Nutella and I have a long-standing toxic relationship. It’s not a relationship lacking in love. Believe me, I LOVE Nutella. Nevertheless, it is a decidedly unhealthy one. The main problem in my relationship with this hazelnut spread stems from my inability to portion control my consumption (there’s something addicting about it!) and the prevalence of a few questionable ingredients in its makeup.

Photograph by James Ostrer

The first ingredient is also the first red flag: SUGAR. It tastes great, but we all know the long list of health risks that come with over consumption of this white powdered delight. Next up is Palm Oil. This controversial guy is not only potentially bad for our bodies (research shows conflicting results between the health benefits and risks for this oil), but the environment as well. Sadly, the process by which it’s harvested frequently destroys areas of rainforest. The last ingredient I’ll touch on is Vanillin. Sounds like Vanilla, right? But it’s not. Vanillin is a cheaper, synthetic substitute for the real stuff, and there is some evidence that consuming synthetic vanillin may bring on digestive disorders, headaches and allergies. Scary stuff. There’s also a school of thought that Vanillin is especially addictive (hmmm, maybe that’s why it’s so hard for me to put down the nutella spoon…).

But there’s also GOOD stuff in Nutella! Hazelnuts and cocoa powder carry some great health benefits, so why not swap out some of the baddies and make your own, glowingly healthy version of this nutty, chocolaty delight.

Healthy Hazelnut Spread Recipe :

I started my recipe with 2 Cups of hazelnuts which I oven roasted for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees,

and then rubbed hazelnuts in a dishtowel to remove as much of the skin as possible :

I blitzed them in the food processor until they got to a fairly creamy consistency :

and then added in my additional ingredients:

¼ Cup Cocoa Powder

¼ Cup Erythritol Based Sweetener (use whichever sweetener you prefer)

Splash of Maple Syrup (optional)

2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (feel free to swap in the oil of your choice)

1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt

2 Tbsp Great Lakes Collagen (optional)

¼-½ Cup Milk Of Choice (amount depending on the consistency you prefer)

I blended everything for several more minutes until it got to a very smooth, buttery, consistency.

(You may find that you want to adjust the quantity of milk, sweetener, and oil depending on your personal preference for how liquid/solid you’d like your spread).

And the result? It’s good. SO good. If you’re a former or recovering Nutella addict like myself I highly recommend you try out this healthier option and slather it all over every slice of bread, piece of fruit or pancake you come across!

SHOP :

recipe and article by emily