This vegan hazelnut & chocolate "nutella" pudding is rich, chocolaty, smooth, and woven with just the right amount of hazelnut butter to give it that desirable Nutella touch.
After a mild summer (heat-wise at least), September has greeted Chicago with steamy (and I'm talking steeeeamy/sweaty) arms. Ew.
In anticipation apprehension of the heat, I decided to recipe test a pudding idea that had tucked itself away on my growing spreadsheet of recipe concepts. Chilled pudding = a chocolate lover's perfect beat-the-heat treat. A few months back I typed the following into the spreadsheet: nutella pudding. avocado? coconut cream? My past recipe mind puts a little too much faith in my present mind's ability to decipher wobbly specifics. Avocado? Coconut cream? I'm not sure what I was thinking then, but now I think that sounds more like a mousse than a pudding.
So, when I sat down to plot out the specifics of the base for this nutella pudding recipe last Saturday, I decided to do a little vegan pudding research. A quick search in google reminded me of this Chocolate PB Avocado Pudding that Minimalist Baker posted last fall that relies on both avocado and banana to form the rich pudding base. Perfection.
I inverted the ratio of avocado to banana, giving the banana side of the equation a boost to yield a thicker pudding. As an added perk, increasing the amount of banana also means that less sweetener is required, so you can save a pretty penny or two because you'll need less pure maple syrup.
Now for the nutella part. You'll roast â…” cup of raw hazelnuts for a quick 8+ minutes. Then, you'll transfer them to an airtight container, secure the lid, and give them a vigorous shake to release the skins. Add the peeled hazelnuts to a food processor and process for 4 to 5 minutes or until you have a glossy hazelnut butter. Then, add the remaining ingredients -- 2 peeled bananas, 1 ripe avocado, cacao powder, pure maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt -- and process until smooth.
You can enjoy the pudding as is, but I recommend chilling it for at least an hour or two. For a special touch, I added a dollop of whipped coconut cream and chopped hazelnuts.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Hazelnut & Chocolate "Nutella" Pudding
Ingredients
Hazelnut + Chocolate "Nutella" Pudding
- â…” cup raw hazelnuts
- 2 just-ripe bananas, peeled
- 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
- ½ cup raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or more to taste (I use ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional Toppings
- coconut whipped cream
- crushed hazelnuts
- shaved dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spread the hazelnuts out over a small baking tray and toast in oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer to an airtight container and secure the lid. Vigorously shake the container until most of the skins have peeled off of the hazelnuts.
- Transfer the peeled nuts to a food process and discard the skins. Process for 4 to 5 minutes or until smooth and glossy, stopping to scrape down sides every few minutes.
- Add the bananas, avocado, cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Divide between four serving glasses. I recommend chilling the pudding for at least 1 hour for optimal texture; however, you can enjoy it as is if you want an immediate chocolate fix.
- Add desired toppings and serve.
frugalfeeding says
Very impressed that these are vegan, they look fantastic!
Ashley says
Thanks so much!
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
This sounds like a delicious pudding! Love all the healthy ingredients in here--with banana and avocado and all that, it's good for breakfast, eh? :)
Ashley says
Haha! I'm pretty sure one could make a case for this being enjoyed as a breakfast! I certainly wouldn't argue it :)
Celeste Jackson says
I was lucky enough to try this last Sunday and can attest to how delicious this dessert is. I will be making this myself soon.
Ashley says
So glad you enjoyed it so much, mom! :)
Erin says
WOW! I just made a batch and I am scraping the insides of the food processor and eating it directly while the rest chills in the fridge.
Ashley says
Hahaha, that's exactly how I make it -- little for me, little to chill in the fridge. So glad you're enjoying it, Erin! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback :)
Lara says
Hi Ashley,
May I ask you what recipe ZIP widget you use? It looks really good!
Ashley says
Of course, Lara! I use the EasyRecipe plugin with some custom design/color tweaks made on the backend of my style sheet. I hope this helps!
Lara says
Thanks a lot Ashley! Yes it does. Have an outstanding day <3
Jess says
is there a way to reduce sugar and remove syrup and replace with maybe apple sauce or yogurt? what would you recommend and what serving :) thank you!! Jess
Ashley says
Hi, Jess! There might be a way to make this swap (I have a feeling apple sauce is more likely to work than yogurt), but it's really difficult to say since I haven't tested it that way.