Healthy Homemade Nutella With Dates - a dairy-free, vegan alternative that's better and healthier than store-bought. This natural chocolate hazelnut spread is good for you and tastes amazing! No added sugar or palm oil, just rich and creamy chocolate deliciousness in every spoonful!
Craving more Nutella goodness? Whip up these easy Nutella overnight oats for a delicious and grab-and-go breakfast the next day!
Healthy homemade Nutella with dates is a staple in my kitchen (right next to peanut butter!). Made with roasted hazelnuts, dates, and raw cocoa powder, it's vegan, sugar-free, and way better and tastier than store-bought Nutella.
Whip it up in under 30 minutes with just 7 ingredients. Enjoy it on toast, with fruit, or as a delicious snack. For breakfast or any time treat, this DIY Nutella is a winner!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Kid-Friendly & Naturally Sweet: Uses dates for sweetness, made without processed sugar or artificial ingredients. Delicious for the whole family!
- Nutritious & Lower Calorie: Packed with whole foods like hazelnuts and dates, lower in calories than store-bought versions.
- Simple, Quick & Budget-Friendly: No fancy equipment needed! This recipe is budget-friendly and comes together in a flash, making it a perfect homemade substitute.
- Perfectly sweet and spreadable: Dates provide natural sweetness for a perfectly balanced, smooth spread.
Ingredients
- Roasted hazelnuts: The base of this spread provides a rich and nutty flavor. You can roast them yourself or buy them pre-roasted for convenience.
- Dates: They add sweetness and natural fiber to the spread. Mazafati of Medjool dates are a great choice due to their soft texture.
- Cocoa powder (unsweetened): Pure cocoa powder delivers the chocolatey depth.
- Plant milk (I used almond milk): Thins the spread to your desired consistency and adds a touch of creaminess. Choose your favorite non-dairy milk or use plain water!
- Melted coconut oil: Adds a touch of healthy fat and helps create a smooth texture (optional, you can omit it for a lower-fat spread).
- Vanilla extract: A touch of vanilla enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Salt: Just a pinch balances the sweetness and elevates all the other flavors.
As always, you can find the full recipe with a list of ingredients with measurements in a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
How To Make Healthy Homemade Nutella
Roast hazelnuts. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 12-15 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden brown. Let the hazelnuts cool completely. Once cool, you can remove most of the skins by rubbing them in a clean kitchen towel. Don't worry if some skins remain as they won't affect the taste. Skip this step if using pre-roasted hazelnuts.
While the hazelnuts roast, place the dates in a small bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 10-15 minutes or until slightly softened. Drain and pit before using.
Blend hazelnuts. Transfer the cooled, roasted hazelnuts to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until you get a smooth, almost runny, nut butter consistency. It's important to achieve this smooth texture before adding other ingredients.
Combine & blend. Drain and pit the softened dates. Add them to the blender or food processor along with the almond milk, cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend everything until well combined and creamy.
Enjoy! Store your chocolate hazelnut spread in an airtight container (I recommend a glass jar). It will keep fresh in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks. Spread it on toast, or fruit, or indulge in a spoonful straight from the jar! P.S. This Nutella is unbelievably yummy on my one-bowl banana muffins or my fluffy chickpea flour pancakes – try it and see for yourself!
Storage
Store in an airtight glass container in a cool, dry place (like your pantry) for up to 2 weeks. For an extended shelf life, refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks. Or freeze portions in airtight containers or ice cube trays for up to 2 months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Top Tips
- Super smooth - After blending hazelnuts, scrape down the sides for even grinding before adding other ingredients.
- Adjust thickness - Want a thinner spread? Add a splash of plant milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Sweetness control - For extra sweetness, you can add more dates or a touch of maple syrup (optional).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Roasting the hazelnuts intensifies their flavor, adding a richer depth to your Nutella. It also makes the processing easier to achieve that smooth and creamy paste consistency.
Blend the hazelnuts first until super creamy. This ensures a smooth final spread. Then, add the remaining ingredients and blend. If needed, add a splash of plant milk at a time for your desired consistency.
