Buy Chocolate

For more on recettes faciles de desserts au chocolat faire la maison, check out our guide.

You’ve bought every chocolate spread on the market and you’re still chasing that perfect one — less sugar, more chocolate, exactly the texture you want. I know because I was you. Then I started making my own, and honestly, I haven’t bought a jar in six months. Homemade chocolate spread isn’t difficult. It’s cheaper than premium brands. And you control everything that goes in.

I’m going to share five variations I’ve developed through trial and error. Each one has a full recipe with measurements, technique notes, and the exact adjustments I’ve learned along the way. No vague instructions. No “season to taste” cop-outs.

Variation 1: Classic Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

This is the one you make to replace Nutella. It’s richer, has more hazelnut flavour, and about half the sugar. The secret is roasting the hazelnuts yourself rather than buying pre-roasted ones.

Ingredients

• 200g raw hazelnuts (with skins, about 1.5 cups)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (Dutch-processed for smoother taste)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (refined, not virgin — you want neutral flavour)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. You’ll know they’re done when the skins crack and the nuts smell toasty — not burned. Let them cool for five minutes.

Transfer the warm hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove the skins. This is the most tedious step, but it matters. Skins add bitterness. You won’t get every bit of skin off, and that’s fine. Aim for about eighty percent skin-free.

Add the hazelnuts to a food processor. Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn into a smooth butter. Scrape down the sides every 30 seconds. Patience here pays off — at the 2-minute mark it’ll look like crumbs, then suddenly turn into butter.

Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. Blend for another 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth. Taste and adjust — more salt if it tastes flat, more maple syrup if you want it sweeter.

Transfer to an airtight jar. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or refrigerated for up to a month. If refrigerated, let it sit out for 10 minutes before spreading.

Per tablespoon: approximately 90 calories, 7g fat, 4g sugar, 2g protein.

Variation 2: Dark Chocolate Almond Spread

Almonds create a different texture than hazelnuts — smoother, richer, with a marzipan-like undertone that pairs beautifully with dark chocolate. This is my personal favourite for eating straight from the jar.

Ingredients

• 200g raw almonds (about 1.5 cups)
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 50g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Method

Roast the almonds at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Almonds take longer to release their oils than hazelnuts, so the roasting is essential for the spread to blend properly. Let them cool completely.

Blend the almonds in a food processor for 4 to 5 minutes. Almonds go through a longer crumb phase than hazelnuts. At minute 3, it’ll look like wet sand. Keep going. At minute 5, you’ll have almond butter.

While the almonds blend, melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together in a double boiler or in 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst.

Add the melted chocolate mixture, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, salt, and cinnamon to the almond butter. Blend for another minute until fully incorporated.

This spread is thicker than the hazelnut version. If you want a looser texture, add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil (grapeseed or light olive oil) and blend again.

Store in an airtight jar at room temperature for 1 week or refrigerated for 3 weeks.

Per tablespoon: approximately 95 calories, 8g fat, 3g sugar, 3g protein.

Variation 3: Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread (Kid-Friendly)

This one wins the kid test every time. The peanut butter base makes it higher in protein, and you can adjust the sweetness down gradually as their palates adapt. I’ve used this to transition kids from hyper-sweet Nutella to something more reasonable.

Ingredients

• 150g natural peanut butter (no sugar added, just peanuts + salt)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt (skip if your peanut butter is already salted)

Method

This recipe takes five minutes and requires no roasting. Add all ingredients to a food processor or bowl and blend until smooth. If you’re using a bowl rather than a processor, warm the peanut butter slightly first so it blends easily.

Taste and adjust. Kids who are used to sweet spreads might want an extra tablespoon of maple syrup at first. Reduce gradually over subsequent batches.

The texture is the most spreadable of all five variations — softer at room temperature, almost pourable. Refrigerating firms it up to a regular spread consistency.

Store at room temperature for 2 weeks or refrigerated for 1 month. If the oil separates, just stir it back in.

