What's a Healthier Alternative to Nutella?

The Short Answer

If you want a spread that tastes exactly like Nutella but uses cleaner ingredients, buy Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata. It swaps the palm oil for sunflower oil, uses organic ingredients, and has a rich, authentic flavor that actually beats the original.

If you want a truly healthy option that isn't just "candy in a jar," buy Artisana Organics Hazelnut Cacao Spread. It has less than half the sugar of Nutella and lists organic hazelnuts as the very first ingredient.

Avoid Nutella. It is 58% sugar and roughly 20% palm oil. You are eating frosting, not nut butter.

Why This Matters

Marketing has convinced us that Nutella is a "hazelnut spread" suitable for breakfast. It isn't.

It’s a sugar bomb.

A 2-tablespoon serving of Nutella contains 21 grams of sugar. That is more sugar than you'd find in five Oreo cookies. In fact, sugar is the first ingredient, meaning there is more sugar in the jar than hazelnuts or cocoa.

The palm oil problem.

Palm oil gives Nutella its smooth, spreadable texture, but it’s highly controversial due to deforestation and habitat destruction. While some brands use "sustainable" palm oil, many health-conscious consumers prefer to avoid it entirely due to its high saturated fat content and processing methods. Is Palm Oil Healthy

Real hazelnuts are missing.

Nutella is only about 13% hazelnuts. The "nutty" flavor is largely supported by synthetic vanillin and massive amounts of sugar. Real hazelnut butter should be mostly nuts.

What's Actually In Nutella

Nutella's ingredient list reveals why it's a dessert, not a breakfast food.

Sugar — The #1 ingredient. Over 50% of the jar is pure white sugar. Is Sugar Bad
Palm Oil — The #2 ingredient. Used for texture and shelf stability.
Hazelnuts (13%) — A surprisingly small amount for a "hazelnut" spread.
Skim Milk Powder — Adds creaminess but makes it non-vegan.
Fat-Reduced Cocoa (7.4%) — Provides the chocolate flavor.
Lecithin (Soy) — An emulsifier to keep the oil and water mixed.
Vanillin — An artificial flavor. Real vanilla extract is complex and expensive; vanillin is cheap and one-dimensional.

What to Look For

When shopping for an alternative, flip the jar and check the back.

Green Flags:

Hazelnuts are #1 — The first ingredient should be nuts, not sugar.
Palm Oil Free — Look for cocoa butter, coconut oil, or sunflower oil instead.
Low Sugar — Aim for under 12g per serving (Nutella has 21g).
Real Vanilla — Look for "vanilla bean" or "vanilla extract," not "vanillin" or generic "natural flavors."

Red Flags:

Sugar is #1 — If sugar is first, put it back.
"Chocolatey" Flavor — Often a code word for low cocoa content.
Hydrogenated Oils — A sign of heavy processing.

The Best Options

Here is how the top healthier alternatives stack up.

Brand	Product	Verdict	Why
Rigoni di Asiago	Nocciolata	✅	Best taste match. Organic, no palm oil, higher nut content.
Artisana	Hazelnut Cacao	✅	Cleanest ingredients. Low sugar (coconut sugar).
TBH	Hazelnut Cocoa	✅	Vegan, sustainable, lower sugar (10g), higher protein.
Fine & Raw	Hazelnut Butter	✅	Ultra-premium, very low sugar (4g), rich dark chocolate taste.
Justin's	Choc Hazelnut	⚠️	Accessible & lower sugar (8g), but contains palm oil.
Nutella	Original	🚫	Mostly sugar and palm oil. Artificial flavors.

Note: Nutiva previously made a popular organic hazelnut spread, but it has been discontinued. Don't waste time looking for it.

The Bottom Line

1. Swap for Nocciolata. If you have picky kids (or a picky partner) who demands the "Nutella taste," this is the one. It’s organic, palm-oil free, and delicious.

2. Go Raw for Health. If you want the actual health benefits of hazelnuts (Vitamin E, healthy fats), choose Artisana. It’s less sweet but far more nutritious.

3. Check the Label. Even "healthy" brands can be high in sugar. Always ensure sugar is not the first ingredient.

FAQ

Is the Kirkland (Costco) Hazelnut Spread healthy?

Depends. In Canada and Europe, the Kirkland spread is palm oil free (using sunflower oil), which is a step up. However, in the US, formulations have varied and often still list sugar as the first ingredient. It is a cost-effective "cleaner" dupe, but nutritionaly it is still very high in sugar—similar to Nutella.

