This Chocolate Spread is so good, you’ll want to lick the knife clean! It’s easy to make, nut-free, and tastes great on everything from toast to waffles to apple slices! This recipe is a longtime fan favorite, and it’s now been updated with new troubleshooting tips and step-by-step photos, to make sure yours turns out perfectly every time.
🍫 The Best Nut-Free Chocolate Spread
This recipe came about because a reader asked a simple question: could I help her make a tasty chocolate spread at home? The requirements: no nuts, no complicated equipment, no unfamiliar ingredients, and no long list of steps.
It took a few attempts, but I finally nailed a recipe that hit all the right notes: it has a deep chocolate flavor and a lush, silky texture. The ingredients are all things you probably have at home already, and it comes together in just 5 minutes.
This recipe is built on two of my favorite ingredients: chocolate and butter. It has a small amount of vanilla, and a pinch of salt, but it’s really all chocolate, all the time. If you’re looking for a nut-free alternative to peanut butter or Nutella, this is the recipe for you!
When it’s first made it has the texture of hot fudge sauce (and I won’t stop you if you want to pour it all over ice cream, cake, your hands, etc…), but once it’s chilled, it’s gorgeously creamy and smooth, with a consistency that’s perfect for spreading on toast or using as a dip for fresh fruit.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Spread
This delicious dark chocolate spread was first published back in 2012, and it quickly became a favorite with readers (and my own family!) It’s easy to see why people love it:
- simple list of easy-to-find ingredients
- no complicated methods or equipment
- nut-free!
- only 5 minutes to make it
- can be kept for weeks
- good for snacking, or dessert
- makes a great gift
More Chocolate SPREADS
Check out some of our most popular frostings, filling and spreads for when you need a chocolate fix: The BEST Chocolate Ganache, Edible Cookie Dough (frosting, filling or dip!), Easy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting, Mocha Dipping Sauce and Dark Chocolate Fondue.
Table of Contents
🧾 What You’ll Need
Ingredients
You won’t need much to make this rich and smooth Chocolate Spread. Here’s a few ingredient tips to help you gather your ingredients. Full ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate gives the spread a super boost of chocolate flavor. This is where most of the flavor comes from, so don’t use cheap chocolate chips here: make sure you use flavorful chocolate that you enjoy eating.
- Water: To dissolve the other ingredients and get the right consistency.
- Granulated sugar: Use a little granulated sugar (aka white sugar or regular sugar) for sweetness.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: For rich, chocolately flavor, make sure to use a high quality unsweetened cocoa powder. Cheap cocoa powders can be nearly flavorless, or worse, impart a bitter, dusty, or stale flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Butter gives the spread its lush, creamy texture. I like to use unsalted butter and add salt separately, but you can use salted butter and omit the extra salt. Make sure to soften and cube the butter so it incorporates easily into the spread.
- Vanilla extract and salt: These round out and balance the chocolate flavor.
Equipment
- Saucepan: You’ll need a small saucepan to heat the ingredients on the stovetop.
- Whisk: You’ll also need a whisk to combine the ingredients and stir them while simmering.
- Plastic wrap: I recommend keeping the chocolate spread in a container with a lid or in a jar with plastic wrap on top. Covering the top of the spread with plastic helps prevent a skin forming on top.
Ready to Make This?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read the tips and FAQs
❤️ More Dessert Sauces
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread
Ingredients
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)
- 2 fl oz water, (1/4 cup)
- 3.5 oz granulated sugar, (1/2 cup)
- 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 oz unsalted butter, (1.25 sticks), softened and cubed
Instructions
- Finely chop the bittersweet chocolate and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt.
- Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve. Continue to heat the pan, stirring frequently, just until it reaches a simmer.
- Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract, chopped chocolate, and cubed butter.
- Whisk until the chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is completely smooth. When it is freshly made, this spread will have the consistency of hot fudge sauce.
- Pour the spread into a jar or other container with a lid. Press a layer of plastic wrap on top of the chocolate to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate it until it thickens.
- If it is too cold to spread easily, let it sit at room temperature for a short while before serving. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Video
Recipe Notes
Variations
- To make it dairy-free: substitute the butter for an equal amount of coconut oil – no need to melt it first. Add it in when you would add the butter. Note that your spread will probably have a light coconut-chocolate flavor, unless you’re using refined coconut oil.
- To make it sugar-free: substitute a 1:1 sugar replacement for the granulated sugar in the recipe, and use a sugar-free chocolate, like Lily’s brand. We have tested it with both Swerve and Splenda, and both work fine. Make sure you are using a 1:1 product, and measure by volume, not weight.
Tips
- If your spread becomes grainy: heat it in the microwave in 30-second increments, whisking well and checking it for sugar crystals after each interval. To check, rub a bit of the chocolate spread between your fingers to see if you feel any sugar crystals. When the spread is warm and you can find no trace of sugar crystals, pour it back into a container.
