This creamy, DIY vegan chocolate milk is something special because it’s like Nutella in a glass. We know! Exciting stuff. It’s the real deal but without the dairy and refined sugar. Plus, it’s a bit more sophisticated than your average chocolate milk thanks to the nutty complexity of hazelnuts. And it’s super chocolaty thanks to cocoa or cacao powder.
Bonus perk? Just 5 ingredients required and it’s naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup for more wholesome indulgence. Let us show you how it’s done!
It starts with soaking hazelnuts and medjool dates to soften them before blending. The hazelnuts provide a rich and creamy base while the dates add natural sweetness.
Blending with filtered water helps to optimize freshness.
And straining through a nut milk bag separates the pulp from the creamy hazelnut milk.
Then it’s added back to a rinsed blender along with sea salt for flavor, maple syrup for additional sweetness, and cocoa or cacao powder for a chocolaty element. A little vanilla extract is a delicious (but optional) addition.
We hope you LOVE this chocolate hazelnut milk! It’s:
Creamy
Nutty
Chocolaty
Refreshing
Perfectly sweet
& Reminiscent of Nutella!
Enjoy it hot or cold on its own or mixed with coffee or hot chocolate. It’s great in the mornings or as an afternoon pick-me-up.
More Homemade Dairy-Free Milk Recipes
- Creamy Black Sesame Milk
- Chocolate Cherry Almond Milk
- Super Thick DIY Chocolate Almond Milk
- How to Make Macadamia Milk
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Creamy Chocolate Hazelnut Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts
- 3 large medjool dates, pitted
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
Instructions
- Add hazelnuts and pitted dates to a small heat-safe bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- After 30 minutes, drain the hazelnuts and dates and add them to a high-speed blender along with the filtered water. Blend until creamy and smooth. Keep the blender running for at least 1-2 minutes so you get the most out of your hazelnuts.
- Strain using a nut milk bag or our favorite trick — a thin dish towel. Simply lay a clean dish towel over a mixing bowl, pour over the hazelnut milk, carefully gather the corners, and lift up. Then squeeze until all of the liquid is extracted. Discard pulp, or save for adding to baked goods. Find more inspiration for the pulp here.
- Rinse the blender and pour the strained hazelnut milk back into it. Add the salt, maple syrup (starting with the lesser amount), vanilla (optional), and cocoa powder (or cacao powder). Blend until well combined — about 1 minute. Taste and adjust if desired, adding more maple syrup for sweetness or cocoa powder for chocolaty goodness.
- Transfer milk to a jar or bottle, seal, and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 4-5 days, though best within the first 1-3 days. Shake well before drinking, as it tends to separate. Enjoy hot or cold on its own, or mixed with your morning coffee or hot chocolate!
Video
Notes
*Recipe as written makes ~4 cups hazelnut milk.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Julia says
Oh my God its so delicious. Thanks
Yay! We’re so glad you love this one, Julia! xoxo
Meghan says
I’ve made this so many times – it’s really delicious and addictive! Really refreshing and just the right amount of creaminess. I have to say that it’s so nice that dietary restrictions I have recently discovered have not closed off good food, but have instead opened up a whole new world of flavors and ideas — this site has been my go-to for incredible food/drink possibilities. Thanks for all your hard work producing such great recipes! It’s made a big difference in my life.
AW, this is SO sweet, Meghan! We’re so glad to hear our recipes have made a difference! Thank you for your kind words! xoxo
Meg says
This is so delicious. I have made it at least half a dozen times and it is hands down one of my fave treats (and it’s so healthy!).
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Meg! It’s one of our favorite treats too! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Fanny says
Nutella in a cup, made healthier… This is so easy and delicious! I wish I tried it sooner. I did add about a tbsp more maple syrup and cacao powder, I like it rich!
Will be making this recipe again and again from now on. Thank you!
YES – such a great description, Fanny! So glad you enjoyed it! xo
Judith says
Sooo yummy, thanks for the amazing recipe! :-)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Judith! Thank you for the lovely review!
Michele Whitney says
Super easy and very delicious. I told my picky 7-year-old that I was making him nutella hot chocolate, and he LOVED this heated up. It’s been an hour and he’s still coming back to tell me what a cool mama I am. I’ll be keeping this as a staple in the fridge.
Aw, we love to hear this! Such a great idea to heat it up – yum! Thanks for the lovely review, Michele!
Kendall Stark says
Oh holy moly!!! I just took a sip of this and it’s awesome!!!! I let the nuts and dates (not medjool, not sure of the variety) soak overnight and let the final mixture chill all day. This is superb, and I’ll be trying it tomorrow with coffee for sure.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kendall =) Thank you for sharing! xo
Mama Katie says
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made this a few times and find that my taste buds prefer 2T of maple syrup. Seriously, since cutting out dairy in my diet, this has been a pleasant treat to have. My husband enjoys it added to his coffee too! And my 5 year old likes it warmed up and calls it her hot cocoa. I highly recommend this to anyone and always have it on hand to offer when friends and family come over.
Aw, love that! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it. Thank you for sharing, Katie! xo
Shellie says
Thanks for a delicious recipe. We’ll be making it again this weekend.
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review, Shellie. Glad you enjoyed! xo
Britt H. says
This was my very first time making nut milk and it turned out great! Super easy and the result is smooth and very nutty. Next time I’d maybe add a bit more cacao and maple syrup (I went with the full amounts in the recipe) since I’m a big chocolate lover, but otherwise it’s delicious.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Britt! Thank you for sharing!
Jenny Pompilio says
I’m going to make this, thanks for the inspiration! I might soak the dates separately and use their soak water (as part of the added water); since it is so sweet seems a shame not to use it?
You can definitely do it that way! We tested it and it worked great, but decided to simplify the recipe.
Angelika says
This looks so yummy! I wonder if I could make this is the almond cow?! I just got one
We haven’t experimented with one, but we don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let us know if you try it!
Michelle McClintock says
Why do you have to add salt to the chocolate mix? I don’t see the reason behind it anymore than I see a need to put salt on caramel.
Hi Michelle, we find it enhances the flavors. Feel free to leave it out, if preferred.
Emily says
Do you have any suggestions for using nut/date pulp after straining? This looks delicious!
Hi Emily, you can find inspiration here. Hope that helps!
simon bucknell says
this is one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes i have ever followed…. it tastes as good as it sounds
ps i use agave instead of maple syrup
Aw, yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Simon. Thank you for sharing!
June says
Just made this as soon as I got your email. I had exactly one cup of hazelnuts on hand too. It was fantastic! The best nut milk I’ve ever made. I think it would be cheaper than store bought milk too. Have you ever calculated the cost? Whatever, it’s tastier and so much healthier than anything you can buy. Thank you so much.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, June! Thank you for sharing! We haven’t calculated the cost on this one.
Stephanie says
As with all your contributions this recipe looks delish!! Question! Why not use the soaking water in the pureeing step? Is there something I don’t appreciate about the soak water that makes it suboptimal for drinking? Thanks 🙂
Hi Stephanie, we recommend discarding the soaking water because soaking removes phytic acid (which can block nutrient absorption). It’s not essential though. Hope that helps!
Kirstin Ritchie says
Can you use roasted hazelnuts?
Yes!