Decadent-Tasting Refined Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread: Better than Nutella!

Nutella is what I consider an indulgent breakfast spread that is nice as a treat but not suitable for every day. Sugar and modified palm oil are listed as the first two ingredients, and while hazelnuts are nutritious, Nutella is too high in sugar and refined oil, in my opinion, to be considered healthy. So when I adapted this recipe with healthier ingredients I wondered whether it would taste as good as the real thing, and the answer is — yes! Yes, you can have guilt-free hazelnut spread that is just as decadent-tasting as Nutella with this refined sugar-free hazelnut spread recipe. Read on to learn more!

Use Healthier Ingredients

Oftentimes we think eating healthy means giving up our favourite foods and sacrificing taste for nutrition.  That doesn’t need to be the case if you know how to make a few simple swaps. This refined sugar-free hazelnut spread is sweet and creamy, hitting all the right flavour notes, but with more health benefits. 

Maple Syrup Instead of Sugar

First of all, this recipe uses maple syrup instead of sugar.  Why is this better?  For starters, maple syrup contains essential minerals such as calcium, manganese, potassium, and zinc.  White sugar contains no nutrients, providing only “empty calories”.  

Another benefit of maple syrup over sugar is its antioxidant content.  The darker the syrup, the higher the antioxidants.  Antioxidants fight off free radicals in the body that damage our cells and can lead to cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Finally, maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than white sugar.  This means it is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream which can help prevent insulin spikes.

Carob Instead of Cocoa

Another healthy swap made in this recipe is carob for cocoa. Carob powder is often used as a chocolate substitute as it has a similar colour and flavour.  It works very well in this recipe as the hazelnuts are the prominent flavour; no one even notices that it’s not made with chocolate!

So why carob instead of cocoa?  Aside from the fact that carob, unlike cocoa, is caffeine-free, it’s also free of tyramine, a byproduct of the amino acid, tyrosine.  Tyramine can cause migraine headaches in some people, which is why chocolate is not recommended for those who are prone to migraines. 

Another great characteristic of carob is its naturally sweet flavour. While cocoa is bitter and requires quite a bit of sugar to make it palatable, carob’s sweet flavour means less sweetener is needed to achieve the desired flavour.

Carob is also a great choice because it contains nutrients such as fibre and calcium, and unlike cocoa, does not contain oxalates. In fact, carob contains more than 3 times the amount of calcium, and without the oxalates to interfere with calcium absorption, making it a healthy addition to recipes.

Dairy-Free

Lastly, this recipe is dairy-free making it suitable for vegans and those with a milk allergy/intolerance.  I make this spread with unsweetened almond milk which is lower in calories, fat, and sugar than milk.  This does not impact the texture and flavour of the spread, however, as the hazelnuts provide the richness required to make it just as delicious as Nutella.

Ways to Use Decadent-Tasting Refined Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread

There are so many ways to enjoy this delicious spread in your meals. Here are just a few ideas:

• On Toast or Bread – this is the most common way to eat hazelnut spread, and for good reason! It’s a delicious, healthy way to begin the day as hazelnuts are a good source of healthy fats that will provide energy and keep you full until your next meal.
• As a Dip for Fresh Fruit – what could be better than dipping strawberries or bananas into this rich, creamy spread? Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a healthy snack!
• With Crepes or Pancakes – roll this spread into vegan crepes or drizzle it over pancakes – yum!
• Hot “Chocolate” – stir a tablespoon or two of this spread into hot oat milk for a deliciously creamy hot “chocolate”.
• Topping for Ice Cream – warm this delicious spread and drizzle it over your favourite ice cream — perfect for homemade banana split sundaes!
• Baked Goods – swirl into banana bread or brownie batter before baking, or use it to fill cookies, muffins, or cupcakes.
• Yogurt Parfait – swirl into vegan yogurt and add granola, nuts, or fruit.
• Smoothies – add a spoonful to a fruit smoothie for added richness, flavour, and nutrition.

Tools Needed

Vitamix – or other high-speed blender

Baking sheet – for roasting hazelnuts

Ingredients

• Hazelnuts – roasted
• Roasted carob powder – raw carob powder can be used, but the flavour will not be as chocolate-like
• Maple syrup – honey, agave, or date syrup can be substituted
• Vanilla extract
• Salt – I use Himalayan or Celtic
• Almond milk – unsweetened is preferred to keep the recipe refined sugar-free. Other plant-based milks can be substituted

How to Make Decadent-Tasting Refined Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the hazelnuts to a baking pan and bake for 7 minutes. This step is necessary to make hazelnut butter. You can skip this step if you’re using roasted hazelnuts.

Once roasted, transfer the hazelnuts to the Vitamix and blend on high until it becomes hazelnut butter. You may need to blend for a few minutes, scraping down the sides periodically.

Add the carob powder, vanilla, salt, maple syrup, and almond milk and blend until smooth. This may take a couple of minutes.

Transfer to small jam jars and refrigerate. It’s best consumed within 2 weeks.

Notes

• Cocoa powder can be substituted for carob if it’s not available.
• Other non-dairy milks can be used in place of almond milk.
• Carob comes from the pod of the carob tree. It is lower in fat than chocolate, naturally sweet, caffeine-free, and rich in certain nutrients.