- If your spread becomes oily: heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, whisking after each time, until it is warm and fluid. Place an immersion blender in the bowl and blend it until the oil mixes back into the chocolate. It might take a minute, but you should see your mixture transform into a glossy chocolate with a pudding-like texture.
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
Nutrition
📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make Chocolate Spread
Follow this photo tutorial to see how easy it is to make this Chocolate Spread. Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.
- Chop chocolate: Finely chop 4oz bittersweet chocolate.
- Combine water, sugar, cocoa powder and salt: In a small saucepan, combine 2 fl oz (1/4 cup) water, 3.5 oz (1/2 cup) granulated sugar, 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Stir and simmer: Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve. Continue to heat the pan, stirring frequently, just until it reaches a simmer.
- Add vanilla, chopped chocolate and butter: Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat and add 1 tsp vanilla extract, previously chopped chocolate, and 5 oz cubed butter.
- Whisk until smooth: Whisk until the chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is completely smooth. When it is freshly made, this spread will have the consistency of hot fudge sauce.
- Cover and refrigerate: Pour the spread into a jar or other container with a lid. Press a layer of plastic wrap on top of the chocolate to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate it until it thickens.
- Enjoy or store: If it is too cold to spread easily, let it sit at room temperature for a short while before serving. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
🥣 Making it Dairy-Free or Sugar-Free
This recipe is flexible and can be adapted to many different dietary needs.
- To make it dairy-free: substitute the butter for an equal amount of coconut oil – no need to melt it first. Add it in when you would add the butter. Note that your spread will probably have a light coconut-chocolate flavor, unless you’re using refined coconut oil.
- To make it sugar-free: substitute a 1:1 sugar replacement for the granulated sugar in the recipe, and use a sugar-free chocolate, like Lily’s brand. We haven’t tested it with every sugar replacer, but we have tested it with both Swerve and Splenda, and both work fine. Make sure you are using a 1:1 product, and measure by volume, not weight.
💡 FAQs
Rarely, the spread can develop a grainy texture over time. This happens if the sugar has not been completely melted and dissolved during the heating step. Even just a few stray sugar crystals can make it so that the rest of the sugar slowly crystallizes, leading it to have a grainy texture.
You might not notice it when it is freshly made, but over time you’ll see and taste the spread becoming more granulated. It’s still perfectly safe to eat, but most people don’t enjoy the crunchy texture. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix the grainy texture.
Transfer the chocolate spread to a bowl and heat it in the microwave in 30-second increments, whisking well and checking it for sugar crystals after each interval. To check, rub a bit of the chocolate spread between your fingers to see if you feel any sugar crystals. When the spread is warm and you can find no trace of sugar crystals, pour it back into a container, place plastic wrap on top, and let it cool completely.
If you notice your chocolate spread developing a clear oily layer on top, this means the fat in the spread has “separated.” This is rare, but it does happen sometimes.
It usually occurs because the butter and chocolate weren’t mixed well enough into the spread. Maybe the butter was too cold when it was added, or the chocolate was in large pieces so it didn’t incorporate well. It can also happen if the spread goes through multiple heating and cooling phases. (See below for a longer explanation.) It’s still completely edible, but it doesn’t look very appetizing, so here’s how you fix your oily chocolate spread.
First transfer it to a bowl and heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, whisking after each time, until it is warm and fluid. Next, place an immersion blender in the bowl and blend it until the oil mixes back into the chocolate. As you blend, move the blender around, including the sides and bottom of the bowl, so all of it gets well mixed. It might take a minute, but you should see your mixture transform into a glossy chocolate with a pudding-like texture.
Don’t have an immersion blender? A regular blender can also be used, but it’s my second choice since it can be a pain to clean, and doesn’t work as well for smaller quantities. You can also try just using a whisk after reheating, but if you do that, be sure to keep whisking until you see the texture change. This could take several minutes.
Bonus nerdy section on why the spread sometimes separates: the spread is an emulsion, meaning it has fat particles from butter and chocolate suspended in the water and sugar base. Not mixing it enough, or heating and cooling it frequently, can both result in the fat dropping out of the suspension and coming to the surface of the spread.
The spread will have the texture of hot fudge sauce when it is first made, but after chilling it, it will become spreadable. Hot weather and hot kitchens can cause it to soften again. If your kitchen is quite warm, you’ll find that it becomes soft again when it is left out on the counter for long periods. Simply refrigerate it briefly until it firms up again.
This chocolate spread should be stored in a jar or container with tight-fitting lid. It can kept in the refrigerator for at least two weeks – but anecdotally, I’ve had it last up to a month and be fine.
It will be pretty firm when it comes out of the refrigerator, so you can either stir it until it becomes more spreadable, or let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes until it softens a bit.
This recipe is truly lick-the-knife-clean delicious!! The taste and texture combination are beyond perfect!