Is Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter good for you?

It is better than Nutella, but not perfect. It has significantly less sugar (8g vs 21g), which is a huge win. However, it still uses palm oil and contains "powdered sugar" as a primary ingredient. It’s a decent accessible option if you can't find Nocciolata or Artisana.

Can I make my own healthy Nutella?

Yes. Roast 2 cups of hazelnuts, remove the skins, and blend in a food processor until creamy (about 10 mins). Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup powdered sweetener (like monk fruit or coconut sugar), 1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It takes 15 minutes and is healthier than anything you can buy.

Does Hu Kitchen make a spread?

No. Hu Kitchen makes delicious "Hazelnut Butter Dark Chocolate Bars" and chocolate "Hunks" which are incredibly clean (paleo/vegan), but they do not currently sell a jarred spread. If you just need the flavor of chocolate and hazelnut, their bars are an excellent low-sugar fix.

References (24)

🛒 Product Recommendations

✅

Rawmio Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Rawmio

This raw, vegan spread features just three USDA Organic ingredients: raw hazelnuts, raw Peruvian cacao nibs, and low-glycemic coconut sugar. It stands out because it uses a traditional stone-grinding process and contains zero added oils, relying entirely on the natural, healthy fats pressed from the nuts and cacao.

Recommended

✅

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Wild Friends

By blending roasted hazelnuts with roasted almonds, this spread achieves a rich, creamy texture without needing any palm oil. It is Non-GMO Project Verified and contains only 8 grams of added sugar per serving—over 50% less than conventional mainstream brands.

Recommended

✅

Milk Cocoa Hazelnut Spread

ChocZero

An excellent keto-friendly option that completely avoids the digestive distress associated with sugar alcohols by sweetening with monk fruit extract. It utilizes resistant dextrin (soluble corn fiber) for its texture, keeping the net carbohydrate count to just 1 gram per two-tablespoon serving.

Recommended

✅

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Chosen Foods

This unique spread completely ditches highly refined seed and palm oils in favor of 100% pure avocado oil. Most importantly, it lists real hazelnuts as the very first ingredient by weight, resulting in 40% less sugar than the leading brand.

Recommended

✅

All-Natural Hazelnut Cocoa Spread

Gooey

This dairy-free and palm-oil-free spread achieves an ultra-thick, fudge-like consistency using pure hazelnut butter and sunflower lecithin. It contains just 6 grams of sugar per serving by utilizing an innovative, low-glycemic sweetener blend of agave and allulose.

Recommended

✅

Fine Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

Vego

A European favorite that is 100% Fairtrade certified and packed with an impressive 22% real hazelnut content, providing a distinct crunch. It eliminates palm oil and artificial flavors entirely, using a rich blend of sunflower oil, shea butter, and ground extracted vanilla.

Recommended

👌

Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

Bonne Maman

While sugar remains the primary ingredient, this widely accessible spread is a distinct step up from Nutella because it completely removes palm oil in favor of a sunflower and rapeseed oil blend. It also skips synthetic vanillin, opting for natural vanilla flavor and high-quality fat-reduced cocoa powder.

Acceptable

✅

Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

Lakanto

Sweetened entirely with monkfruit extract and erythritol, this keto-certified spread features zero added sugars. It relies on a clean fat profile of coconut oil and roasted hazelnuts, making it a fully vegan and gluten-free option for low-carb diets.

Recommended

✅

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Food to Nourish

An ultra-clean, paleo-friendly option that boasts an incredible 60% nut base (a blend of organic hazelnuts and cashews) rather than cheap sugar fillers. It features organic raw cacao powder and is sweetened exclusively with organic coconut sugar.

Recommended

✅

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

The Butternut Co.

A clean, plant-based spread that completely omits refined sugar and artificial preservatives, naturally sweetening the blend with coconut sugar. Its minimal ingredient list focuses heavily on almonds, hazelnuts, and cocoa powder, providing a higher-protein, heart-healthy alternative to frosting-like competitors.

Recommended

👌

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Pip & Nut

This UK-based brand uses single-origin cocoa from Tony's Open Chain and boasts an impressive 60% total nut content using Californian almonds and hazelnuts. While the ingredient sourcing is stellar and palm-oil-free, some consumers find its naturally thinner texture and almond-heavy, slightly salty flavor profile divisive.

Acceptable

🚫

Hazelnut Cocoa Spread

Palermo

This generic import ranked dead last in professional blind taste tests due to an aggressively greasy texture and severe palm oil separation. It perfectly mimics Nutella's jar design but relies heavily on cheap sugar and palm oil, resulting in an unappealing, oily mouthfeel.

