Salted Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
This salted chocolate hazelnut spread is rich and luxurious, with a toasty, nutty flavor and deep notes of cocoa. Enjoy it on toast, swirled into yogurt bowls, or straight from the spoon. Inspired by Nutella, this homemade version is truly one for the books!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 186kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup hazelnuts blanched or unblanched, see notes
- 2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 ounce dark chocolate melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt or ¼ teaspoon Morton Kosher Salt or Sea Salt, plus more for seasoning
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Prep the Hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 375℉ (191℃) and arrange 1 cup hazelnuts in an even layer on an unlined baking sheet.For Blanched Hazelnuts: Toast in the oven until fragrant and golden brown, about 5 - 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, about 20 minutes.For Unblanched Hazelnuts: Toast in the oven about 8 - 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant, skins appear crispy, and the insides are golden brown.Transfer nuts to a kitchen towel and tie in a knot to seal in the steam. Let them sit for 5 minutes; the residual steam will help loosen the skins. Then, keeping the nuts inside the towel, rub them together until most of the skins flake off (removing about 75–80% is fine). Cool completely before using.Note: Keep a close eye here, as nuts can burn quickly!
- Make the Hazelnut Butter: Transfer nuts to a food processor. Process until the mixture is creamy and homogeneous, about 2 - 4 minutes.For a slightly textured result, stop once it looks creamy but feels slightly gritty between your fingers.For a very smooth result, keep going until the mixture looks glossy and flows in slow ribbons off a spoon with a smoother feel between your fingers.
- Make the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: Add 2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder, 1 ounce dark chocolate (melted and slightly cooled), 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, ½ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, and ⅓ cup maple syrup and process until combined. The mixture may look a bit crumbly at this stage — that’s normal. With the processor running, slowly stream in 2 tablespoons neutral oil. The mixture might briefly look oily and separated, but it will come back together as you gradually add the 2 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and creamy.
- Finish: Taste and adjust for seasonings. I usually add a touch more salt for balance, but season to your preference.Transfer to a clean jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. The spread will thicken slightly in the fridge but remain spreadable. For a softer texture, let it sit at room temperature for 10 – 15 minutes before using.
Notes
Hazelnuts: Blanched hazelnuts are often more expensive than unblanched, but if you happen to have them, I've included instructions for both versions.
For a completely vegan version, make sure to seek out vegan dark chocolate (not all dark chocolate is naturally vegan!)
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
