Ahh Nutella, that beloved chocolate hazelnut spread! Our low FODMAP Nutella is, dare we say it, better than the original. It is more hazelnutty, more chocolatey, less sugary and of course, low FODMAP – and ours is dairy free, vegan and easy to make!
What Is Nutella Made From?
If you buy actual Nutella the label reads: Sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, skim milk, cocoa, soy lecithin, vanillin and artificial flavor.
Sugar is not a FODMAP issue but being first on the label means there is more sugar than anything else. Our sugar amount is less than half the amount of hazelnuts, by weight. This means less sheer sweetness, and more of what you are looking for.
You May Want To Read: All About Sugar & The Low FODMAP Diet
Palm oil is next on the label, and again, it is not a FODMAP issue, but having added fat as the second ingredient is also not optimal. Fat can be an IBS trigger, for some.
Good to see hazelnuts third! Now, next comes skim milk. The amount per serving would most likely be low FODMAP, but this inclusion does mean that Nutella contains dairy, which some might want to avoid. And, dairy mutes the chocolate flavor.
Cocoa. That could be any kind of cocoa. We like using the best possible cocoa in our homemade version (more on that down below).
Lecithin, even derived from soy, is not a FODMAP issue, and it is simply used as an emulsifier, but we found we don’t need it.
Vanillin is artificial vanilla flavoring. We go for the pure stuff.
And artificial flavors. Why? If you start with great ingredients and blend them in the right ratio, you don’t need them – and we think once you taste our Low FODMAP Nutella, you will agree.
Is Nutella Low FODMAP?
FODMAP Friendly has lab tested what they call “hazelnut spread”. It gets a “Pass” from them at 10 g. It is interesting to note that the FODMAP that it is in the highest concentration is lactose, from the skim milk. Remember, ours has no dairy products; more below. (Editor’s Note: in the 2022 app update, FODMAP Friendly removed hazelnut spread from the app; the testing results from before still stand, however).
Can I Eat The Real Nutella From The Store?
Sure, it says right there (see above) that 10 g is low FODMAP. And many folks think it tastes delicious, so go for it!
Why Should I Make Homemade Low FODMAP Nutella?
We think our Low FODMAP Nutella is better than the store-bought kind. But only you can make that declaration. We suggest making it and letting us know what you think. When you make your own you can control the quality of each and every ingredient.
Can I Make This In A Blender?
Our instructions recommend a food processor fitted with a metal blade. While different brands and models of food processors do vary in efficiency, we find that overall they do a great job with this recipe.
On the other hand, blenders vary hugely in their effectiveness and not all will make this recipe well. You can try a blender, but be prepared to scrape down the mixture a lot and perhaps add the oil earlier in the preparation to get the mixture going.
How Do You Eat Nutella?
Let us count the ways. We queried our Facebook community and here’s what we got:
- Finger (that’s me. More direct than a spoon).
- Spoon (more sanitary than a finger, and if you lick it clean you barely have to wash it LOL).
- Spread on low FODMAP bread or toast.
- Used as you would peanut or almond butter.
- As dessert or snack with a couple of strawberries.
- On a rice cake.
- Stirred into hot coffee or hot chocolate.
- Melted over pancakes or waffles.
- Spread on a low FODMAP graham cracker.
- A dollop in a frozen banana smoothie.
- Folded up in a low FODMAP crepe, like a buckwheat one!
- Spread on the bottom of a tart crust.
- Melted and drizzled on top of low FODMAP sorbet, gelato, ice cream or icy cold granita.
- Spread on a low FODMAP banana muffin or bake it into a banana muffin like we did here in our Mini Low FODMAP Nutella Banana Muffins!
- Stuffed into French toast.
- Used as frosting for a cupcake – or inject into a cupcake.
- Alongside a glass of cold lactose-free milk.
- Fill and frost a whole cake!
- Swirled into brownie batter before baking like we do here in our Nutella Brownie!
- Spread onto low FODMAP servings of sliced apple.
- Make a Fluffernutter sandwich with Nutella and Fluff.
- Put a dollop in the bottom of a low FODMAP ice cream cone, then top with ice cream.
- Dip a banana into it!
- Melt and drizzle over low FODMAP poundcake.
- Sandwich it between low FODMAP shortbread.
- Make a sweet omelet.
- Use as a dip for grapes.
- Spread on plain McVitties Digestive biscuits: “A brilliant pairing of flavors and textures.”
- On a crouton with chorizo – low FODMAP components, of course.
- As a dip for pretzels. I am very fond of Snyder’s of Hanover gluten-free, which are low FODMAP. Look for the big, long rod style; harder to find but I think they are the best tasting and textured.
