I would argue that there are two types of Nutella lovers.
The first is the average Nutella fan: someone who loves Nutella and will happily order just about any dessert that features it.
Then there are the people like me, who I call Nutella Purists.
A Nutella Purist loves Nutella so much that we don't want anything competing with its flavor. We happily eat it straight from the jar and prefer to pair it with foods that let Nutella remain the star. You'll never catch me ordering a Nutella brownie or an over-the-top chocolate cake filled with Nutella because all those extra chocolate flavors overpower what I actually want to taste. Instead, give me Nutella spread on warm bread, tucked inside a crêpe (bonus points for bananas), on pancakes, waffles, or simply a spoon, and I'm perfectly happy.
My love of Nutella also turned me into a hazelnut fanatic, which is now my favorite nut. Milk chocolate and hazelnuts is probably my favorite flavor combination. If I'm choosing a chocolate from a box of bonbons or deciding on an ice cream flavor, that's almost always what I'll pick.
I spent part of my childhood in Spain, where a chocolate-hazelnut spread called Nocilla is incredibly popular and still widely available today. It's delicious, but in my opinion, nothing compares to Nutella.
Nutella has become such a global phenomenon that it's no surprise it has inspired an entire world of merchandise. If you're shopping for a Nutella lover, official Nutella products make fantastic gifts.
A few years ago, I visited the Nutella Café in New York City (which I believe is currently closed) and bought a Nutella car keychain that I still use today. There is also a Nutella Café in Chicago that is currently being remodeled. The official merchandise changes regularly, but you'll often find mugs, drinkware, T-shirts, stationery, tote bags, and other fun collectibles.
Beyond the official products, there are countless talented artists creating Nutella-inspired designs. One of my favorite places to browse is Society6, where you can find adorable illustrations printed on everything from phone cases to notebooks and home décor. They're not official Nutella products, but they perfectly capture the love so many of us have for the world's favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread.
As a true Nutella Purist, I'm absolutely the person who eats Nutella straight from the jar. Naturally, I have a dedicated spoon for the job.
It's called the Mini Supoon, and it might just be the perfect utensil for Nutella. Made from flexible silicone, it's part spoon and part spatula, so you can scrape every last bit from the jar without wasting any. Even better, the handle is designed so the spoon sits upright when you set it on the counter, keeping the messy part off the table. It's one of those little kitchen gadgets that feels surprisingly satisfying to own.
Last December, while grocery shopping in Spain, I found a Nutella Advent calendar. I was so tempted to buy it, but Christmas had already passed, so I decided to wait until this year. You can bet that once late November rolls around, I'll be searching every grocery store until I find one—and I'll definitely report back.
Speaking of Spain, I recently discovered another Nutella treat that completely won me over: frozen Nutella-filled pastries. They currently come as crêpes, muffins, and croissants, and I absolutely love the croissants. They're certainly not Parisian-quality croissants, but that's not really the point. They're warm, generously sized, wonderfully flaky on the outside, soft and buttery inside, and filled with enough Nutella to make any Nutella lover smile.
As you can probably tell, I'm always keeping an eye out for fun Nutella merchandise and new Nutella-inspired products. Whenever I discover something worth sharing, I'll be back with another recommendation.
