Nutella wasn’t easy to come by when I was growing up, but lately, it seems to be available everywhere.
These raw treats feature the same flavors as the popular spread, pairing hazelnuts with rich cocoa powder, but they are naturally sweetened with fiber-rich dates. Dates have become a favorite sweetener of mine, thanks to their impressive nutritional profile which includes calcium, iron, potassium, copper and magnesium.
As an added bonus, the fiber from both the hazelnuts and dates mean that these sweets will have a more gradual impact on your blood sugar– which should mean no sugar crashes later! I hope you enjoy them the next time a sweet craving hits.
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Healthy Nutella Fudge Bites
makes 16-20 pieces
Ingredients:
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup soft Medjool dates, pitted
2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
*Note: If your dates aren’t soft, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes beforehand.
Directions:
In a food processor fitted with an “S” blade, process the hazelnuts into a fine powder. Add in the dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, coconut oil and salt, and process again until a uniform texture is achieved. (You may need to stop and scrape down the bowl a couple of times!) Feel free to taste the batter at this point, and adjust any flavors to your taste.
Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and use your hands to press it into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Place in the freezer to set for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.
Store and serve directly from the fridge or freezer for best shelf life and texture.
Healthy Nutella Fudge Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 1 cup soft Medjool dates , pitted
- 2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, process the hazelnuts into a fine powder. Add in the dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, and coconut oil and salt, and process again until a uniform texture is achieved. (You may need to stop and scrape down the bowl a couple of times!) Feel free to taste the batter at this point, and adjust any flavors to your taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and use your hands to press it into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Place in the freezer to set for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.
- Store and serve directly from the fridge or freezer for best shelf life and texture.
Notes
Nutrition
Hope you enjoy them!
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Reader Feedback: Are you a Nutella fan? I’m a pretty big fan of banana & Nutella crepes…
I have not had Nutella, but have had Nocciolata which is likely similar. Yum! The shape of the jar is irregular though which is annoying because I can not scrape all of it out. I do love these cacao treats, but make a similar version regularly with walnuts+pepitas. I usually add a little green powder, cinnamon, and coconut too.
Yum! These sound awesome. I love all your fudge recipes, so this one looks amazing as well!
I’ve only had nutella once actually, and got SO sick from it so I’m not a fan at all – although, I love hazelnuts.
These look incredible! I’ve had nutella (which is delicious) but after going vegan I just make my own. I definitely have to add these bites to my list!
I can’t wait to make these! I absolutely love your recipes as they’re simple, healthy, and quick! Looking forward to trying these to have as a healthy treat. Thank you for sharing and hope you are enjoying fall with your little one.
Megan, These look wonderful! My husband loved Nutella as a kid but then he developed milk allergies about 15 yrs ago & it contains milk. He will love these!! Thank you very much!
How’s your little one? 🙂
I have to try this. I am such a nutella-junkie. I used to just eat spoons full of nutella… Not very healthy, so I had to quit that habbit… Sooo difficult 😉
I am big fun of anything with chocolate like you:-). Have you ever used xylitol or erythritol? if not can you explain why ? Thanks a lot
I don’t use xylitol because it is so poisonous for dogs, and I don’t want it in my kitchen near my precious family pet. My experience with erythritol has been a very painful and uncomfortable one, so I will never go near it again! It may not make everyone feel sick, but it definitely has a negative impact on my own body.
Can you use butter in place of coconut oil? I’m not a fan of coconut.
Sure, I don’t see why not!
Beautiful bars.
But I am writing to invite you to join the group of those that have drop the use of the name Nutella. It is, after all, a commercial brand, a trade mark that ends up being promoted every time we use it.
Nutella is a registered mark, created in the 1960’s to promote the commercial version of what Italians for centuries have called pasta gianduia, or gianduja.
Gianduia is the delicious blend of hazelnut butter, cacao (cocoa in the US) and some sweetener… It can be made many ways and that extra sweet stuff everybody talks about all the time, made with bad, bad oils, a lot of sugar and a little bit of hazelnuts should definitely be left unnamed… Viva la Gianduia!
Just a tip.
Can we use pecans or walnuts instead of hazelnuts?
Yep, I think they’d work too!
Megan these look fabulous! I hope you’re doing well 🙂
Am I missing something. I don’t see nutella as a ingredient !
hazelnuts are used along with cocoa to make nutella.
I’m SO buying hazelnuts next time I go to the store!!!
These look absolutely wonderful, Thank you for sharing! I adore a Medjool date on its own, but not in these type of bars. I know you could add more coconut oil and just omit the dates, but does anyone have a replacement idea for the dates?
More coconut oil would probably make them hold together without the dates, but your guess is as good as mine with how much to use! Please let us know if you have any success!
I am allergic to coconut…what can I substitute? Thanks!
Probably a silly question, but do you have to roast & peel the hazelnuts?
It’s definitely wouldn’t hurt – makes hazelnuts so much yummier:)!
Hi, I had a question about dates. I’ve been wary of using them because of their high GI index. I read that their GI index was 104 per 3 dried dates. What do you think about this?
According to Harvard Health Publications, dried dates — which are higher in sugar than the fresh variety — have a low GI value of 42. Bananas, raisins and watermelon all have significantly higher GIs by comparison. There have also been studies showing that dates have a low GI impact on diabetics.
Thanks for the info! I keep wondering why all of the healthy recipes I’ve been finding all have dates in them, and thought that if they were that bad, they wouldn’t be used. Apparently my information was wrong. Thank you!
I wonder if dried figs or prunes are even lower in GI value….anyone?
Great recipe!:) I love hazelnuts all year round, but especially this time of year. Did you use raw hazelnuts or just regular blanched?:) Thanks so much ! I really enjoy your blog and love your recipes!
Just made these last night and finally had a piece right now! DELICIOUS!! Perfect for an afternoon snack 🙂 Keep the amazing recipes coming!
So so good… Had to make this right now…. Thank you for the yummy recipes
Pls keep them coming
This sounds so yummy! We don’t let our little one have the “real” nutella any more ever since I read it has palm oil in it. Yuck… We have made homemade nutella and it was yummy and he loved it too!! I can’t wait to try this out!
Thank you for this recipe, Megan! I did enjoy Nutella as a kid but have avoided it for many years because of some of the unneeded ingredients, so I’m looking forward to making these :0).
I made these yesterday and they were delicious! But I couldn’t detect any Nutella taste at all 🙁 Any tweak recommendations? I tried it before I put them in the freezer and they were just overly sweet so I added some more cacao, but still not Nutella-tasting.
I was just wondering…is there anything you could use in place of the dates? I LOVE all your recipes…but am having a hard time finding these kind of dates. Thank you.
Raisins might work!
Do you use raw hazelnuts with skin or riast them and take off the skin? Thanks
Mine had the skin on for the most part, and I didn’t notice it in the final result!
I finally made these this afternoon and they are AWESOME!!! But it was no surprise because everything I’ve made of yours has turned out perfect – thanks again 🙂
hugs,
cassidy
These are AMAZING!!!!! 😀
Hi there…I’m looking for a recipe for Hazelnut spread (Nutella)have you ever tried to make it?? Any suggestions would be appreciated:)…love this site, it my first “go to” when looking for new recipes/inspiration:))
I’ve been meaning to make that! I’ll let you know if I have any good results. 🙂
thankyou:)
Hi,
Do you use coconut oil in the hardened state or liquid state?
Thanks,
Sara
Can you use store bought hazelnut meal?
Hi! Can you use a high power blender (like a Vitamix) to make this? I don’t have a food processor. Thank you!