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This recipe is simple to make in a high-speed blender or a food processor and it’s the perfect nut-free Nutella substitute. Whether you have nut allergies or your school requires nut-free lunches, this recipe is one that won’t last long.
Nut-Free Chocolate Spread
Let’s get to today’s sunflower chocolate spread. This recipe is sure to be an instant hit with your kids. Just a few simple ingredients but it makes a delicious, spreadable treat!
Similar to the chocolate spread we all know and love, but made instead with sunflower seeds instead of hazelnuts and no refined sugar. It can be used in many ways, but is especially good spread on a slice of toasted whole wheat bread and topped with fresh fruit.
Thanks to the sunflower seeds this chocolate spread has protein, vitamin E, selenium, and magnesium and don’t get me started on the health benefits of unsweetened cocoa powder!
While we’re talking about going nut-free, you have to check out this video and blog post I did, comparing the top 5 peanut butter substitutes.
See which one is the best, and which ones don’t spread quite as easy, plus tips on where to buy them if you don’t want to make your own. Those can be so hard to find!
Ingredients
This Nut-Free Nutella Recipe is made with sunflower seeds and everyday staples. You’ll find the amounts are in the printable recipe card, but first, check what you’ll need:
- Raw sunflower seeds: toast them in a pan for a few minutes.
- Vanilla extract: super delicious when you combine it with cocoa!
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: it must have some chocolate!
- Maple syrup or honey: the sweetness this nut-free butter needs.
- Salt: to enhance the flavors.
- Coconut oil: makes the spread smoother.
- Milk: any dairy or non-dairy milk.
How to Make Chocolate Sunflower Butter
You will need a food processor to cream the sunflower seeds into a buttery texture. If you don’t have one, this recipe alone will be the excuse you’ll need to buy yourself one!
- Process the sunflower seeds
After a few minutes of processing the sunflower seeds they will turn into a thick creamy sunflower butter. - Add the remaining ingredients
Once the sunflower seeds are processed add the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, maple syrup or honey, salt, coconut oil, and nut-free milk. - Blend until smooth
Blend the mixture until it reaches a smooth and creamy texture. - Time to eat!
Now we are ready to use this sunflower Nutella with our favorite foods! Spread it over toast, in a sandwich, with fresh fruit or on this incredible grilled nutella sandwich. Transfer the extra from the food processor bowl into an airtight container or jar.
How to Use Nut-Free Nutella
You can use this sunflower seed Nutella in so many ways and all of them are delicious! From an irresistible strawberry Nutella sandwich to my homemade S’mores poptarts, it’s hard to decide! Well, you don’t have to!
My kids also love spreading this nut-free Nutella over toast, making apple sandwiches, and often asking me to use it to fill my homemade uncrustables.
Nut-Free Nutella
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw sunflower seeds, toasted
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
Instructions
Toast the seeds:
- In a medium non-stick pan, over medium-high heat, toast sunflower seeds, while stirring frequently to avoid burning. Remove from heat and allow sunflower seeds to cool to room temperature before the next step.
Make the spread:
- In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, process toasted sunflower seeds, stopping intermittently to scrape down the sides of the bowl, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the seeds have turned into a thick, creamy butter.
- Add in remaining ingredients and blend for an additional 4-5 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides from time to time, until smooth and creamy.
Store:
- Store in an airtight container up to two weeks in the fridge.
Netty says
This is AMAZING…I bought a new food processor just to try this. Well, I was really wanting one and this recipe pushed me to go ahead and buy one. As the recipe says…the purchase was worth it just for this recipe. I made this last night and couldn’t believe how easy it was. I put it in two glass containers and we had if for a snack this afternoon. My kiddos LOVED it and gave me the double thumbs up. :) The possibility are endless on how we can use this spread this summer. THANKS so much for sharing this recipe, I can guarantee we will be making this often.
ashleigh b says
Can someone tell me how long they toasted the seeds and how long they processed them? I couldn’t get the nuts to turn to paste and I processed them forever. My picky child doesn’t like it because it’s too bumpy! Crazy I know.
