Updated on 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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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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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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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.
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.
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