The other day I was doing my usual routine of googling “is _______ vegan?”
Regardless of how long I’ve been vegan, I’m always learning something new. It might seem like a nuisance to a few people but it’s actually interesting to see the different ingredients that make up a product – especially if it’s going to end up in our bodies.
Take Nutella for instance. When I was young, I was too busy spreading it on toast or crepes, in the morning or after dinner. I never thought twice about looking at the ingredients list. Wasn’t Nutella just a harmless chocolate flavored nut butter – like peanut butter or almond butter?
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Sugar is the first ingredient with palm oil coming in second, which means only a small percentage of hazelnuts and chocolate are used. 13% of hazelnuts and 7.4% of cocoa powder to be exact!
Well, this homemade vegan spread reverses Nutella’s ingredient list.
With hazelnuts as the main ingredient, this homemade Nutella is creamier and nuttier than the original. As you blend the hazelnuts, their natural oils will begin to release, eliminating the need for any additional oil. For added sweetness, dates will replace artificial sweeteners while adding a hint of caramel goodness that compliments the cocoa powder.
Indulge in this simple and healthy 3-ingredient homemade vegan Nutella!
quick notes
- Skip soaking the medjool dates in hot water if they haven’t been sitting in the refrigerator and are already sticky. The date liquid can be replaced with nondairy milk.
- Like other nut butters, this homemade Nutella will thicken in the refrigerator. I recommend taking it out of the refrigerator a few minutes before using to let the natural oils get to room temperature for a spreadable consistency.
HEALTHY VEGAN NUTELLA
Ingredients
- 1 cup hazelnut
- 5 medjool dates
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3-4 tbsp nondairy milk (I used homemade soy milk)
- ¼ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, place hazelnuts and pop in oven for 15 minutes. Hazelnuts should become lightly browned with blistered skins. Once hazelnuts have slightly cooled, rub them between a kitchen cloth or your hands to remove it’s skins. Transfer to a food processor and set aside.
While hazelnuts are in the oven, soaks dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out extra moisture and transfer dates with 2 tbsp of date liquid to the food processor.
Start blending the hazelnuts and dates together until hazelnuts are roughly chopped. Add in cocoa powder and salt and continue to blend for 4-5 minutes, or until mixture becomes smooth.
Add in 1 tbsp of nondairy milk at a time and blend to get the desired texture. I added 4 tbsp of nondairy milk to get a creamier texture.
p.s. If you like this recipe, click the icons below to share and leave a comment below! Make sure to tag me @girlmeetsradish & #girlmeetsradish so I can see what you are making!
