Mixed Nut Butter vs Nutella: The Ultimate Verdict

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m terrible at making decisions, and having the option of so many different nut butters can be a little daunting…

Thankfully, mixed nut butter makes that choice really easy if you’re craving multiple nut butters at once – not only is the blend of different spreads delicious, but you also get a bit of the benefits from each one!

Now, you’ve probably had Nutella at least once in your life, and even just by looking at it you can see how different it is from other nut butters – it’s chocolatey and way sweeter than most of them!

So, how do multiple nut butters in one compare against an essentially flavored hazelnut spread?

Let’s find out!

Comparing mixed nut butter vs Nutella

Mixed nut butter is a lot nuttier than Nutella, having a blend of nuts and seeds that vary from brand-to-brand. Nutella is made with hazelnuts (which mixed nut butter sometimes contains). Both spreads share a creamy texture, although they differ slightly (we’ll talk more about that down below).

Both mixed nut butter and Nutella have tree nuts as allergens, while Nutella also lists milk and soy. Mixed nut butter is good for vegan, paleo, and keto diets, but Nutella is unfortunately not suited for any of those.

The glycemic index for both is unknown – mixed nut butter has different nuts and seeds in it that makes it hard to know exactly what the index would be, but it’s likely low. Nutella, on the other hand, is also unknown but estimated to be high due to the massive amount of sugar content in it. Talk to your physician before eating these if you have concerns about your blood sugar levels spiking!

	Mixed nut butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Taste	Nutty, rich, almondy	Sweet, chocolatey
Texture	Creamy, slightly grainy	Smooth, creamy
Allergens	Tree nuts	Tree nuts, milk, soy
Vegan?	Yes	No
Paleo?	Yes	No
Keto?	Yes	No
Glycemic index (GI)	Unknown due to a mix of different nuts/seeds; likely low	Unknown (likely high due to added sugar content)

What is mixed nut butter?

Mixed nut butter is a medley of nuts ground down into a creamy and slightly grainy spread. The content/ratios of nuts can vary between different brands, but you’ll commonly find almonds, cashews, walnuts, and hazelnuts in the spread. 

For example, we’re referencing Kirkland Signature’s mixed nut butter in this article, which has a lot of almonds and even some seeds. 

You can make mixed nut butter at home, choosing which nuts to add – let yourself get creative!

What is Nutella?

Nutella is essentially hazelnut butter flavored with cocoa and sweeteners to create a delicious chocolatey spread.

However, it has a great amount of added sugar, palm oil, and other unhealthy ingredients that give it the texture and delicious taste, which isn’t exactly ideal for the health-conscious…

That’s why we have a recipe for making your own Nutella at home without those unhealthy ingredients, and we even have a keto Nutella recipe if you want a low-carb version of the chocolatey spread! 

Differences between mixed nut butter and Nutella

The biggest difference between mixed nut butter and Nutella is the flavor, with a little difference in texture as well.

Mixed nut butter has a very rich and nutty taste, with the Kirkland one we’re referencing here boasting an almond flavor – very similar to almond butter! It often takes on the taste of the first ingredient listed.

Nutella, on the other hand, has a very sweet and chocolatey taste. The texture for it is smooth and creamy, even a little oily. Mixed nut butter’s texture is also creamy, but tends to be slightly grainy due to the chia seeds in the Kirkland mixed nut butter. 

We’ll check out their nutritional differences in just a bit!

How to use mixed nut butter vs Nutella

Get ready to let your creativity fly!

Mixed nut butter and Nutella are both very similar in terms of how you can use them. For example, try spreading them on toast (mixed nut butter with honey drizzled over top here is awesome) or pancakes (Nutella plus pancakes equals pure deliciousness), add them to your smoothies for different flavor profiles, use them as dips, or even bake with them!

You’d be surprised how delicious it is dipping cut up fruits and vegetables in these – especially strawberries into Nutella!

Just remember, using these spreads interchangeably will cause whatever you pair it with to taste quite different due to the massively different flavor profiles!

Nutrition: Mixed nut butter vs Nutella

Mixed nut butter has a lot of healthy unsaturated fats, as well as 4 grams of fiber that bring down its net carbs to 4 grams per serving. It also has an awesome protein content, and very little sugar. 

It also has the benefits of multiple types of nuts – for example, you get vitamin E and healthy fats from almonds, zinc and copper from cashews, folate from hazelnuts, and omega-3 fatty acids of walnuts! 

Nutella, on the other hand, has quite a poor nutritional profile. It doesn’t have a lot of fiber or protein, and has the most carbs out of any nut butter. But, the worst part is the sugar content – it has 19 grams of ADDED sugar, giving it 21 grams of sugar for every 2 tablespoons you eat!

Serving size: 2 tbsp	Mixed nut butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Calories	200	200
Total fat (saturated)	16 g (4 g)	12 g (4 g)
Total carbs	8 g	23 g
Net carbs (fiber)	4 g (4 g)	22 g (1 g)
Total sugars (incl. added)	1 g (0 g)	21 g (19 g)
Protein	7 g	2 g

How to store mixed nut butter and Nutella

Mixed nut butter usually doesn’t have any added oils or preservatives, making it more prone to going rancid quickly. So, store it in the fridge to prolong its shelf-life – it’ll also slow oil separation!

Nutella is fine at room temperature, and can be stored for up to 12 months after opening! That’s because of all the extra stuff added into it…

Check the label for the best-before date and any specific storage instructions for both these spreads – they can change from brand-to-brand for mixed nut butter! 

Mixed nut butter vs Nutella: The ultimate verdict

And here we are, the final showdown!

Mixed nut butter has some awesome health benefits packed into a deliciously tasting spread, with a great diversity for nearly all diet-types!

Nutella is ridiculously good-tasting, and adds a lot to desserts and other dishes. But, the added sugar and poor nutritional profile are difficult to look past…

So, while Nutella is great if you need a chocolatey spread, mixed nut butter takes the crown here for its delicious versatility, awesome health benefits, and variety of nuts in it. 

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