Is Nutella Really the Best Hazelnut Spread? We Tried 10 Brands to Find Out
Updated: Mar. 25, 2024
We all love the richness of Nutella spread across toast or used in desserts, but we had to find out if it's really the best hazelnut spread at the grocery store.
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We Love Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
If you ask our Test Kitchen, a dollop of Nutella makes everything better. Our team has used this chocolate hazelnut spread in everything from frosting to cookie filling to just topping a slice of toast in the morning.
In addition to being serious cooks, our Test Kitchen pros are avid grocery shoppers and they know that Nutella isn’t the only name in the chocolate hazelnut spread game. So our team had to find out if Nutella deserves all the hype it gets or if another brand is really the best hazelnut spread.
How We Tested for the Best Hazelnut Spread
Believe it or not, there are plenty of non-Nutella spreads on the market! For this taste test, our crew rounded up 10 options (including Nutella) and put them head-to-head. As always, the identities of each brand were kept a secret so no one would be biased toward any particular samples. Our team scored each in three categories:
- Appearance: Chocolate hazelnut spreads should look glossy and rich.
- Texture: The texture of these spreads should be smooth and lush. They may vary slightly in how thick they are, but overall they should be creamy.
- Flavor: Most importantly, these hazelnut spreads should taste so good that you want to eat the stuff by the spoonful. There should be a good balance between hazelnut and chocolate.
Check out which brands are Test Kitchen-Preferred below.
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Best Hazelnut Spread Overall
Nutella Hazelnut Spread
It turns out that Nutella really is the best. This is the brand that every taste tester preferred. Here’s why!
First, Nutella has the perfect texture for a spread like this. “It’s incredibly smooth and supple,” says Sarah Farmer, head of the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. Nutella is shiny and rich in color, and it has a creamy mouthfeel—it checks off everything on our list when it comes to texture and appearance.
And it delivers in the flavor category big time. “The hazelnut and chocolate both come through in even measure without being overly sweet,” explains Ellie Crowley in the Test Kitchen. That’s precisely what our team was looking for in this test: a hazelnut spread that gave us balanced flavors without being too sugary.
The result is luscious and oh-so craveable. It’s exactly what our team is looking for to use in recipes like these easy Nutella hand pies, no-bake hazelnut pie and chocolate-hazelnut cheesecake.
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Best Chocolate-Forward Hazelnut Spread
Lindt Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Spread
If you pick up a jar of chocolate-hazelnut spread to satisfy your chocolate cravings more than your hazelnut cravings, be sure to grab Lindt Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Spread next time.
Lindt delivers big time on the brand’s signature milk chocolate in this jar. The spread is rich, glossy and perfectly sweet. Yes, the hazelnut is more of a supporting character rather than the star, but that didn’t bother our testers one bit; it’s just another way to blend these complimentary flavors.
So how would our team use Lindt’s hazelnut spread at home? Sarah says, “Get me a cake to frost—or maybe some cupcakes! This brand is soft and spreads beautifully.”
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Best Vegan Hazelnut Spread
TBH Hazelnut Chocolate Spread
If you eat a vegan or dairy-free diet, classic Nutella is out (it contains milk powder). Good thing there’s TBH Hazelnut Chocolate Spread.
This dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and kosher spread is delightfully fudgy. It has a thicker consistency compared to other brands, but it’s still easy to spread across a slice of toast or a shortbread cookie.
The flavor inside this jar is “pure hazelnut and pure chocolate with a nice balance between the two,” according to Sarah. This brand isn’t overly sweet so you can enjoy spoonful after spoonful without the tummy ache.
Now, TBH isn’t the smoothest spread out there; you’ll catch some nutty bits the same way you might with natural peanut butter or some almond butter. Overall, though, this didn’t bother our testing team.
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing food, kitchen gadgets and cleaning gear looking for brands that deserve the right to be called Test Kitchen-Preferred.
If you want to fill your pantry and fridge with the best products, check out these tests:
Originally Published: March 21, 2023
