Are you searching for an inexpensive, kid-approved snack that is healthier than the store-bought options? One that your kids will actually eat, week after week, without getting bored? I have the perfect answer: this creamy vegan chocolate hazelnut spread.
Let me warn you … once you make it, it will quickly become a weekly staple in your home. Imagine waking up on a Sunday morning to the sweet, nutty aroma of roasting hazelnuts filling your kitchen. That smell alone will make your kids curious, eager to taste, and maybe even want to help.
This recipe is made with six simple ingredients in just five easy steps, and it takes about an hour from start to finish. But here’s the thing: patience is key. Each step takes time to get the perfect creamy texture, and this is where you can turn it into a fun, educational activity for your kids.
Make It a Hands-On, Five-Senses Experience
Cooking with kids is not only fun — it’s a chance to teach them about their five senses. Here’s how I make this recipe interactive:
1. Aromatherapy
Hazelnuts are the star of this recipe. Roasting them in the oven releases a sweet, nutty, and slightly creamy aroma that instantly draws your little ones into the kitchen.
Turn it into a learning game: create scent labels such as fruity, nutty, flowery, smoky, and herby, then have your kids smell different foods and categorize them. For example: dandelions, paprika, lemon peel, vanilla, basil, and of course, roasted hazelnuts. This is a simple way to make them curious and engaged while teaching them about smells and flavors.
2. Messy Play
Kids love to touch and explore, and cooking is always messy. While the hazelnuts roast, set up small bowls with each ingredient — hazelnuts, cacao powder, agave, and salt. Let your kids touch, feel, and even label each ingredient with sticky notes.
Once the hazelnuts are roasted and cooled, involve them in peeling the nuts. Rubbing hazelnuts between hands to remove the skin is messy but fun — and a surprisingly satisfying sensory activity for kids.
3. Make Some Noise
Blending hazelnuts into a creamy spread takes a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, which can be intimidatingly loud for little ears. Instead of avoiding it, make it fun:
Challenge your kids to make louder noises than the blender using their toys.
If they’re sensitive, noise-canceling headphones are a lifesaver and can be used for other loud situations too.
The blending process takes about ten minutes, and this is where kids get a front-row seat to watch something transform into something magical — creamy chocolatey goodness!
4. Measure and Pour
Now comes the part where math meets cooking. Have your kids measure out cacao powder, maple syrup, plant-based milk, vanilla, and salt.
Make labels for teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups.
Let them match the labels to the correct measuring utensils.
Pour the ingredients into the blender carefully, teaching precision and focus.
Blending these ingredients together is the final step to a smooth, creamy, chocolate-hazelnut spread that tastes like it came straight from a bakery.
5. Taste Test
The best part? Tasting!
Serve your homemade spread with:
Bananas or strawberries
Bread or wraps
Crackers or rice cakes
Let your kids taste test each option. Ask them for feedback and let them pick their favorite way to eat it. This not only teaches them about flavors and preferences but also makes them feel proud of what they helped create.
Why Moms Will Love This Recipe
Budget-friendly: No need to buy expensive store-bought chocolate hazelnut spreads.
Kid-approved: Hands-on involvement means they’re more likely to eat it.
Educational: Turns cooking into a fun lesson for the senses and measurements.
Versatile: Spread it on anything! Breakfast, snacks, or even dessert.
Final Thoughts
This creamy vegan chocolate hazelnut spread isn’t just a recipe — it’s a way to engage your kids in the kitchen, teach them about food, and create a snack that the whole family will love.
Do it for yourself, for the kids, or better yet — do it together. Once you do, I promise, this recipe will be one of those things that gets requested week after week.
Looking for something yummy to feed the kids for lunch? Spread this smooth, chocolate hazelnut deliciousness onto some whole grain bread, add some sliced strawberries, sprinkle with some hemp hearts and call it lunch.
Place the raw hazelnuts onto a cookie sheet and roast for 12 to 14 minutes, until fragrant.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Using either a paper towel, a dishcloth or your hands, rub the skin off of the hazelnuts (not all of it is going to come off).
Add the hazelnuts to a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, and blend until it becomes a smooth nut butter. This could take up to 15 minutes, stopping every now and then to scrape the sides of the blender.
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a jar and allow to cool. Store in the fridge up to 7 days.
Enjoy your creamy vegan chocolate hazelnut spread!
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