Gianduja is chocolate made with a generous amount of finely ground roasted hazelnuts. It comes from Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy, which is also home to some of the world’s most prized hazelnuts. The hazelnut oil makes gianduja softer and creamier than plain chocolate, so it melts quickly on the tongue. It can be made with or without milk, and you will find it as bars, small wrapped pieces called giandujotti, layered cremini and spreads.
Say “jahn-DOO-yah.” You will also see it spelled gianduia, and the individual pieces are called giandujotti (one is a giandujotto, said “jahn-doo-YOT-toh”).
A giandujotto is the classic single-piece form of gianduja: a small, foil-wrapped chocolate shaped like an upturned boat, dating to Turin in the 1860s. Traditional makers like Guido Gobino still extrude each piece rather than pouring it into a mold, which lets them use more hazelnut and gives every giandujotto its soft, melting texture. If you only try one thing on this list, start with Gobino’s Classic Giandujotto.
A cremino is a small layered cube built around gianduja. Classic cremini stack two layers of gianduja around a soft center, such as the hazelnut cream in the Domori Classic Cremino. Guido Gobino’s Sea Salt Cremino is a single layer of gianduja with sea salt, olive oil and crunchy hazelnut pieces. Think of a cremino as gianduja dressed up as a bonbon.
No. Gianduja is a chocolate, and it came first: hazelnut spreads like Nutella were inspired by it. Gianduja itself is firm enough to hold its shape as a bar or giandujotto. Gianduja spreads, like Amedei Crema Toscana and the Pralus Hazelnut Cream on this list, are the spoonable version, made by craft chocolate makers to taste of roasted hazelnut and cacao first.
Sometimes. Gianduja can be made with dark chocolate and no milk, but many classic recipes, including most giandujotti, contain milk. On this list, Chocolate Tree Hazelnut Gianduja 40% is vegan, organic and dairy-free. Every gianduja contains hazelnuts, so it is not suitable for anyone with a tree nut allergy. Always check the allergen details on each product page.
Keep it in a cool, dry, dark place around 60–68°F (16–20°C), away from strong smells. Because of the hazelnut oil, gianduja is softer than plain chocolate and softens quickly in warm rooms, so avoid heat and direct sun, but skip the fridge unless your home is very warm. Follow the label for spreads once opened.
The Guido Gobino Assorted Chocolate Cube Gift Large Box is a full introduction in one box: about 70 handmade pieces including classic and Maximo giandujotti, cremini and dark chocolate discs. For a smaller gift, pair a bag of Gobino Classic Giandujotti with the award-winning Amedei Toscano Nut Brown Gianduja bar.
Everything on this list is sold by Bar & Cocoa and ships from our US warehouse. Click any product to open its page, or use the add-to-cart buttons on this page. Availability reflects our live catalog, and we update the list when products sell out or new favorites arrive.