Nutiva Organic Vegan Hazelnut Spread, Dark, 13 Oz, USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Fair Trade & Sustainably Sourced, Vegan & Gluten-Free, Plant-Based Spread with Less Sugar

I am vegan and try to stay gluten-free, but I like to keep a few items on hand as "comfort food" from time to time when I want to indulge a little. I've tried some brands that were supposed to be similar to this, but they did not nail the texture of it at ALL (was chunky and almost gritty? Blech!) and I had to end up throwing them away. This Nutiva Organic, non-GMO, Vegan Hazelnut Spread nailed it when it comes down to a texture and flavor close to Nutella brand.Is it low calorie? No. Is it healthy? Not really. This is one of those items that I consider as "vegan junk food," but it's still nice to have on hand as a vegan without getting tempted by the regular non-vegan name brand. It also blends and cooks well when using it for desserts. It has a rich, thick, and luxurious flavor that you can enjoy on toast, on desserts, or simply straight out of the jar on a spoon. It's tasty as heck, and no one would know that it WASN'T Nutella.I'm happy to find a vegan brand that nails the smoothness of Nutella, and a little goes a long way, so this will last me quite a while if I control myself. :) I have this on Amazon's Subscribe and Save, so I like that I get a little discount on it each month, too. My kids don't notice a difference whatsoever between this and the name brand one, so this is a big win for our household. Two thumbs up!

If you have a more refined palate, prepare for a truly grateful tongue as it sample the smooth, rich, true chocolate (with hazelnut) flavor of Nutiva. I speak French, have visited France and Belgium many times, and once thought Nutella was great. I will NEVER eat horribly sweet Nutella again. A preference for sugar like the pale Hershey or Cadbury imitations of chocolate explains any reviewer that does not prefer Nutiva.If you have sampled many varieties of Belgian chocolate and are ecstatic as a real chocolate morsel melts deliciously on your tongue, then try Nutiva. I just realized that Nutiva offers a dark chocolate version, and I'm curious to try it now because one way to describe regular, red-label Nutiva would be a higher cacao content, aka darker than Nutella.Try Nutiva: You can always mix with sugar & a little milk if you decide you prefer the less chocolatey, Nutella version. Nutiva is thicker than Nutella; it will need to be stirred if it has been sitting awhile before opening, more like natural peanut or almond butter rather than Skippy.Savoring Nutiva on brioche has enabled a vast increase in the lifetime of my stash of Belgian chocolat (a quarter of my carryon on my last flight back was Belgian chocolate bars!). Nutiva on brioche plus espresso or a latte... Mmmm.I prefer fine wine, whiskey (from Scotch to Bourbon), and Nutiva classic chocolate hazelnut spread!

UPDATE, JUNE 4th, 2017: This spread does, as my original review suggested, do very well in a smoothie. Here is a recipe to try:- Half a ripe hass avocado, skinned and cut into pieces- Almond milk, as needed- 2 teaspoons bee pollen- 1 to 2 tablespoons Nutiva Organic Hazelnut Spread (Dark Chocolate)- 1 to 2 tablespoons almond butter- 1 to 2 tablespoons cacao powder- 2 tablespoons coconut butter or coconut manna- splash of vanilla extractPut it all in a blender and liquefy. Add almond milk (or your choice of milk) as needed for the consistency you prefer.The resulting smoothie is dark, smooth, and rich, and tastes like chocolate cake batter to me.I have given the hazelnut spread another star to reflect my satisfaction with it as a smoothie ingredient. Even eaten plain, on toast or whatnot, I like it better now, but it remains weird. I suppose this product is an acquired taste.*******ORIGINAL REVIEW WITH 3-STAR RATING:I had high hopes for this product because the ingredients are excellent, and I have enjoyed other Nutiva offerings. I remain convinced of the ingredients' goodness, but there may simply be too much stuff in this hazelnut spread. I do not perceive much flavour of chocolate or hazelnut, but I taste a lot of red palm and coconut oils. The product seems fresh and of high quality, but the best use for it might be in smoothies.Do not let my opinion deter you from trying this spread. You, like many other reviewers, might really enjoy it. It was just a miss for my household. In future, if I want a Nutella-like flavour without all the garbage in Nutella, I will just blenderize chocolate with hazelnuts and a sweetener.I would still consider Nutiva's product for smoothies and other concoctions, but not for toast. However, on toast, it does seem to fare well mixed with almond butter. I imagine it would do well mixed with other things.

I only knew of Nutella, but dark chocolate is soooo much better tasting. Lower in sugar too. I only have trouble with what to use it on... I just can't see it on toast... Maybe some puff pastry? Definitely not on ice cream, even if you warm it first -- This ain't fudge -- it freezes hard. So I'll just keep dipping into the jar when I drop into the kitchen for a chocolate fix. I syrupy messy that way too -- but Oh so good.