MOMables says
I toast my seeds on a pan for a few minutes. they begin to smell “nutty” or light brown, not burned. 1) where did you make the butter? blender? food processor? your blades could be a bit dull. might need sharpening. you can do that by processing ice cubes in there. a few cups at a time until you get shaved ice. dump, repeat.
Lori says
I made this recipe over the weekend and mine came out chewy and sticky. Do you have any idea what I could have done wrong? I used all the ingredients And didn’t make any substitutions. It’s not creamy or spreadable.
Laura says
Lori, were the sunflower seeds toasted or were they raw?
Lori says
I toasted them
Melissa says
I tried this and…YUM!!! This is going to go a long way towards satisfying my choco-holic daughter and husband when they have craving!! Also referred this recipe to a friend who’s son has severe allergies – what a great way to introduce chocolate and nutrition at the same time!! Thank you!!
Laura says
absolutely! this was the answer for all of those “we love nutella but have nut allergies!” Plus, sunflowers are way cheaper than hazelnuts :)
Pam R says
I’m wondering if I can do this with pre-made sunflower butter. I purchased some for my kids to have at a nut-free school and they didn’t like it, but if Ican add cocoa and srup, etc, maybe they’ll eat it and I won’t feel like I wasted money. How much “thick, creamy butter” does 2 cups of seeds make before the other ingredients are added?
Laura says
Pam, I don’t see why not! start with 1 cup sunflower butter and add vanilla, cocoa powder and syrup. you might need to add an additional 1/4 cup of sunflower butter but i’d start there. you don’t need the other ingredients.
JulieL says
Would love to hear back if this worked or not! We buy the I M Healthy Chocolate Soynutbutter, and it is pricey at my local grocer. I order Sunbutter on Amazon for much cheaper and would love to try making it chocolate! I’ll probably give it a go, but I thought maybe the original poster might see this and give us a report!
Lisa G. says
I pinned this recipe but never got a chance to make it – until TODAY! And, although I was skeptical, it was definitely a fantastic substitute for nutella!!!!! Delicious! I can taste the flavor of the sunflower seeds, but it is such a pleasant taste that I love it.
I did make a few changes to the recipe. First, I soaked my sunflower seeds in warm water and a teaspoon of salt. Then I dehydrated them overnight to get them back to normal. I skipped toasting them because I didn’t want the heat to denature the nutrients of the seeds.
Your proportions are perfect though. I used full fat coconut milk since I am going dairy-free for my nursing baby. And it really is amazing. I just have one very important question: I doubled the recipe and now I’m wondering if I can freeze some without ruining it? I have two full pint jars of this and don’t want to lose any!!
Laura says
Hi Lisa! So glad that although you made substitutions the recipe came out great! yes, we played around with proportions for a long time before we published the recipe! here are some thoughts on freezing your homemade nutella: i don’t recommend it. You can, however, make nutella cookies and freeze it within the dough. or nutella fudge pops… other things. I’ve not heard positive things about the consistency of being able to “spread” it again once you thaw it out. IF you decide to freeze it, perhaps I’d suggest it in ice-cube sized portions. they can be easily added to recipes and doughs.
Sarah Grooms says
Oh man! I have been telling my friends for the past two weeks that I wish they had nut-free nutella… Thanks so much for this!
Laura says
My pleasure! I decided to test it with sunflower seeds because they are really inexpensive! :)
ali says
Looks good
One of my kids cant eat cocoa. Do you think we could use carob powder instead? Love your ideas.
Thanks for sharing.
Laura says
yes, definitely you can sub carob powder. it might not be as “chocolatey” but you are probably already used to that. :)
Melinda C. says
I made the Sunflower Nutella today and it is delish!!! I used some of it as part of the Homemade Granola Bar recipe that are cooking in my oven, now! Thank you for posting this recipe :)
Laura says
wow! double whammie!! so cool. let us know how they come out!
Homa says
So excited to try this! Thank you!
Laura says
Let us know how it comes out for you!