Hazelnutty Greatness

I suppose a scratch made Nutella recipe is in order.

Hazelnuts are my absolute favorite type of nut especially when they are roasted. Everything about them is so heartwarming and Nutella brings them to a whole other level when welcoming cocoa into the mix. Such 

a grand idea they had making a cocoa hazelnut spread that knocks peanut butter right out of the water. So why not make your own version that could be slightly better for you, but still just as mouthwatering? 

This recipe makes about an 8 ounce jar of the good stuff. Let's get started!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• a little over 1/4 cup of whole milk (or any other type of milk, like almond milk etc.)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Makin' the good stuff:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and lay the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet. Place them in the oven for about 10 minutes to get them roasted and to get your house smelling fantastic. Grab a damp kitchen towel and place all the roasted hazelnuts on top of it. Wrap them in the towel and rub them vigorously (this removes the little shells that they are wrapped in). The whole shell will not rub off completely and that's perfectly okay! 
2. Place the roasted hazelnuts in your food processor and let them whirl for about 5-10 minutes until they are ground into a small powder form. (food processor's vary drastically so just keep a close eye on things). Keep things whirling and add the coconut oil to the hazelnut powder. At this time watch for it to get smooth and creamy, then stop. (this can also take some time to get the right consistency 10-12 minutes). 
3. Now stop the food processor, scrape the sides down and add in the rest of the ingredients. Blend it all up for about 5 minutes The spread will get really thick and that's when you know to stop. Remember to taste test it before you scoop it all out, you may want to add more cocoa or sugar depending on your preference! 
4. You want it to be as silky as you can possibly get it, but don't expect the same Nutella texture straight from the jar. A scratch made nut butter will always be somewhat rustic and have little bits of nut throughout. That's the BEST part trust me. 
5. Scrape the hazelnut spread into a jar or air tight container and store it in your fridge.

Happy Hazelnut Spreading!