What’s in Hazelnut Spread & Other Common Questions

In recent years, it has become a trendy food item, and recipes, often mentioning the Nutella brand, abound on food blogs. Hazelnut spread can be an ingredient in brownies, cookies, and all manner of sweet breakfast bread and pastries. Strawberries and bananas pair well with the creamy spread, too.

Where did hazelnut spread originate from?

Hazelnuts grow on trees and are harvested from orchards native to Turkey and Italy. As demand has increased for hazelnut spread, the trees are grown in Chile and parts of the U.S. with a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean region. 

Hazelnut spread was first made in the Piedmont region of Italy. During Napoleonic times and World War II, chocolate was hard to come by, so small amounts of cocoa were mixed with hazelnut paste to get rich chocolate flavor using less cocoa.

You may also see hazelnut spread labeled as gianduia or gianduja, as it was called in the Piedmont capital city of Turin, where it was produced by chocolate manufacturer Caffarel in the 1800s. The first widely marketed commercial hazelnut spread was Nutella, which was invented by Pietro Ferrero, a pastry chef from Alba, a small town also in the Piedmont region of Italy.

Initially created in the 1940s as a spreadable loaf, much like a stick of butter, Nutella in a jar as we know it now wasn’t offered until 1965, and it became immensely popular in Germany and France. Nutella has been sold in the United States since the 1980s and has gained popularity every decade since. 

What is the nutritional value of hazelnut spread? 

Hazelnut spread is a good source of vitamin E and copper and an excellent source of manganese. Like other nuts, hazelnuts contain a healthy fat called oleic acid. 

But nuts are only one ingredient in the spread, and most spreads also contain sugar and saturated fat. It’s essential to check the nutrition label to get a complete picture of its nutritional value.

How is hazelnut spread made?

Using a food processor, hazelnuts, sugar, and cocoa are ground and blended into a paste. Oils, such as palm oil and milk products, are added to give the final product a creamy, spreadable texture.

What is the shelf life of hazelnut spread?

A jar of hazelnut spread will generally keep for 1 to 2 months, opened or unopened. You should use it within a month or less of opening the jar.

How to store hazelnut spread

It’s fine to store hazelnut spread at room temperature as long as the container is tightly sealed. Once opened, if not used within a couple of weeks, it may last longer in the refrigerator.

How to tell if hazelnut spread is bad

Both the nuts and the oil in hazelnut spread can go rancid. This produces an unpleasant smell and taste. If the product dries out and becomes hard, that’s another sign that it’s gone bad and should be discarded.

How do you pick hazelnut spread at the grocery store?

Occasionally, you may find other flavors than chocolate, but for the most part, hazelnut spreads are made with similar ingredients. You can look for organic varieties or compare ingredient lists to see which oils are used. Whether or not the hazelnuts are toasted can make a difference in the flavor, too. It’s going to come down to a matter of preference. You may find you like one particular brand, or you might want to try them all.

If you’re looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for hazelnut spread via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the products you’ll like best. Shop for hazelnut spread.

Grab it now on Instacart:

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Fisher Lightly Salted Mixed Nuts

Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers, Original

Fresh Bananas

What can I substitute for hazelnut spread?

Since hazelnut spreads are usually chocolate flavored, you can use chocolate spreads made with other nuts. Chocolate-flavored almond butters are one alternative. These days, peanut butter comes in various flavors, including milk, dark chocolate, and banana chocolate varieties. 

Chocolate sunflower seed butter can be an alternative for those with tree nut allergies. There are also chocolate spreads made with ghee, which is clarified butter. Chocolate hummus, made with chickpeas, offers a different texture and generally uses less sugar than jarred hazelnut spreads. 

If you like hazelnut spread on waffles or pancakes, you might try chocolate sauce or syrup instead of a spread. You’ll find all of these options in the pantry section when you’re shopping online for groceries.

How to use hazelnut spread

Of course, you can spread your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread on toast or pancakes or waffles, but there are other creative ways to make breakfast delicious too. You can use hazelnut spread as a topping for oatmeal or granola or use it as “frosting” on a muffin.

Spread some on a tortilla and roll up a banana in it for a handheld breakfast that will make the kids smile. Bread isn’t an absolute necessity—roll bananas in hazelnut spread and coconut or chopped nuts for a gluten-free snack.

Breakfast isn’t boring when hazelnut spread is on the menu

The next time you order groceries for home delivery, let an Instacart shopper bring you some chocolatey hazelnut spread to use in a recipe, perk up your breakfast, or enjoy straight out of the jar.

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.