NUTELLA BALLS
Ingredients:
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (Anna used dark cocoa, I just used what I had which was regular)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (I was out of oil, so I used butter!)
- 5 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon flax meal, (optional, but highly recommended)
- pinch of salt
Directions from Anna:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Place hazelnuts on a rimmed cookie sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
In a food processor, add all ingredients – including the hazelnuts – and blend until the nuts are pretty much not nut-like anymore. The mixture should be thick.
- Line another cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop onto it heaping tablespoon-sized dollops of the mixture.
- Eat warm, but I advise refrigerating beforehand. Will make them turn out more like balls. Keep cold and should last all week, (if you don’t eat them first!)
For starters…it made them messy:
Secondly, 2-year-old Katie’s first reaction was to tell me, “They not taste very good, Mama,” and politely set it back on the counter, without having even bitten into it.
The cocoa powder on the outside was too bitter to her, and even to me & Suzy, the insides just aren’t sweet enough to quite counteract the bitterness of the cocoa.
Once you start chewing, it’s not a big deal. You get the deliciousness of the insides.
I cut one in half and persuaded Katie to try again. She still wasn’t too sure, but she ate the whole thing, so I’m sure when I make them again, (and leave them alone!) she will be much more enthusiastic!
My cocoa-powder-fail aside, these are great treats, and come at a perfect time for us!
I just embarked on a 3 (or maybe 4 if I can make it!) week trial of no dairy and reduced white sugar for Katie.
If I get myself some canola oil before I make them next time so I don’t use butter, these will qualify!
Yay!
Thanks, Anna!
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
They look delish! I am going to be making some! Thanks for sharing!
Ooh…nice. At first, I though these were made with Nutella, which I adore but try to stay away from. What a great alternative! My boy isn't into chocolate (and neither is my husband. Crazy, huh?) but this sounds like a treat for mama!
Thanks for linking up!
…forgot to add, I love that these include flaxseed!
These sound fabulous! I absolutely must try them! I bet coconut oil would be a fabulous substitute for the butter, too. I'll have to give it a try and report back
Stopping by from Titus 2sdays. When I read Nutella balls my first thought was oh how I love nutella (which I haven't had in a LONG time) and NUTELLA- that isn't heathly but I was pleasantly surprised! I want to make these! I agree with Melissa, coconut oil may worth really well & it's a helathy fat.
I wanted to invite you to a recently new link up called Healthy 2day Wednesdays for sharing ideas, tips, recipes, going "green" ideas, natural remedies, etc. I'd love for you to add this post!
mmmm, I love Nutella, these look good! I wonder about dusting them with powdered sugar instead of cocoa? I bet the coconut oil would be good to. will have to try these if I ever get a food processer! Thanks! Found you from the Raising Homemakers link up.
I almost didn't click over, because I was sure there was no way to make nutella healthy. I'm so glad I did. These look amazing.
Yum, I shouldn’t make these….
Mmmm…
I need to try these. My boy is crazy about Nutella, so it would be great to up the nutritional value with extra hazelnuts and flax.
I love Nutella- this sounds great!!
As soon as I saw the title of this post I knew I was going to have to warm up the printer since my kids love nutella sandwiches almost more than they love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! Which is saying a whole lot in my house lol because we are all nutso for pb&j’s!
these look good (plus it made me remember when my son discovered that when you suck the ‘dirt’ off the truffles the insides taste good).
Might I suggest you try macadamia or hazelnut oil instead of canola since you are trying to keep these healthy? You could try avocado oil or coconut oil as well. HTH.
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Oh, these sound beyond yummy! My children are HUGE Nutella fans so I cannot wait to try these!!
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Thanks for the great healthy ideas. That look on her face is precious!! You are for sure treating your family to some great healthy items.