There are certain kitchen staples that earn their place not through novelty but through usefulness. They travel from childhood to adulthood without feeling out of place. In Spain, our chocolate hazelnut spread Nocilla has occupied that position for over 50 years. And increasingly, it is finding its way into kitchens far beyond Spain’s borders.
What makes a breakfast ingredient genuinely versatile is not the number of recipes it appears in but whether it actually belongs in all of them. Nocilla passes that test. The spread is rich without being heavy, cocoa rich but balanced by hazelnut, and consistent enough in texture to spread, drizzle, layer, or dollop without losing character. It works cold from the jar or warm from the grill. It pairs with fruit, bread, dairy, pastries. It is, in the truest sense, a base ingredient.
Here are eight ways to use it at breakfast, from the simplest to the more elaborate.
1. Toast with Nocilla and hazelnuts
The starting point, but still one of the best. A slice of good country bread, toasted on both sides, spread with Nocilla and finished with roughly chopped hazelnuts. The combination of warm bread, smooth spread and a little crunch from the nuts is complete in itself — no additions needed, though a different bread (walnut, oat, seeded) changes the character entirely. Ready in five minutes.
2. Yogurt with Nocilla, granola and fresh fruit
Nocilla in the base of the glass, seasonal fruit cut into pieces, Greek yogurt spooned over the top, granola to finish. The layering matters: the spread at the bottom means it works its way through as you eat, rather than sitting on top. A breakfast that feels assembled rather than cooked, and one that travels well in a jar if the morning is rushed.
3. Nocilla sandwich
Two slices of crustless white bread, Nocilla spread on one side, fresh raspberries scattered over, the sandwich closed and pressed in a hot sandwich maker for a minute. The result is warm, melting and slightly jammy from the fruit. A touch of desiccated coconut inside adds texture. Ten minutes, no real skill required.
4. Rolled wrap with Nocilla, banana and walnuts
A slice of sandwich bread rolled flat with a rolling pin, spread with Nocilla, layered with sliced banana and walnuts, then rolled tightly and toasted in a sandwich maker until golden. The combination of chocolate, banana and walnut is a reliable one — each flavour distinct, each making the others better. Brushing the outside with butter before pressing gives an extra crispness. Ten minutes.
5. Butter croissant with Nocilla
A croissant filled with Nocilla — either split open and spread or filled with a piping bag if you prefer not to cut it — then pressed gently in a sandwich maker to warm through. A line of Nocilla over the top to finish. The pastry absorbs the cream at the edges and stays flaky in the centre. Five minutes, and very hard to argue with on a slow morning.
6. Pancakes with Nocilla
A straightforward pancake batter — egg, flour, milk, sugar, baking powder — cooked in small, thick rounds until they bubble and set, then stacked with Nocilla between each layer. A drizzle of Nocilla Bocabajo (the upside-down squeezy jar) over the top, and fresh raspberries to cut through the richness. The kind of breakfast that takes fifteen minutes to make but looks like it is considerably more effort than that.
7. Waffles with Nocilla
The most elaborate recipe of the eight, and the most rewarding. A proper waffle batter with wholemeal flour, butter, cane sugar, fresh yeast and vanilla, left to stand for thirty minutes before cooking in a waffle iron until deep golden. Nocilla goes on while the waffle is still hot, so it begins to melt into the ridges immediately. Sliced strawberries and a little whipped cream alongside. Around 45 minutes in total, but worth saving for a weekend morning.
8. Biscuits with Nocilla
Not every breakfast needs to be cooked. A biscuit with a generous spread of Nocilla is one of the simplest combinations in the repertoire, and one of the most satisfying. It works with whatever is in the tin: plain, buttery, oat based. The spread does the rest.
What connects all eight recipes is the same thing that has made Nocilla a fixture in Spanish kitchens for generations: it makes whatever it touches a little better, without demanding much in return. A jar on the counter, a few minutes, and breakfast becomes something worth looking forward to.