This healthy vegan Nutella is surprisingly easy to make! This chocolate hazelnut spread is sweetened with dates, and there is an option to make it fully raw if you are interested. Once you start making your own chocolate hazelnut spread, you'll never want to go back to buying it!
Watch me make this date-sweetened Nutella in the video below!
Watch the full video right on YouTube!
Ingredient rundown:
- Hazelnuts: roasted hazelnuts are pulsed until they form a smooth hazelnut butter, the base for this recipe.
- Dates: I love to use medjool dates, because they are soft and sweet. This is a healthy alternative to sugar and other sweeteners.
- Cocoa powder: Forms the chocolatey base of this chocolate hazelnut spread!
- Plant milk: Makes this vegan nutella extra smooth and creamy!
- Vanilla: Adds a rich depth of flavor.
Why you'll love this date-sweetened Nutella:
- Super easy: Simply pulse all the ingredients in your food processor!
- Delicious: Who doesn't love a chocolate hazelnut spread- and you can enjoy this one as a vegan!
- Versatile: Read on to find out just a few of the different ways you can use this chocolate hazelnut spread in recipes!
- Healthy-ish: Dates act as a natural sweetener in this recipe!
Ways to enjoy this date-sweetened Nutella:
- How about in my vegan Nutella cheesecake?! It's so incredibly rich and delicious that you won't believe it's vegan. This recipe is an exclusive only available in my e-cookbook- download it here!
- Spread on toast on its own or top with fruits, such as strawberries and bananas.
- Thin it with a little bit of plant milk or water and use it as a dip for fruit slices or crackers.
- Straight out of the jar! It's just that good.
I hope you love this vegan nutella as much as I do! I would love to see your recreations tagged on Instagram @zenandzaatar #zenandzaatar, and don't forget to pin this recipe for later!
If you enjoy this free recipe, consider supporting me further by purchasing or gifting my e-book, including this recipe and over 55 others! Have the best vegan recipes at your fingertips, downloaded to your device, without the ads and extra text on my blog. Buy it HERE!
Recipe
Healthy Vegan Nutella (Date-Sweetened)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry roasted hazelnuts*
- 18 soaked and pitted medjool dates
- 5 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ¼- 1 ½ cup raw cashew milk or any other plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla optional
- tiny pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- Pulse roasted hazelnuts in a food processor until a very smooth butter forms, it should be almost a liquid.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor, and blend until very smooth. If you would like a thinner and smoother consistency, keep adding more almond milk 2 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Enjoy on toast, with fruits, or straight out of the jar! Store in a mason jar and refrigerate for later use.
Video
Notes
**This recipe makes a lot of Nutella (about 2 cups), and can easily be halved. This Nutella can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. I prefer to make the full amount because it's easier to reach a smooth consistency in my larger food processor.
Laura Marin says
I had a little more than 2 cups of dry roasted hazelnuts, so I used 19ish soaked and pitted dates, cocoa U used a bit more (because I love black chocolate) but I only used 1/2 - 3/4 cup of plant based milk, pouring it very slowly into the food processor and it was enough. So be careful when pouring the milk. Otherwise, this recipe is very easy, quick, healthy and delicious.
Darshini says
how long can a vegan nutella be stored at room temperature. can I skip the plant base milk ?
Zena | Zen and Zaatar says
It can be stored at room temperature for the day but probably not overnight. I would recommend to keep it in the fridge to be safe! You can use water instead of plant milk.
Ann Roff says
I couldn’t see anywhere to leave a star rating, but definitely 5 stars! Other than making just half the recipe, I pretty much followed it exactly. I can’t remember ever eating the commercially sold hazelnut chocolate spread (wink, wink) because I dislike anything that’s overly sweet. But this caught my eye because it’s sweetened with dates and they add such a deliciously mellow dimension to desserts.
Natalie says
Thank you for this recipe!! Only made half and still got a full jar out of it. It tastes amazing had it on pancakes and used to dip apple slices in. Kids love it too massive brownie points 😊.
Quick Q how long can it be stored in the fridge?
Zena | Zen and Zaatar says
I'm so glad you loved it!! It will last about 2 weeks in the fridge 🙂
Christine Whittington says
This is a great recipe! I will make it all the time now! I have made homemade Nutella in the past and it has always been grainy. This is very smooth, probably because of processing the hazelnuts first so that they are very creamy and also soaking the dates. I love that it has no added sugar. I made mine with black cocoa (which you can buy online), so it is *very* chocolatey!
Hint: Be sure that your dates are pitted before you add them to the food processor. Oops!
Also--I have a feeling that the calories in the nutritional info are incorrect or mission something. Six servings at 37 calories each? I do believe in miracles, but that is too much to hope for!
Thank you for the great recipe.
milee says
This is such a great recipe. This is my go-to nutella recipe and I make this 2-3 times a month. My kids love it.
Would be great if you added more date-sweetened recipes.
Zena | Zen and Zaatar says
Thanks so much for sharing- I'm so happy to hear it's a favorite! I will definitely keep that in mind 🙂
krista says
hi . I am going to try this recipe. looks really good. can I freeze it? As it is a big portion.
Zena | Zen and Zaatar says
Hi! So glad you're trying it, I hope you love it! ❤️ It keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 weeks in a sealed jar. I haven’t personally frozen it yet, but based on the ingredients, it should be freeze-able! Just freeze in small portions and stir well after thawing, as it may separate slightly. Let me know how it goes if you try freezing it! 😊