Hazelnut Butter vs Nutella: Which is Better?

Alright, this is an interesting match-up: hazelnut butter vs Nutella…which essentially means hazelnut butter vs flavored hazelnut butter…

Nutella is made from hazelnut butter, with some (many) added ingredients (which we’ll check out later). So, how do you decide which one of these is the best if they seem to be the same at first glance?

The truth is, although each contains hazelnuts, these nut butters have some major differences, which is exactly what we’re going to look at – how do these two cousin spreads compare against one another when you put them side-by-side, and which one’s unique characteristics gives it the victory in this match-up?

Let’s dive in and find out!

Comparing hazelnut butter vs nutella

As mentioned, both hazelnut butter and Nutella are made from hazelnuts, although with some differences that we’ll get into later. They both boast smooth textures and share a sweetness to their tastes – although Nutella is much sweeter.

They both contain tree nuts as allergens, but Nutella also has milk and soy in that list. Hazelnut butter is suitable for vegan, paleo, and keto diets, whereas Nutella isn’t cut out for any of those diets. 

The glycemic index of hazelnut butter is 0, making it great for anyone worried about their blood sugar levels spiking – make sure to talk to your physician first if you have any concerns! Nutella, on the other hand, likely has a much higher glycemic index due to the added sugar content – something to be aware of.

	Hazelnut butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Taste	Rich, nutty, slightly sweet	Sweet, chocolatey
Texture	Dense, smooth	Smooth, creamy
Allergens	Tree nuts	Tree nuts, milk, soy
Vegan?	Yes	No
Paleo?	Yes	No
Keto?	Yes	No
Glycemic index (GI)	Hazelnuts=0	Unknown (likely high due to added sugar content)

What is nutella?

Nutella is a hazelnut spread with a chocolatey twist to it. It’s one of the most popular nut butters in the world – I mean, who wouldn’t love sweet spreadable chocolate?

It contains a lot of added sugar, along with palm oil, hazelnuts, lecithin (soya), and vanillin. Although this stuff adds flavor, texture, and shelf-life, it’s not the greatest combination of ingredients to consume, which is why making Nutella at home can be a healthier option! In fact, you can even make a keto version of Nutella that uses stevia-sweetened chocolate chips!

What is hazelnut butter?

Hazelnut butter is basically Nutella without all the extra ingredients.

It’s a creamy and dense spread simply made by grinding roasted hazelnuts in a tasty and nutty paste. The roasted hazelnuts have a more enhanced flavor than raw hazelnuts, and their natural oils create that velvety texture that is so mouth watering. 

Hazelnut butter is usually made without anything added to it, but adding certain ingredients can create tasty variations of this spread – like Nutella for example!

Differences between hazelnut butter and nutella

The biggest difference between hazelnut butter and Nutella is their flavor.

Yes, they’re both made from hazelnuts, but Nutella has a much sweeter flavor with a heavy chocolate profile (that is delicious, might I mention).

Hazelnut butter has a more rich, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor that portrays hazelnuts much more accurately. It also has a slightly more dense texture than Nutella. 

And remember, Nutella has tree nuts, milk, and soy as allergens, whereas hazelnut butter only has tree nuts as an allergen and is suitable for vegan, paleo, and keto diets, unlike Nutella.

How to use hazelnut butter vs nutella

I recommend taking advantage of Nutella’s sweet and chocolatey flavor by spreading it on your waffles, pancakes, and toast, or by mixing into your smoothies and brownie batters!

It’s also delicious swirled into your ice cream, and can be drizzled over fruits like bananas, strawberries, and more – if you’re really trying to satisfy your sweet tooth, make a banana split with Nutella drizzled over the entire thing!

Hazelnut butter can be used in all the same ways, except it probably won’t do as good in brownie batters, ice cream mixes, and drizzled over fruits. However, its nutty taste can be a great addition to your bakes, giving them a smooth and nutty flavor! I also recommend mixing it into your oatmeal and yogurt, with some blueberries sprinkled over top for a nutritious snack. 

Nutrition: Hazelnut butter vs nutella

Hazelnut butter only has 3 net grams of carbs per serving, making it a solid choice for keto diets. It also packs a punch in iron content, giving you around 8% of your daily value – plus, you’ll get a bunch of healthy unsaturated fats with it. Hazelnut butter also boasts more protein than Nutella, beating it 5 grams to 2 grams per serving. 

Nutella has way more carbs and is definitely not suited for keto diets! It has 22 net grams per serving, and has a jaw-dropping 21 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons! That’s 19 grams of ADDED sugar, which is something that might drive a lot of people away. It has less fat than hazelnut butter, but has more saturated fats in total (the bad fats).

Serving size: 2 tbsp	Hazelnut butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Calories	210	200
Total fat (saturated)	20 g (2 g)	12 g (4 g)
Total carbs	6 g	23 g
Net carbs (fiber)	3 g (3 g)	22 g (1 g)
Total sugars (incl. added)	2 g (0 g)	21 g (19 g)
Protein	5 g	2 g

How to store hazelnut butter and nutella

Hazelnut butter needs to be stored in the fridge as it doesn’t usually have any added oils or preservatives, so it’ll go rancid much quicker if you put it somewhere warm and near sunlight. Give it a stir before storing to help avoid oil separation!

Nutella is completely fine in the pantry – put it in a cool, dark place preferably, and the fridge wouldn’t hurt either (although it’ll thicken the texture a bit). It’s usually good for 12 months after opening. 

Hazelnut butter vs nutella: Which is better

Nutella is basically just hazelnut butter with WAY more sugar, preservatives, oils, and other ingredients that give it the taste and texture that made it famous world-wide.

However, those ingredients aren’t necessarily very healthy for you – in fact, the amount of sugar tends to put people at risk of overconsuming refined sugar, which can lead to unwanted weight gain and health issues.

So, is its purest form, AKA hazelnut butter, better?

I would say yes, hazelnut butter beats Nutella due to its superior nutritional profile, diversity in different diets, and ease of making at home with many options for customization. 

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