Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

A smooth, nutty, and chocolatey spread you’ll want to eat by the spoonful, made with roasted hazelnuts, high-quality milk chocolate, and no palm oil.

In just 30 minutes, you’ll create a delicious and natural alternative to store-bought spreads.

Yields: 3 small jars (~250 ml each) or 2 big jars (~350 ml each)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes (optional)
Total time: 30 minutes

Equipment

• Blender (high-power or food processor).
• Au bain-marie ou dans un bol résistant à la chaleur + casserole.
• Baking sheet.
• Airtight glass jars (for 3 × ~250 ml portions / 2 × ~330 ml portions)

Ingredients

• 400 g whole hazelnuts (2⅔ cups)
• 400 g milk chocolate for pastry, ~31% cocoa (2¼ cups) - You can also use darker chocolate, depending on your preference, or what you have on hand
• 70 g icing sugar, optional (½ cup)
• 60 g hazelnut oil or neutral oil (¼ cup)

Instructions

For the roasted hazelnuts:

• If your hazelnuts are already roasted, you can skip this step.
• Preheat your oven to 150°C / 300°F. 
• Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, shaking halfway through. 
• Let cool slightly.

For the melted chocolate:

• While the hazelnuts cool, melt the chocolate gently over a double boiler until smooth or melt it in the microwave in 30-second intervals using a microwave-safe container.
• Set aside.

For the hazelnut paste:

• Add the roasted hazelnuts to the blender. 
• Blend until you get a fine powder, then a paste. It may take several minutes for the mixture to reach a smooth, soft paste, consistency.
• Add the icing sugar and oil, and blend again until the mixture is silky and fluid.

For the final spread:

• Pour in the melted chocolate and blend one last time (about 30 seconds) until fully incorporated. 
• The spread should be glossy and pourable.

For storing:

• Pour into airtight jars. 
• Store at room temperature for 3 to 5 days for a softer spread, or in the fridge for a firmer texture and longer shelf life. It will naturally thicken as it cools.

Serving ideas

• Spread on warm toast or baguette
• Swirl into yogurt or oatmeal
• Use as a filling for crêpes or macarons
• Or just… spoon it straight from the jar — we won’t tell

Tips

• Use good quality pastry chocolate for a smooth and balanced flavor.
• Prefer it darker? Replace part or all of the milk chocolate with 60-70% dark chocolate.
• The longer you blend, the smoother your spread, a high-speed blender works wonders.
• Skip the sugar if your chocolate is already quite sweet.
• Naturally gluten-free, made without palm oil or preservatives, just pure homemade goodness.