REVIEW: Nutella Peanut Spread
For the first time in over 60 years, Nutella has a new flavor.
No, it’s not following the last decade’s trend of endless wild creations like Cotton Candy Oreo, Cappuccino Lay’s, or hot dog’d pizza crusts, but rather, a more nuanced, fitting addition: peanut. The classic Italian spread made of hazelnuts, sugar, palm oil, skimmed milk powder, and cocoa that has delighted International consumers since 1964 gets a much more American twist, packaged in a vibrant yellow container.
The big question is: what do you do with a jar of Nutella? Drizzle it on fruit, put it in crepes, spread it on graham crackers, use it like hot fudge on an ice cream sundae? All are valid, and I have done those things, but mostly, I like to eat it with a spoon. I want to taste that beautiful, dense, sweet intensity in isolation. And that gorgeous sugary rush is on full display here, but it’s also notably different.
Nutella Peanut is advertised as “thicker” than standard Nutella, but to my eye (and tongue), it’s almost identical in its thickness. “Thickness” meaning it’s a lot thinner and smoother than the density of a shelf-stable peanut butter, and will drip off of a spoon easily to drizzle if held for a while. It has the same stunning glossy sheen as the original and shares most of the same ingredients, too, just swapping out the skimmed milk powder for peanuts, making this spread vegan, as well.
Despite the inclusion of the brand’s signature nut, the biggest difference here is that the hazelnut is very much an afterthought, or at least after-taste. The ingredients list sugar, then peanuts and peanut flour, then oil, followed by cocoa, hazelnuts, and salt — and that’s pretty accurate to how it comes across. The initial hit of flavor is sweetness and peanuts, followed very quickly by cocoa with just a whisper of hazelnut in the finish. It’s so faint that if you told me this had no hazelnut at all, I would totally believe it. At its core, it tastes like a chocolate peanut butter with the velvety smooth texture and sugar-laden flourish of Nutella.
If you prefer peanuts to hazelnuts, like me, this totally works, but if you’re nuts for hazelnuts, you might be disappointed. Even as much as I love peanuts and peanut butter, I can’t deny that this new-Tella is a bit less distinct than the original. But it’s refreshing to see a brand put a different yet accessible spin on its core product.
There’s no doubt that the signature texture and mouthfeel Nutella is known for is there, and it does it without sacrificing any of its decadent appeal. Nutella has always been more akin to a frosting than a nut butter, and this new spin brings a prominent pop of peanut to the king of luscious cocoa spreads.
Purchased Price: $6.09
Size: 13 ounces
Purchased at: Amazon
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (37g) 200 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 45 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 14 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.
