Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme

You guys! This Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme is EVERYTHING!! I am so in love with this recipe – I ate up most of the shoot and was running around with a belly ache for the rest of the day…. it was that good and totally worth it 🤣🥰.

This recipe truly took a true while to finalise. The first trial was a disaster. Then I added coconut oil in order to get a “spreadable” consistency. Unfortunately, it ended up tasting like bounty. I may be repeating myself, I love the taste of coconut (cue in my Coconut Chocolate Bites that do taste like bounty and are AMAZING) but not when I am expecting a different taste.

But alas – I managed to find the perfect formula! This Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme is also everything you want from a delicious, decadent chocolate spread. It is super smooth, it spreads on really easily, and the chocolate and hazelnut flavor balance really well. The secret? I am using locust bean gum powder again, my little helper that also came in handy for the frosting of my Gluten-free Carrot Cake with a Vegan Buttercream Frosting.

Did I mention that next to taking a very limited amount of time in the kitchen, this recipe also only consists of a few ingredients, and is considerably cheaper than the store-bought version? That is a win-win in my books!

Why is this Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme good for you?

Hazelnuts

Delicious, nutty Hazelnut. Obviously, they are the star of this dish and, therefore, truly deserve their moment in the spotlight. Hazelnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have long been associated with a healthy heart. They are also loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory benefits. The phenolic compounds found in Hazelnuts also lower your “bad” cholesterol levels. All of these factors further contribute positively to your heart health. In addition, Hazelnuts are rich in Vitamin E. Next to being an awesome antioxidant and potentially protecting our skin from UV damage, Vitamin E also may play a key role in protecting us against the kind of cellular damage that leads to cancer. Hazelnuts also contain something called “Proanthocyanidins”. These polyphenols have been shown in test tube studies to reduce certain types of cancers. Whereas this does look promising, how final tests in humans look like remains to be seen.

Maple Syrup

If you have been with me for a while, you know that Maple Syrup is one of my preferred sweeteners of choice. I do not know why, but there is something about this rich, dark liquid that totally captures me 😍. Maple Syrup is the sap of the maple tree. It is usually classified in different grades, which tend to vary by country. Typically, the higher the grade (e.g. A, B, C) and the darker the syrup, the more intense the flavor. This is due to the Maple Syrup being harvested later in the season. In comparison to industrialized sugar, Maple Syrup contains some minerals. These are namely potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, and manganese. They also contain an array of antioxidants. However, Maple Syrup is still also high in sugar and should, therefore, be consumed in moderation. As a tip (because I have truly fallen for this in the past 🤦🏼‍♀️) – be sure to buy real Maple Syrup. A lot of syrups contain added sugars and other ingredients (a very nice marketing trick), which is not what we want.

Olive Oil

I feel like I have raved quite a bit about Olive Oil as of late. But it is a true superfood and provides quite a bit of creaminess to this dish, so I am happy to repeat myself 😉. Most of the fatty acids in Olive Oil are a monounsaturated kind called “oleic acid”. Oleic acid has been linked to reducing inflammation. It may also have a beneficial effect on genes that are linked to cancer. Olive Oil is also loaded with antioxidants. I know we cover this time, and time, again on the blog… but antioxidants are so vital to our health! They combat free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and thereby protect us from chronic diseases. Last but not least, I want to give an special mention to oleocanthal, which is a phenolic acid. Oleocanthal is highly anti-inflammatory and has been shown to work similarly to Ibuprofen. Go Olive Oil 💪🏻!

How can I adjust this Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme to my dietary requirements?

This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and paleo (if you do eat a bit of sweetness as part of your dietary lifestyle). Due to the hazelnuts used, this recipe is not nut-free.

And there you have it for this week 🤩. Easy, delicious, and of course containing one of my favorite ingredients – chocolate. If you are as much in love with chocolate as I am – why not check out my Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats as another breakfast option. There are also awesome Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Bites on the blog that are simply divine!

Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme

5 from 2 votes

Recipe by Ann Robejsek Course: Breakfast, brunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Super easy

Servings

1

180 gr. glass jar

Prep time

5

minutes

Baking time

12

minutes

This Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme is everything you want from a delicious spread. Chocolate marries hazelnuts in this divine treat!

Ingredients

• ½ cup ½ (65 gr.) hazelnuts

• 2 tbsp 2 coconut sugar* – see notes for details

• ¼ cup ¼ (60 ml.) maple syrup

• ¼ cup ¼ (60 ml.) non-dairy milk

• 1/8 cup 1/8 (30 ml) olive oil

• 1.5 tbsp 1.5 cocoa powder

• 1 tsp 1 locust bean gum powder

How to

• Put the hazelnuts into an oven-proof dish and pop them into the oven (no need to pre-heat) at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for ca. 12 minutes or until they smell slightly fragrant
• Add the hazelnuts and coconut sugar to a small blender and blend so that they are ground. Add the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar and keep in the fridge. The Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Creme should keep for a good couple of weeks (if it even lasts that long ;)). ENJOY!

Notes

• * I found adding two tablespoons of coconut sugar, in addition to the maple syrup the perfect amount of sweetness. The spread will be slightly sweeter on its own, but the taste mellows when spread onto something. Obviously, if you like your Chocolate Hazelnut Creme a bit sweeter I am confident you can play with this ratio by adding a tablespoon, or vice versa, or going down on this amount.