- Grilled Nutella Sandwich – with banana!
- ? How will you eat your low FODMAP Nutella? Tell us!
How Much Low FODMAP Nutella Can I Eat?
Mostly due to the hazelnuts and their GOS content, we are keeping with 1 ½ tablespoons per serving, which is actually generous! Trust me; this is rich.
But let’s say you want to indulge further. Read our articles, What Is A Low FODMAP Serving Size? and also Ask The Right Question: Is It Low FODMAP or Can I Tolerate This? Both articles will give you food for thought about how to assess whether a larger portion works for you.
Recipe Testing Notes
Recipes for homemade Nutella are easy to find – and the vary widely. All of them include hazelnuts and some sort of sugar or sweetener. After that you will find one or more of the following: coconut oil, vegetable oil, vanilla, melted dark chocolate, melted milk chocolate, natural cocoa, Dutch-processed cocoa, salt, espresso powder, dry milk powder, other dairy and various other ingredients.
I tried several variations. I had very high hopes for an approach that included melted milk chocolate because it was highly recommended by fellow professional recipe developers whom I admire, and also because it promised to be a very creamy texture, given the ingredients.
I bought Valrhona milk chocolate, which is a fantastic milk chocolate, and I loved the fact that the recipe had so little additional sugar. I’ve got to tell you, it ended up being way too sweet. Truth be told it was being presented as a “Chocolate Hazelnut Spread”, and indeed it was. And if you love milk chocolate you might have loved it, but it was too sweet and milk chocolaty for me. Also, since it contained milk chocolate, if contained dairy.
Ours Happens To Be Vegan
I hadn’t set out to make a dairy-free, vegan Nutella, it is just that the version below ended up being the most balanced of the ones I tried, and highlighted the nuts and the dark cocoa more than any other version – and more folks can enjoy it due to the dairy-free status! Win-win.
Ingredients
Let’s talk cocoa and hazelnuts – these are the two key ingredients.
About Cocoa
I have a lot to say about cocoa. I suggest that you read our article, All About Cocoa, to get my full diatribe. The short story is that there are low FODMAP serving sizes of cocoa and our serving size of Low FODMAP Nutella takes that into account.
For this recipe I suggest you use Dutch-processed cocoa for its rich dark color and flavor. And my true preference is Valrhona brand. Other cocoas might leave you with a lighter colored Nutella, FYI.
About Hazelnuts
Whether you call them hazelnuts or filberts, there are two things to think about when purchasing hazelnuts: freshness and whether you buy them skin on, or skin off.
Freshness is key when buying any nut. Their high oil content means they can go rancid easily. Best to buy just what you need and to purchase from a reputable vendor.
Hazelnuts can be a pain to peel. I prefer to pay the higher price and buy peeled. If you want to buy with skin on, I refer you to my sister site, Bakepedia, for instructions on how to peel hazelnuts.
I buy peeled, but I do refresh them in the oven to give them a light toast. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), spread nuts out in a single later on a rimmed sheet pan and toast for a few minutes or until just starting to take on color.
And, by the way, Monash University has lab tested hazelnuts and they are low FODMAP in 15 g servings.
Let’s Talk About Oil: Coconut vs. Hazelnut
Commercially prepared Nutella contains palm oil. I like to use refined coconut oil or hazelnut oil. Unrefined coconut oil has a coconut flavor, which is not preferred here. Coconut oil is easy to find, and you might even have it in the house. Perhaps you have never even heard of or thought of hazelnut oil?
All pure oils are low FODMAP. They are pure fats and do not contain carbohydrates. Oils are a great way to add flavor to your low FODMAP cooking. Just try some walnut oil or hazelnut oil in your salad dressing! Fantastic.
Tourangelle is a fabulous company and they make the vegetable oil based garlic-infused oil that we recommend all the time. They also have a Roasted Hazelnut Oil that is exquisite. If you want to elevate this recipe to the nth degree, try it with hazelnut oil, but don’t let the lack of this specialty oil keep you from making the recipe. It works beautifully with the refined coconut oil as well. The Nutella in the images was made with refined coconut oil.
How To Make Low FODMAP Nutella
I know what you want to get to is how to make a low FODMAP Nutella that has Elimination Phase compliant serving sizes. It’s just two steps, as you will see in the recipe proper. Here below I break it down a bit more.
First thing is to make sure your hazelnuts are skinned (peels removed), lightly toasted and cooled.
1. Outfit your food processor with a metal blade and add your hazelnuts. Pulse on and off to begin breaking the nuts down.
Leave machine on and grind as finely as possible, to a paste. Like you are making peanut butter! Scrape down as needed.
