The best dairy free chocolate spread brands (including gluten & nut free options)

Being dairy free no longer means you have to miss out on a delicious chocolate spread! Thankfully there are now lots of options readily available. Read on to find out our pick of the bunch – after extensive taste testing! Many are also soya and gluten free; plus, I’ve got some nut free chocolate spread options to share.

Ways to use your dairy free chocolate spread

You probably don’t need my help to suggest eating chocolate spread straight out of the jar with a spoon… but if you do go for that option you are not alone. Either way, here are a few more socially acceptable seving suggestions:

• Use it as a pancake topping. If you need some recipe inspiration, you can see my post rounding up the best dairy and egg free pancake recipes for some ideas! To make it really indulgent, try adding vegan whipped cream and raspberries. 
• Of course it’s great on toast (gluten free if required), but a fun upgrade is to make a chocolate spread toastie. I recommend adding some sliced banana as well. Delicious! 
• You can use your spread to make a quick and easy dairy free hot chocolate. Simply add a spoonful to a warmed cup of plant based milk, and stir until it’s melted in.
• For a (slightly) healthier option, use the dairy free chocolate spread as a dip for apple slices, or to top banana slices. 

What age can children have chocolate spread? 

It’s essentially up to you when you introduce things like chocolate spread to your child. Some people go sugar free for as long as possible, others are more relaxed about including sugar as part of a balanced diet. I was somewhere in the middle! 

Chocolate spreads do tend to include a relatively large amount of sugar. Of the brands featured below, the lowest sugar options are Meridian and Deliciously Ella, and the highest are the Sweet Freedom and Mr Organic products.  

The NHS recommend that high sugar foods are not introduced before the age of  1, so I wouldn’t really suggest it during the first stages of weaning. You might find this article ‘can my baby have chocolate’ by SR Nutrition helpful when thinking about this. 

Our favourite dairy free chocolate spread brands

Here is our pick of the five tastiest chocolate spreads! They’re all dairy and soy free, with no may contain warnings. Happily, they are all also free from gluten. Additionally, two are are nut free.

The dietary information was correct at the time of writing, but always double check ingredients when buying. They can – and do – change without warning.

Sweet Freedom Choc Pot

What we like about it: This tasty chocolate spread is made with all natural ingredients and sweetened with fruit extracts. A big plus is that it is widely available in UK supermarkets! It is free from all the major allergens.

Allergy information: Dairy free, soya free, gluten free, nut free, peanut free, sesame free.  It is not suitable for anyone with a legume allergy, as it contains carob. 

Violife Cocospread

What we like about it: This is the only chocolate spread on the list which is enriched with Vitamin B12, which is a big plus. It’s not as sweet as most, and is towards the lower end of the list for sugar content.

Allergy information: Dairy free, soya free, gluten free, nut free, peanut free, sesame free.  It is coconut oil based, and therefore not suitable for those with a coconut allergy. 

Mr Organic dark chocolate and hazelnut spread

What we like about it: This is a good option for dark chocolate lovers. It’s very thick and rich – it feels like a proper indulgent treat!

Allergy information: Dairy free, soya free, gluten free. It contains hazelnuts and has a may contain warning for other nuts.

Meridian cocoa and hazelnut butter

What we like about it: This spread is a really good source of protein, as it’s made of 68.5% hazelnuts. It’s also lower in sugar than many other chocolate spreads. 

Allergy information: Dairy free, soya free, gluten free. It contains hazelnuts and has a may contain warning for other nuts, peanuts and sesame.

Deliciously Ella creamy chocolate and roasted hazelnut butter

What we like about it: This spread contains hazelnut and almonds, so it’s helpful if you’re trying to include a range of nuts in your child’s diet. It is relatively low in sugar, and very delicious!

Allergen information: Dairy free, soya free, gluten free. It contains hazelnuts and almonds, and has a may contain warning for other nuts.

And now for a few products I haven’t tried, but come highly recommended by other Allergy Mums Clubbers:

When I shared our favourite chocolate spreads over on Instagram I had lots of suggestions for other tasty products to try. Here are the recommendations I received; none contain dairy or soya as an ingredient, but please check labels for the full ingredient details. And let me know in the comments if you try any of them!

• M&S Plant Kitchen smooth hazelnut chocolate spread
• Vego hazelnut and chocolate spread
• Jim Jams vegan hazelnut chocolate spread
• Asda OMV salted caramel chocolate flavour spread
• Nature’s Store hazelnut and cocoa spread

Looking for some more dairy free sweet treats? 

You might be interested in:

• The best dairy and soya free chocolates
• A round up of our favourite dairy and soya free ice creams
• No bake vegan cheesecakes