No one can deny the perfect combination that is chocolate and hazelnuts. It’s creamy and sweet and reminds us of our childhoods. Well, it probably tastes like your childhood because it was so high in sugar that I wasn’t allowed to eat it at my house! Even though I’m grown up now, I still feel a little guilty whenever I’m tempted to grab this treat off the grocery store shelf.
While store-bought Nutella is undeniably delicious, it’s full of refined sugar, soy, and dairy products, like skim milk and whey. So if you’re trying to clean up your eating, avoid dairy or animal products all-together, or simply reduce the amount of sugar you’re consuming, you can say goodbye to your favorite hazel-nutty spread.
But don’t worry! We’ve created this refined sugar-free and vegan Nutella that can be made at home with just a sheet pan, food processor, and 30 minutes. Plus, this guilt-free spread can be made with as much or as little sweetener as you want – simply omit or add more maple syrup to your heart’s content.
Whether you enjoy it on toast or pancakes, a scoop (or two) of dairy free ice cream, or by the spoonful (don’t worry, we won’t judge), this homemade Nutella will be sure to have you and your “littles” excited for breakfast every day of the week.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of hazelnuts
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp real maple syrup, plus more to taste
Equipment
Food Processor
Method
Preheat the oven to 300°F
Arrange the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 20 minutes, until the skins blacken and begin to fall off.
Remove from over and let cool. Remove the skins by rubbing them in a tea towel. Don't worry if you can't get every last piece of skin off - you just want to remove as much as possible!
Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and process until it becomes smooth and creamy. This process should take about 5 minutes.
Add the coconut sugar, cocoa powder, coconut oil, water, and maple syrup. To reduce the sweetness, simply substitute the maple syrup with water. Process until well combined.
Taste the Nutella. If you'd like it sweeter, add another tablespoon of maple syrup. If the consistency is too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. Process until combined.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week!
Rhiannon loves to cook and bake but has also never said "no" to a takeout burrito (see, she's just like you!). Despite slowly running out of room in her cabinets, she continues to expand her collections of cookbooks and kitchen gadgets and is deeply jealous of people who can just "whip something up" without a recipe. When she's not in the kitchen, you can find her camping and hiking with her husband and rescue dog, Waffles.
