Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Chocolate hazelnut spread. A great flavor combination. And, that very famous brand.....which I really did like.....except for one thing. It left a strange waxy coating in my mouth. And honestly.... it's not the healthy snack spread that's boasted about on those commercials. I mean...really....2 tablespoons at 200 calories? Over half of the calories come from fat.  Not to mention 21 grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat, plus....artificial flavors. 

As if we should expect anything else. After all, it is the sad fact of processed food. 

But that's beside the point....my focus here is on an amazing alternative. Because no matter how much I question the "famous" one....I still crave that combination.  Because really...I do love it. And now I have a great, healthy, easy alternative. That not only leaves my mouth feeling 'wax-free', but makes me feel so much better about eating it. 

My daughter found the recipe on Instagram and unfortunately there wasn't a website link for me to give credit to. If you are an 'instagramer'...you can find the recipe on laulweighlossjourney's account. 

I've made this mock Nutella twice. Once I blanched the hazelnuts first to remove the skins. The second time I left the skins on. There's no difference in the texture or flavor. Just in color.....

The main difference between the store brands and the homemade version is the consistency. It's thinner....and a bit grainier. You'll think you messed up when you first mix it up but don't worry, it does thicken once refrigerated. It doesn't become as thick as store brands, but it's enough. 

And really....it's so easy. No cooking involved. Just a food processor. And if you make your own almond milk (which doesn't get cooked)...you can call this "raw". All of the ingredients are raw, or are available raw.

Are you ready to get a little healthier and step a little further away from the processed?

Let's do it! 

Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

1 cup hazelnuts (skins on or off, its up to you)

1 TB coconut oil

3 TB cacao powder

4 TB maple syrup

1/8 tsp salt (also known as 'a pinch')

1/2 cup almond milk

In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts a few times then puree them until they start forming a paste. Add in the coconut oil and continue processing until smooth. 

Add in the remaining ingredients and process until completely combined and smooth and creamy.

It will be a bit runny, but just pour and scrape it into a container (mason jars work great!), cover and place in the refrigerator.

After a couple of hours, you will notice that it's getting thicker. After that, I have no idea because It has yet to last more than 12 hours in my house. 

My daughter found some Belgian Chocolate Thins at the Italian Deli today....and let me tell you....I could eat the whole box with my Chocolate Hazelnut Spread. 

And not feel guilty.

Well, at least not very much. 

Reesella Crescents

Does anyone, besides me....kinda tense up a little or cringe in anticipation as you pull the paper edge of those refrigerator dough cans....expecting it to POP at any second? It's like the adult version of a jack-in-the-box.

Or the maker of urban legends.....

Remember that urban legend that was going around a while back? The one about the lady that got shot in the back of her head and she sat in her car, holding her brains in, while she waited for the paramedics? If you don't remember, or you never heard it, here's one of several versions that are out there.....

(supposedly told by a paramedic) One of our trucks was recently toned to respond to the GSW (I assume that means Gun Shot Wound) to the head. The victim called 911 via her ceullular phone. She told the operator that she just sat down in her car and someone shot her in the back of the head. She told the dispatcher that she was afraid to move because she could feel brain tissue hanging out the back of her head.

When the crew arrived, they found the woman sitting in the front seat. Her groceries were in the back seat. The Medics found dough where the woman thought that she felt brain tissue. A can of biscuit dough in the shopping bag exploded and hit her in the back of the head. Needless to say, the woman was greatly relieved to find that out

I can not open a can of biscuits or crescents without thinking (and giggling inside) about that story. If you remember Brett Butler (from Grace Under Fire)...she did a version of this urban legend in one of her stand up comedian acts...and it was hysterical!! I tried to find it on YouTube...but didn't want to sit through hours and hours of 10 min clips, looking for it LOL. 

Anyways.....once in a while I do buy those refrigerator cans of dough. Not nearly as much as I did when I was young (I think when I first got married, Pillsbury was a staple in my fridge). But it has been a reeeeally long time since I bought the crescents. I saw the little Dough Boy clip several months ago...and while it IS funny...I just couldn't look at crescents the same way...

I know.....it is just sooooo wrong, but sooooo damn funny!!

Anyways...I think I am past my crescent trauma. I mean, with this creation forming in my head...it was imperative that I get over it. 


Did I mention how easy and quick it is to make? 


Those are the best kind of recipes to have around when you're needing that sugar fix after a long day and you don't have the time, energy or patience to put together anything more involved or time consuming.

1 can of refrigerator crescent rolls (8 oz)
16 Reeses Mini Peanut Butter Cups (plus more for snacking as you go along)
Nutella (I don't know how much...1/4 cup? 1/3 cup?
Powdered sugar


Do you see how big that jar of Nutella is? I got it from Costco. It comes in a 2/pk. The jar is twice as big as the one at the grocery store and the 2/pk costs about $3.00 more than the half sized single jar at the grocery store. I certainly couldn't pass that up!!


Heat your oven to 350' F. Separate the dough into 8 triangles. Remove the wrappers from the candy.


For the first 4 crescents, I spread the triangle with Nutella and then placed 2 Reeses along the wide end of the triangle...

Then I rolled up the crescent, starting from that wide end and ending at the tip. Pinch the 2 ends closed so nothing melts out while it's cooking. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Oh, I should mention....try and keep your fingers clean while doing this. No dipping them into the Nutella Jar.....because...well, things get a little messy when you do

(I call dibs on the messy one)

Now...for the remaining 4 crescents, I tried something different. I spooned a wad of Nutella along that wide end. Then placed the 2 Reeses on the wad...and then smothered the Reeses with more Nutella.

My purpose? I wanted to see if it made a difference. If one oozed and the other didn't. Maybe the flavor would be more intense. Or maybe the flavor is distributed better in the other on. I dunno.....let's find out


See? 4 and 4

You can tell which is which by all the Nutella along the edges of the ones on the right?


Now...plop them into your preheated 350' F oven and let them cook until golden brown. Could be 10  minutes....or it could be 14 minutes. Just keep an eye on them.

Now those are looking awfully good! Let them cool a little and then sprinkle 'em with some powdered sugar

(I wonder if Donna will see anything amusing in this photo LMAO!!)

How did they taste? Was there a difference between the two? Well...when you combine chocolate, peanut butter and Nutella....it's gonna be aaaaaaall good. And there was no flavor difference at all. One didn't taste more intense than the other. They just look a little different. 

Wanna bite?

Oh ya....I almost forgot. I have to give credit, where credit is due. The idea for this recipe was inspired by a Hershey's recipe magazine that I picked up today. And.....the name, "Reesella Crescents" came from my daughter.