Chocolate Hazelnut Bombs—World Nutella Day

I couldn’t forget that today is World Nutella Day.  Unfortunately, I’m not eating Nutella right now (no sugar for me).  I know, SO SAD.  If it will help my health, it’s all worth it, right?  I still just HAD to make something with that chocolate-hazelnut combination, so I whipped up some quick, healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Bombs.  They are the bomb, hence the name.

These are a perfect treat for me (and anyone else!).  They happen to be refined sugar free, gluten free, grain free (which means Paleo), but they certainly have that taste to remind me of Nutella deliciousness. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Bombs (Grain Free, Refined Sugar Free, Paleo), by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

2 cups hazelnuts

4 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

3/4 cup pitted dates (chopped to check for any seeds!)

2-3 tablespoons raw honey (to taste)

2 tablespoons almond milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put hazelnuts on baking sheet spread in one layer.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Let cool slightly.  Remove as much of the skins as possible by putting the nuts on a towel, wrapping it up and squeezing the nuts inside the towel.  Most of the skins will come off.  You don’t need to worry about the stubborn skins. 

When the nuts are separated from the skins, put them in a food processor.  Pulse until the nuts are coarsely ground.  Add the dates and continue pulsing until it starts to combine.  Add the cacao/cocoa powder and one tablespoons of honey and pulse until all combined and the nuts break down even more.  Add another tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of almond milk.  Pulse again and check for consistency.  The mixture will start to ball up around the blade.  Taste and decide if you’d like a bit more honey and/or almond milk to combine it all together.  Roll in to about one inch balls.  Makes 16-20.  Keep refrigerated if you’re not eating them.

Check out all my World Nutella Day posts from years past. 

2013--Chocolate Hazelnut Nutella Cookies (Some of these were sandwiches with Nutella, like in the photo.)

2012--Pretzel Nutella Chunk Cookies and Nutella Frosted Nutella Brownies

2011--Nutella Banana Oatmeal and Nutella Truffle Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

2010—I missed it!

2009--Chocolate Graham Cracker Nutella S'mores

Sheesh, after looking at all these Nutella treats, I need to go have one or ten of my Chocolate Hazelnut Bombs.

Check out World Nutella Day on Facebook and Twitter #nutelladay and other social media sites.