2. Add the remaining ingredients – confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, vanilla, oil and salt.
Process again until very smooth, scraping down again as needed. TA DA! Homemade Low FODMAP Nutella! Be careful of that sharp blade but get in there and take a taste!
Your low FODMAP Nutella is ready to be packed into an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for quite a while – I haven’t actually found an end date, as it doesn’t last that long, but at least a couple of months. It firms up a lot in the fridge. You might like it cold or you might prefer it at room temperature when eating. There is no reason you cannot keep it at room temp; the freshness of the nuts, however, will last longer under refrigeration.
Use Your Low FODMAP Nutella!
I am sure as time goes on that I will figure out more and more ways for you to use this fantastic Low FODMAP Nutella (other than the finger scooping). For now, be sure to check out our Mini Low FODMAP Nutella Banana Muffins and our Low FODMAP Nutella Brownies.
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Cocoa: Monash University has lab tested what they call “cocoa” and also “cacao” and they show different FODMAP content. The problem is that from the chocolate manufacturing industry’s perspective, there is no difference between cacao and cocoa powder. The FDA, The Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand, the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) and the National Confectioners Association do not even recognize the term “cacao” to describe cocoa powder. We have an article, All About Cocoa, that we encourage you to read. It attempts to explain the discrepancies in the Monash lab testing.
- Hazelnuts: Hazelnuts have been lab tested for FODMAPs by Monash University. 15 g, or about 10 nuts, are Green Light low FODMAP. They become Moderate for FODMAPs at double the amount.
- Oil: All pure oils are fats and contain no carbohydrates, therefore they contain no FODMAPs.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Low FODMAP Nutella
Ahh Nutella, that beloved chocolate hazelnut spread! Our low FODMAP Nutella is, dare we say it, better than the original. It is more hazelnutty, more chocolatey, less sugary and of course, low FODMAP – and ours is dairy free, vegan and easy to make!
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 1 ½ cups (400 g); 16 servings; 1 ½ tablespoons per serving
Ingredients:
- 8- ounces (225 g) peeled and lightly toasted hazelnuts, at room temperature
- 1 cup (90 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 6 tablespoons sifted Dutch-processed cocoa, preferably Valrhona
- 3 tablespoons to 4 tablespoons melted refined coconut oil or hazelnut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch to ⅛ teaspoon salt
Preparation:
-
Outfit your food processor with a metal blade and add your hazelnuts. Pulse on and off then leave machine on and grind hazelnuts as finely as possible. Scrape down as needed.
-
Add the remaining ingredients – confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, 3 tablespoons oil, vanilla and pinch of salt and process again until very smooth, scraping down as needed. Add more oil if needed for a thick but smooth texture; taste and add more salt if desired. TA DA! Homemade Low FODMAP Nutella! Be careful of that sharp blade but get in there and take a taste!
-
Your low FODMAP Nutella is ready to be packed into an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for quite a while – I haven’t actually found an end date, as it doesn’t last that long, but at least a couple of months. It firms up a lot in the fridge. You might like it cold or you might prefer it at room temperature when eating. There is no reason you cannot keep it at room temp; the freshness of the nuts, however, will last longer under refrigeration.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Cocoa: Monash University has lab tested what they call “cocoa” and also “cacao” and they show different FODMAP content. The problem is that from the chocolate manufacturing industry’s perspective, there is no difference between cacao and cocoa powder. The FDA, The Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand, the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) and the National Confectioners Association do not even recognize the term “cacao” to describe cocoa powder. We have an article, All About Cocoa, that we encourage you to read. It attempts to explain the discrepancies in the Monash lab testing.
- Hazelnuts: Hazelnuts have been lab tested for FODMAPs by Monash University. 15 g, or about 10 nuts, are Green Light low FODMAP. They become Moderate for FODMAPs at double the amount.
- Oil: All pure oils are fats and contain no carbohydrates, therefore they contain no FODMAPs.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Can’t wait to try this! Do you use raw or roasted hazelnuts? Can you use hazelnut flour? Thank you!!
As you can see in the recipe, they are peeled and lightly toasted. You could use flour. Lightly toast and go by weight
Lovely, thank you for these recipe. When you have IBS it’s great to find options
This recipe is delicious!
I am having a difficult time coming up with 76 calories per 1.5 tablespoons based on the ingredients. I keep getting something closer to 156 calories. Can you help me understand how you arrived at this amount?
We use a third party nutritional calculator and if Google did not reward sharing this info, I would not include it. It is never accurate, for one, and it also creates more things for people to worry about above and beyond FODMAPs. Kate Scarlata and I were both very clear that we did not want nutritional info in our book, for example. You can read more HERE about the nutritional panel info.