I’m so glad to hear that you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a reivew. 😀
I didn’t want to spoil my review with a question, but I’m wondering what you would recommend to add to it if I want to use it as a filling in a pastry, so that it doesn’t melt back into the liquid form when it bakes?
Hi! I’m sorry to say I can’t say for sure — this isn’t something I’ve tried myself (yet!). Other people have also had this question, and it’s something I want to experiment with this year so I can offer better advice. If you do give it a try or make some adjustments I’d love to hear how it goes for you!
I’m not sure, but if I were you, I would look into e.g. Agar Agar (which is a vegan alternative to gelatine). I’m also thinking that Xanthan Gum or Guar gum could be good options, esp. Xanthan Gum, because you can just stir it in, you don’t even need to heat it for it to work as a thickener. I find that Xanthan Gum is more smooth than Guar Gum.
Anyways, just my thoughts… I can’t wait to try this recipe, I think I’ll try using a light brown cooking chocolate (as it is called here in Norway), as I like milk chocolate, not dark. I might combine with carob powder, as I really like that even more than cocoa when in drinks. It is also very easy to sweeten with a sugar free, no calory sweetener and the flavor is just like I remember chocolate from when I was a kid!!! Yummy! Would be fantastic too, I think, if I also made it with white chocolate with vanilla and combined them in layers… OMG, now I am hungry and want chocolate too, LOL!!! PS! I love chocolate spread with a fine drizzle of pink salt – it is fantastic!!! Finely Chopped nuts on top too, but NEVER nuts in the spread, I hate Nutella and similar spreads!
Hi Lotta! So glad you found my recipe for nut-free chocolate spread. Thank you so much for all your great suggestions for other vegan readers. I’d love to hear what you think of the recipe after adjusting it with some of the other ingredients you suggested. I really hope it turns out well for you cand quenches your chocolate craving! Happy baking to you!
So excited to find this recipe among my search results! I don’t like hazelnuts or Nutella because it leaves a nasty aftertaste for me, but I couldn’t find any other chocolate spreads. I will now happily be making my own!
Hi Maria! So glad you found my recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It’s a really great nut-free recipe. All the best to you!
For this chocolate spread recipe, can I substitute Monk Fruit for the sugar?? Will it still thicken to the creamy consistency?
My son made this and it’s to die for. I’m diabetic hence my question.
Hi Sandra. I’ve never tried making it with any other type of sweetener so I can’t say for sure if it would work or not. My suggestion would be to make a small batch (like a half batch) and test it out. I’d love to hear how it goes if you decide to try it. Good luck!
Hi Sandra,
I’ll also have to figure this out, as I am diabetic too and I can’t find monk fruit here. If I get any problems, I think I’ll just add a little Xanthan Gum until the consistency is right. You can add that without having to heat it! 🙂
Hi Maria, Just had to reply to tell you that I’m just like you!!! It’s the first time I have come across someone else that feels just like I do. I just can’t handle the flavor of the esp. hazelnuts mixed in chocolate, and the aftertaste gives me shivers all the way down into my toes! And that is NO exaggeration! That is how disgusting it tastes for me (and you too, I suspect)! Great there are options! I once bought a milk chocolate spread with no nuts, I think in Spain, and ever since I’ve been dreaming of having it again, but I can’t find any. The market just gets overflowing with lots of nut laden chocolate spreads, one after the other! A local chocolate factory that makes the most yummy milk chocolate just came out with a such yummy looking spread, but of course they had to add those darn nuts!!! I was soooo disappointed! So that is the reason why I was online now searching for recipes! So happy to find this one!!!
PS! Thanks a lot to Elizabeth for this great recipe!!!
I was wondering if this can be frozen
And thawed for later use?
Hi Doratha. I’ve never tried freezing it but initial thought is that it might change the texture after freezing. You could try freezing a small amount to see what happens. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it.
Is this safe to keep out of the fridge? for example, If i were to fill cupcakes with this, would I have to keep them in the fridge or would they be safe just on the counter?
Hi Abigail. The spread tastes best at room temperature, but it is made with butter. I tend to keep my butter at room temp because my family goes through it quickly. The same goes for the spread. If you will consume it within a few days, it is just fine to keep it at room temperature. If you need to store it for longer, I’d keep it in the fridge. So, to answer your question about the cupcakes, you can fill them and keep them at room temp unless you are making many days in advance of when you plan to eat them. I hope that helps. Happy baking.
I just made the chocolate spread today, and it took me right back to my childhood. Mum used to buy Cadburys choc spread or sainsburys own choc spread in plastic tubs, back in the mid 1970,s. I forgot all about it untill I tasted this today! A million percent better and more indulgent than nutella with palm oil. I used lurpak butter with my choc spread, Thankyou so much for this recipe, you have made me so happy, love Nicola . English but now living in Spain.
Hello Nicola! So happy that you discovered this recipe and that it took you back in your memories! I love having memories unlocked with food. I hope you continue to enjoy the spread. Thanks for checking in from Spain. All the best to you!