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.
Hi, if you don’t mind could you answer this? Is the texture supposed to be all smooth like nutella? I thought I had let the sugar all dissolve. Or maybe I wasn’t using the best quality chocolate chips. The texture is a little rough, I want it all smooth, is there anything I could do? I also love this recipe 🙂 Cheaper than nutella!
Hi Kelly, I’ve actually found that mine is pretty smooth (closer to Nutella than something really grainy.) If you’re concerned, you can try just combining the water and sugar together first, and bringing that to a simmer so the sugar is completely dissolved. You can even let it cool and then check the texture with your fingers to make sure there are no sugar crystals before proceeding. (Not saying this is necessary, just one way to double-check the texture.) It may also be that there were sugar crystals on the side of the pan, so even if the sugar was dissolved in the liquid, the crystals on the side of the pan can cause more sugar crystals to form in the sauce. One way to prevent this is to brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any stray sugar crystals.
Hi Kelly. Mine has always been rather grainy in texture too but my children don’t seem to mind. Once its on sandwiches you don’t notice the texture. The taste is yummy & nut free which is the main reason i needed this recipe.
Referring to someone else’s comment I am a chocolate vampire! I am so happy I stumbled across this recipe. I am sure there will be lots of chocolate in my future! Thanks for coming up with this. As a baker I am curious how you came up with the recipe?
can i replace bittersweet chocolate with either cadbury bar or cocoa powder
You can replace it with another kind of chocolate, like a Cadbury bar, but I wouldn’t recommend swapping in cocoa powder, which is unsweetened and doesn’t have the fat content of chocolate bars.
Does this chocolate spread freeze?
thanks for the recipe. i love it. now i want to start my homemade chocoate spread business. i just want to ask, how long does it expire? and is it okay not to put it on the fridge since i want to deliver it to my province and it takes almost two days. pls advice and thank u very much!
I just made this Chocolate Spread. I love to Blake goodies and run out of certain ingredients. If I can google it to be made and have all ingredients I rather make the homemade version instead of going to the store to purchase it. Anyway, this is going to Von potrate candy mixed in peanut butter. I really couldn’t tell what it will taste like since I don’t eat sweets. So just a thanks for the recipe that I know have booked marked for when I need it.
This is an amazing chocolate spread! We have a peanut/treenut free house and couldn’t find hashachar which my kids and husband love. This recipe saved us all. I have been making it for several years. I have subbed in earth balance to make it dairy free. Thank you!
Thanks for this fab recipe. I tried it with milk chocolate and unbelievably it works. I was thinking it would sieze. I also put a splash of Jack Daniels in there to make it last longer but think I prefer it without.
I’ve tried lots of other recipes including ones with olive oil/ground nut oil(too grainy), condensed milk (nice but too fudgy), hazelnuts ( lovely but a faff and not smooth enough) and this is by far the easiest, quickest and smoothest. Thanks muchly
Hello, I tried make this recipe and its so yummy~ Thank you for sharing your sweet recipe. Can I keep this chocolate spread filled with buns at room temperature? If can, how long will it last?
Yes, you totally can! The only ingredient in danger of spoiling is the butter, and the USDA says that butter is good for several days at room temperature. So I’d say you’re okay for a few days. It does get soft in warm weather, so if it’s very warm in the room, just keep an eye on the texture and refrigerate if it seems to be too soft. 🙂