Plant-Based Hazelnut-Cacao Nut Milk

BY Maria Hesse
October 13, 2021

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Here's a healthier way to scratch that hazelnut-chocolate itch

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Making a multitude of nut milks at home is easy, so long as you have a blender and a nut milk bag. I started experimenting with my own almond milk recipe years ago, then pistachio and macadamia–and some of them, like cashew and walnut, don’t even need to be strained. When I got to hazelnut, a voice chimed in my head and said, “Add a scoop of cacao powder now.”

I obliged that inner-calling and can testify that this resulting plant-based milk recipe was sent from heaven.

I find it’s a perfect treat for Friday movie nights, especially when paired with Golden Popcorn (melt a few dashes of turmeric with a plant-based butter like Miyoko’s or grass-fed butter, and pour it over fresh popcorn with salt and pepper to taste for a healthy twist on the yellow popcorn that sells for a tiny fortune at the movie theater).

Ingredients

Serves 2-4

1 cup hazelnuts, raw or roasted without salt works
4 cups water
3 tablespoons cacao powder*, or more to taste
2–3 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste
Dash of cinnamon, optional
*Cocoa powder works fine too.

Instructions

In a large bowl, cover hazelnuts with a generous amount of water and refrigerate overnight.
Drain hazelnuts and add to blender with 3 ½ to 4 cups water, cacao powder, and maple syrup. Blend until hazelnuts are finely ground, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour blender contents through a nut milk bag into a large pitcher or bowl to strain hazelnut pulp.
Chill and give it a good stir or shake before serving, or blend with a bit of ice to make it frothy. Keeps well covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you may want to double or triple the recipe.

Maria Hesse

Maria Hesse is the executive editor and designer of Edible San Diego. Her interest in functional arts led to a degree in interior design, which inspires her passion to be an advocate for sustainable living through food. She enjoys balcony gardening and designing crochet patterns in her downtime. Find her @mariafromediblesd and @waysidestudiowest on Instagram.