🙂
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Wow your Nutella looks fabulous. I made some a little while back, I could have processed it more because it was a bit grainy but still nice. Also I left the skins on the nuts to see what difference it made – it was still yum.
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This is the BEST homemade nutella recipe I’ve tried so far 🙂
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Fantastic Anne! Thanks for telling me – t makes me so happy. 🙂
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If I bake the nuts but don’t rub and process until a day or two later would it still turn out? Any reason why everything needs to be done all at once?
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I think that will be fine. maybe some skin won’t come off from cooling but it is okay to have some skin. Also, you can buy them skinned if you want to pay a little more.
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I have a big question. Store bought nutella cannot be frozen. Everyone on the internet says that.. so I tested it. It did not remain hard as people are saying but the taste changed…had an off aftertaste. I want to fill 150 cupcakes with nutella for my son’s wedding. They need to be made and frozen ahead because I can’t be doing this the day before. Will this stay soft if I pipe it into the cupcakes – does the flavor change when frozen. This recipe might be the answer to all of my problems. I need urgent help – thanks!!
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I just took one out of the freezer and am -rechecking my taste buds. It won’t be defrosted until tomorrow so I will get back to you. Fingers crossed.
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Hi Vivian – I ate the the whole container (it was smallish 🙂 ) over the last week and it was delicious. Two points are that if you are keeping the cupcakes in the fridge the ‘nutella’ is firmer. More like a fudge. If they are at room temperature then they are a bit softer. The oils may escape into the cake part (if at room temperature) but I think that might be very delicious. Can you do some test cupcakes to check?
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I’m wondering if using regular sugar is ok? I don’t have coconut sugar on hand…
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Hi Desirae, yes, you can use regular sugar. Coconut sugar is not as sweet as refined sugar so maybe start with just a little bit less and then add more if it is not as sweet as you like.
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This was such a rewarding recipe to make. The nutella was the best and I can’t believe I made it from scratch. Thank you! -
Tasty and easy to make – that is the ticket to a great recipe, an of course vegan!-
Fantastic Suee33! Thanks for the feedback!
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