Avoid

🚫

Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa

Great Value

Walmart's store brand lists sugar as its primary ingredient (over 50% by weight) and utilizes cheap artificial flavorings instead of real vanilla extract. Worse, it dilutes its 13% hazelnut content with a highly processed blend of modified palm oil, standard palm oil, and canola oil.

Avoid

🚫

Dark Chocolate Flavored Hazelnut Spread

Good & Gather

Despite Target's 'Good & Gather' brand reputation for cleaner eating, the nutritional profile here is virtually identical to standard junk-food spreads. A single two-tablespoon serving packs 19 grams of added sugar—nearly 40% of the recommended daily limit—and relies heavily on palm oil for texture.

Avoid

🚫

Spreads Chocolate with Hazelnut

Hershey's

This spread explicitly lists 'hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm and canola oil)' in its ingredients, introducing the risks of heavily industrialized, trans-fat-adjacent processing. Sugar and refined vegetable oil make up the vast bulk of the jar, driving the carbohydrate count up to 21g per serving.

Avoid

⚠️

Cocoa Almond Spread

Trader Joe's

While swapping hazelnuts for almonds sounds like a healthier upgrade, this product is heavily bogged down by 19 grams of added sugar per serving. It also utilizes a highly refined four-oil blend (canola, palm, sheanut, and coconut oils) rather than relying on the natural oils of the nuts.

Use Caution

⚠️

Keto Hazelnut Spread

Nucolato

Marketed heavily as a zero-sugar, keto-friendly alternative, this spread relies primarily on maltitol for sweetness. Maltitol is a sugar alcohol known to cause significant gastrointestinal distress, bloating, and laxative effects, and it produces a much higher blood glucose spike than other low-carb sweeteners.

Use Caution

🚫

Hazelnut Chocolate Flavored Spread

Signature Select

This Safeway/Albertsons store brand hits a staggering 21 grams of sugar per serving, making it one of the most sugar-dense options on the market. It utilizes synthetic flavorings and lists palm oil as its primary fat source, offering almost zero nutritional value.

Avoid

🚫

Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa

Kroger

Kroger dilutes its actual hazelnut and cocoa content by using whey powder, skim milk powder, and pure lactose as cheap industrial bulking agents. The result is a highly processed spread containing 22 grams of total sugar and only 1 gram of dietary fiber.

Avoid

⚠️

Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa

Pyure Organic

While this brand successfully lowers net carbs using stevia and erythritol, it relies very heavily on erythritol as a primary ingredient. Some recent clinical studies have raised cardiovascular concerns regarding high, concentrated erythritol consumption, and many users report a noticeable cooling, artificial aftertaste.

Use Caution

🚫

Hazel Nuttin' Chocolate Flavored Hazelnut Spread

Wegmans

This store brand cuts corners by mixing palm oil with highly processed rapeseed oil and skimmed milk powder to artificially mimic the mouthfeel of real cocoa butter. It contains 18 grams of added sugar per serving and relies on soy lecithin and lactose to hold its emulsion together.

Avoid

💡 We don't accept payment for recommendations. Some links may be affiliate links.

What's a Healthier Alternative to Nutella?

TL;DR

🔑 Key Findings

The Short Answer

Why This Matters

What's Actually In Nutella

What to Look For

The Best Options

The Bottom Line

FAQ

Is the Kirkland (Costco) Hazelnut Spread healthy?

Is Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter good for you?

Can I make my own healthy Nutella?

Does Hu Kitchen make a spread?

🛒 Product Recommendations

📖 Related Research

Is Apple Cider Vinegar Actually Healthy?

Is Cheap Balsamic Vinegar Fake?

Is Caramel Color in Balsamic Vinegar Safe?

More about Pantry Staples

Search GetCrunchy

TL;DR

🔑 Key Findings

The Short Answer

Why This Matters

What's Actually In Nutella

What to Look For

The Best Options

The Bottom Line

FAQ

Is the Kirkland (Costco) Hazelnut Spread healthy?

Is Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter good for you?

Can I make my own healthy Nutella?

Does Hu Kitchen make a spread?

🛒 Product Recommendations

📖 Related Research

Is Apple Cider Vinegar Actually Healthy?

Is Cheap Balsamic Vinegar Fake?

Is Caramel Color in Balsamic Vinegar Safe?

More about Pantry Staples