For an incredibly luscious spread, use a high-powered blender or food processor. Alternatively, you can add a splash of more plant milk or oil, a little at a time, until you reach the desired smooth texture.
Delicious Ways To Eat Nutella
- Swirl it into your overnight oats or flaxseed pudding for a decadent, chocolatey breakfast surprise.
- Add a spoonful to your smoothies for a rich, nutty kick.
- Spread Nutella on a warm tortilla or a slice of homemade whole wheat bread, and top with fruit (like bananas or strawberries) for a fun and healthy wrap.
- Elevate your unleavened bread by spreading Nutella on it and rolling it up for a quick and satisfying snack.
- Use it to top your oatmeal cookie for an irresistible flavor burst.
- Drizzle over your baked oatmeal or blackberry muffins for a warm and gooey topping.
- Spread it on your green oatmeal pancakes or oatmeal flour pancakes for a decadent breakfast or brunch.
Chocolate Vegan Dessert Recipes
📖 Recipe
Healthy Homemade Nutella With Dates (Dairy-Free Alternative)
Equipment
- High powered blender or food processor
- baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup unsalted hazelnuts roasted, peeled
- 15 dates softened in water, drained, pitted
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
- ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons almond milk or any dairy-free milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted, (use refined coconut oil for neutral taste)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 12-15 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden brown. Let the hazelnuts cool completely. Once cool, you can remove most of the skins by rubbing them in a clean kitchen towel. Don't worry if some skins remain as they won't affect the taste. Skip this step if using pre-roasted hazelnuts. While the hazelnuts roast, place the dates in a small bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 10-15 minutes or until slightly softened. Drain and pit before using.
- Transfer the cooled, roasted hazelnuts to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until you get a smooth, almost runny, nut butter consistency. It's important to achieve this smooth texture before adding other ingredients.1 ½ cup unsalted hazelnuts
- Drain and pit the softened dates. Add them to the blender or food processor along with the almond milk, cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend everything until well combined and creamy.15 dates, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons almond milk, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Store your chocolate hazelnut spread in an airtight container (I recommend a glass jar). It will keep fresh in a cool, dry place for up to aweek, or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks. Spread it on toast, fruit, or indulge in a spoonful straight from the jar! P.S.This Nutella is unbelievably yummy on my one-bowl banana muffins – try it and see for yourself!
Notes
- Store in an airtight glass container in a cool, dry place (like your pantry) for up to 2 weeks. For an extended shelf life, refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks. Or freeze portions in airtight containers or ice cube trays for up to 2 months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- Don't worry if you cannot remove all of the skins, just try your best to remove all you can. The skins won't affect the taste and will add texture to our nut butter.
- Make sure to drain well the dates before blending. If your dates are soft enough to be easily blended you can skip this step.
- After blending hazelnuts, scrape down the sides for even grinding before adding other ingredients.
- Want a thinner spread? Add a splash of plant milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- For extra sweetness, you can add more dates or a touch of maple syrup (optional).
Nutrition
If you try this healthy Nutella recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @go_eatgreen on Instagram.
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nancy says
wow what a delicious and easy to make recipe!
Marinela says
I'm glad you love my easy vegan Nutella recipe, Nancy. Thanks!
Jacqui says
Since I moved from Germany to the US I couldn’t find any vegan friendly Nutella or nut chocolate spreads in the stores, so this recipe is actually perfect!! Thank you
Marinela says
I'm so happy you loved my easy-to-make homemade Nutella, Jacqui! Thank you, too, for sharing your experience with us.
Anaiah says
Nutella was one of my favorites growing up and I often would take big spoonful and eat it straight out of the jar lol! It's great to find a much healthier spread that tastes just as great!
Marinela says
Eating a spoonful (sometimes many spoonfuls) was my favorite way to enjoy Nutella, too 🙂 Yes, it's great to have a healthier substitute that's entirely guilt-free. Thank you, Anaiah, for your lovely comment, I'm glad you liked this recipe.
Andreea Surca says
So delicious! So good! So perfect!
Marinela Malcheva says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Andreea! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.