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!

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread - A photo of the chocolate spread in a jar with some on a piece of toast. | From SugarHero.com

I first came up with this chocolate spread as a result of an email I got from a reader in Australia. This lovely reader asked if I knew how she could make Milky Way spread at home. This email made me sad for several reasons:

1) I’ve never been to Australia. Here I am with a serious kangaroo fetish and no way to indulge it. Hmph.
2) I’ve never tasted Milky Way spread, and had to do a google search to figure out what it is.
3) Apparently, Milky Way spread is a magical chocolatey spread with stripes of…white chocolate? marshmallow? the google machine was unclear…but it looks delicious!
4) Being a Milky Way spread ignoramus, I was unable to truly answer her question.

It was a sobering email day, indeed.

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread - A shot of toast covered in chocolate spread.| From SugarHero.com

After I got over my disappointment at the lack of Australia-visiting and Milky Way spread-eating in my life, I started obsessing about making my own chocolate spread.

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread - A straight shot of the mason jar with chocolate spread in it. | From SugarHero.com

Think about it: Nutella hogs all of the glory! Sure, it has a little cocoa in it, but at heart it’s a hazelnut spread (or a hydrogenated palm oil spread, if we’re being brutally honest) with a little touch of chocolate flavor. The spread I wanted to make was deeply, intensely chocolately, without nuts or any other fillers getting in the way.

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread - A croissant covered in chocolate spread with fruit on the side. | From SugarHero.com

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. When it’s first made it has the consistency 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 rich and smooth, with a consistency that’s perfect for spreading on toast or using as a dip for fresh fruit.

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread - A mason jar with chocolate spread in it. | From SugarHero.com

Oh, and did I mention that it takes mighty well to a sprinkling of crunchy toasted coconut (or nuts) on top? Because it does. Yessir. I can also recommend it straight from the spreading knife. Ahem.

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread - Chocolate spread being smeared onto toast. | From SugarHero.com

Ultimately some good did come from that email. I may not have recreated Milky Way spread, and I may not get to ride a kangaroo in the near future, but I have enough chocolate spread to last me at least a week, and that’s good enough for now.

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Close up of chocolate spread being swirled across the top of toast with berries in the background.

Lick-The-Knife-Clean Chocolate Spread

4.82 from 37 votes
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!
Prep10 minutes
Cook0 minutes
Total10 minutes
Yields12

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • 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

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of chocolate spread.

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

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 59mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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199 Comments

  1. 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?

    1. 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!

  2. 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!

    1. 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!

      1. 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.

        1. 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!

    1. 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.

  3. 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?

    1. 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.

  4. 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.

    1. 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!