Is Nutella Peanut Worth the Hype? I Tried It to Find Out

Nutella may have gone into space, but it’s here on Earth that the iconic hazelnut-cocoa spread is really going new places. This month, as announced nearly a year ago, parent company Ferrero Group finally launched Nutella Peanut, its first new flavor since Nutella’s founding in 1964. The peanut-hazelnut-cocoa spread is an official version of a combination many of us have long enjoyed, and it’s made in the United States and available only in North America for now.

“Nutella fans have expressed how much they love pairing Nutella with peanut butter. That passion and insight was really the spark,” says Noah Szporn, senior vice president of spreads for Ferrero North America. He says the company refined the formula over multiple years. “Nutella Peanut was developed specifically for this market: It brings together a new taste experience that blends the unmistakable creaminess of Nutella with the delicious taste of roasted peanuts.”

Does it succeed? I opened a jar of Nutella Peanut and grabbed a spoon to find out.

What is Nutella Peanut made of?

To be clear, the new product isn’t peanut butter — it’s still a sweet treat whose first ingredient is sugar. According to the ingredient list, Nutella Peanut contains “sugar, peanuts, palm oil, peanut flour, cocoa, hazelnuts, lecithin as emulsifier, salt, vanillin: an artificial flavor.” That’s a slight difference from the original Nutella, which lists “sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, skim milk, cocoa, lecithin as emulsifier, and vanillin: an artificial flavor.” While these don’t specify percentages, they do indicate relative amounts from highest to lowest. Notably, Nutella Peanut lists peanuts before palm oil and cocoa before hazelnuts.

As for nutritional differences, a two-tablespoon serving of Nutella Peanut contains 13 grams of total fat, 45 milligrams of sodium, and 13 grams of added sugars, for a total of 14 grams. The original, by contrast, has less total fat (11 grams) and sodium (15 milligrams) but more sugar (19 grams of added sugars for a total of 21 grams per serving).

What does Nutella Peanut taste like?

The short answer is that Nutella Peanut tastes great. It looks, smells, and tastes very much like the original Nutella, with subtle rather than major differences. For example, Nutella Peanut is a slightly lighter shade of brown and has a more subdued flavor, while its texture feels a bit thicker. It leads with the smell of roasted peanuts, followed by a mellower version of the classic’s familiar vanilla-soaked hazelnut aroma, and the flavor follows the same path.

Those differences are only pronounced when you taste the products side by side. I’d be shocked if someone who likes Nutella didn’t also like Nutella Peanut, and you could use them interchangeably. “I personally love it on plain white bread with banana slices, but it also pairs perfectly with other afternoon snacks,” says Szporn, and I agree.

That said, I still prefer the original to the sequel — for better or worse, Nutella Peanut is a tweak rather than a revamp. I find the roasted peanuts slightly mask Nutella’s heady hazelnut character, toning down the whole experience. I recommend you try it for yourself, but I’m more likely to stick to my own blend of Nutella and peanut butter than to regularly stock Nutella Peanut, especially since it seems to be selling for the same price.

Peanuts have historically cost much less than hazelnuts, so I wondered whether Nutella Peanut would be priced lower as well. But its suggested retail price is $6.09 for a 13-ounce jar, and Walmart lists it online for $4.97, or 38 cents per ounce, the same as regular Nutella. I haven’t seen Nutella Peanut in stores yet, but that price seems to be average online.

Where to try Nutella Peanut

Nutella Peanut is now rolling out in stores and online nationwide, though some online retailers already list it as temporarily out of stock, so don’t be surprised if it’s hard to find. The brand is also hosting its free Nutella Peanut Pop-Up at 372 Lafayette Street in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17.

“Think quick-hit games where you unlock prizes along the way like peanut-themed goodies, personalized keepsakes, and free Nutella Peanut sandwiches and dippable snacks,” says Szporn. “We wanted fans to actually taste and play with the product, not just see it on a shelf.”