Per tablespoon: approximately 85 calories, 7g fat, 4g sugar, 3g protein.

For more kids-friendly options, see our best chocolate spread for kids guide.

Variation 4: Vegan White Chocolate & Macadamia Spread

Not technically chocolate — white “chocolate” has no cocoa solids — but it’s a creamy, dreamy spread that deserves a spot on this list. Macadamias create the richest base of any nut, and the cacao butter gives it that authentic white chocolate flavour.

Ingredients

• 150g raw macadamia nuts (about 1 cup)
• 50g cacao butter, chopped (available at health food stores or online)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Method

No roasting needed — macadamias are delicate and burn easily. Blend the raw macadamias in a food processor for 3 to 4 minutes until completely smooth. This takes longer than you expect because macadamias are so oily. Be patient.

Melt the cacao butter and coconut oil together in a double boiler or microwave. Cacao butter melts at body temperature, so it liquifies quickly. Don’t overheat it.

Add the melted cacao butter mixture, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to the macadamia butter. Blend for another minute. The mixture will look thin at first but thickens as it cools.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before using. The final texture should be firm but spreadable — similar to room-temperature butter.

This spread is intensely rich. A little goes a long way. Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Per tablespoon: approximately 110 calories, 11g fat, 3g sugar, 1g protein.

Variation 5: Spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate Spread

This one’s for the adventurous. Inspired by Mexican hot chocolate, it brings cinnamon, chilli, and a hint of nutmeg into the chocolate spread world. It’s incredible on toast, in oatmeal, or as a filling for crepes.

Ingredients

• 150g raw hazelnuts (about 1 cup)
• 50g raw almonds
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or piloncillo (Mexican unrefined sugar, grated)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Roast the hazelnuts and almonds together at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Remove hazelnut skins using the towel method described in Variation 1.

Blend the nuts in a food processor for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth. The combination of hazelnuts and almonds creates a more complex flavour base than either nut alone.

Add all remaining ingredients and blend for another 2 minutes until fully incorporated.

Taste the cayenne carefully. Start with ¼ teaspoon and work up. The heat should be a warm background note, not a punch in the mouth. I’ve found that ¼ teaspoon gives a pleasant warmth that most people enjoy. My partner thinks I go too heavy on it. Adjust for your household.

Store at room temperature for 2 weeks or refrigerated for 1 month.

Per tablespoon: approximately 85 calories, 7g fat, 4g sugar, 2g protein.

General Tips for Homemade Chocolate Spread

Every homemade spread benefits from a good food processor. A cheap one will struggle with the nut-to-butter transition. I use a Cuisinart 11-cup model and it handles everything. If your processor is smaller, make half batches.

Temperature matters. Nuts blend better when warm. Cocoa powder incorporates better at room temperature. If your spread seizes up or looks grainy, add a teaspoon of warm coconut oil and blend again.

Sweetness is personal. All five recipes are calibrated for people who find Nutella too sweet. If you’re transitioning from store-bought, add an extra tablespoon of sweetener to your first batch, then reduce gradually.

Make sure your jar is completely dry before filling. Any water droplets can cause mould within days. Sterilise the jar if you’re storing for more than two weeks.

Which One Should You Make First?

Start with the Classic Hazelnut version. It’s the most familiar, uses basic ingredients, and gives you the confidence to try the others. Once you’ve made it once, the whole concept clicks and the other variations become easy experiments.

The Peanut Butter Chocolate spread is the fastest — five minutes, no roasting — so make that if you’re short on time. The Spiced Mexican version is worth the effort when you want something genuinely different.

You stood in the grocery aisle wondering if there’s a better chocolate spread out there. There is. But it’s not on the shelf. It’s in your kitchen, made by you, exactly how you like it. Start with the hazelnut version tonight and see how it compares to what you’re used to. I’m willing to bet you won’t go back. Browse buychocolate.org for more chocolate-making inspiration and quality ingredients.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Guide