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Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract

★★★★★★★★★★
4.2 stars, average of 65 ratings

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Food extracts can be full of unwanted sugar and other additives such as propylene glycol. The good news is that it's very easy to make your own.

This recipe was adapted from PurpleFoodie. Instead of sugar, I used Erythritol, a healthy low-carb sweetener.

Roasting hazelnuts and infusing them in alcohol really works! Although the original recipe calls for 3-4 weeks, you will be surprised how much of amazing flavour you can get in just 2 weeks.

This hazelnut extract is such a great edible gift, especially if you put it in a cute jar or bottle. And here's a tip for a fun festive drink: Add some heavy whipping cream to transform this into a creamy hazelnut liqueur!

Here's what you'll need to make hazelnut extract at home:

  • jar with sealable lid
  • cheesecloth and sieve
  • small glass bottle with lid (~ 350 ml/ 11.8 fl oz)
  • blender

Note: Although carbs, fat and protein are at zero, don't forget there's also alcohol and most calories in this recipe come from alcohol.

Hands-on Overall

Serving size 1 tbsp/ 15 ml

Allergy information for Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract

✔  Gluten free
✔  Dairy free
✔  Egg free
✔  Nightshade free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Coconut free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free
✔  Beef free
Pescatarian
Low FODMAP
Vegetarian

Nutritional values (per 1 tbsp/ 15 ml)

Net carbs0.1 grams
Protein0.3 grams
Fat1 grams
Calories37 kcal
Calories from carbs 5%, protein 9%, fat 86%
Total carbs0.3 gramsFiber0.2 gramsSugars0.1 gramsSaturated fat0.1 gramsSodium0 mg(0% RDA)Magnesium3 mg(1% RDA)Potassium12 mg(1% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 1 small bottle)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). Toast the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes. Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract
  2. Cut the vanilla beans lenghtwise and scrape the seeds out. While the hazelnuts are still hot, transfer them into a glass jar and top with vanilla seeds. Add vodka and the vanilla beans to the jar. Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract
  3. Infuse for 2-4 weeks. The longer you leave it, the more intense the flavour will be. After 2-4 weeks, remove the vanilla beans and drain the hazelnuts. Reserve the extract. Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract
  4. Transfer the hazelnuts into a blender. Pulse 3-4 times until roughly chopped and place them into a pot. Add water and bring to boil for a minute. Remove from the heat and press the hazelnuts through a sieve, to remove any remaining fluids. Mix it with the rest of the extract. Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract
  5. Pour the extract through a sieve (ideally also cheesecloth) to remove any pieces left. You can discard the chopped hazelnuts. If you prefer the extract clear, you can use a cheesecloth on top of the sieve to remove even the smallest pieces. Don't push it through, just let it drip slowly.
    Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract
  6. Add low-carb sweetener of choice (if any) and mix in well. If you are using Erythritol, don't forget to powder it first. Erythritol does not dissolve well unless heated or powdered. Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract
  7. Pour the hazelnut extract into a glass jar that has been sterilised in hot water and seal well. Shake well before use just like vanilla extract. Store in the fridge up to 6 months. Homemade Sugar-Free Hazelnut Extract

Homemade Hazelnut Extract
Step by Step

★★★★★★★★★★
4.2 stars, average of 65 ratings
Homemade Hazelnut Extract
An easy way to make hazelnut extract at home. No sugar, no propylene glycol, no nasties!
Hands on15m
Overall28d
Servings20
Calories37 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). Toast the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cut the vanilla beans lenghtwise and scrape the seeds out. While the hazelnuts are still hot, transfer them into a glass jar and top with vanilla seeds. Add vodka and the vanilla beans to the jar.
  3. Infuse for 2-4 weeks. The longer you leave it, the more intense the flavour will be. After 2-4 weeks, remove the vanilla beans and drain the hazelnuts. Reserve the extract.
  4. Transfer the hazelnuts into a blender. Pulse 3-4 times until roughly chopped and place them into a pot. Add water and bring to boil for a minute. Remove from the heat and press the hazelnuts through a sieve, to remove any remaining fluids. Mix it with the rest of the extract.
  5. Pour the extract through a sieve (ideally also cheesecloth) to remove any pieces left. You can discard the chopped hazelnuts. If you prefer the extract clear, you can use a cheesecloth on top of the sieve to remove even the smallest pieces. Don't push it through, just let it drip slowly.
  6. Add low-carb sweetener of choice (if any) and mix in well. If you are using Erythritol, don't forget to powder it first. Erythritol does not dissolve well unless heated or powdered.
  7. Pour the hazelnut extract into a glass jar that has been sterilised in hot water and seal well. Shake well before use just like vanilla extract. Store in the fridge up to 6 months.

Nutrition (per 1 tbsp/ 15 ml)

Calories37kcal
Net Carbs0.1g
Carbohydrates0.3g
Protein0.3g
Fat1g
Saturated Fat0.1g
Fiber0.2g
Sugar0.1g
Sodium0mg
Magnesium3mg
Potassium12mg

Detailed nutritional breakdown (per 1 tbsp/ 15 ml)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Total per 1 tbsp/ 15 ml
0.1 g0.3 g1 g37 kcal
Vanilla extract, sugar-free, alcohol-based
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Vodka, distilled alcoholic beverage (~40% vol)
0 g0 g0 g26 kcal
Water, still
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Hazelnuts, nuts, unblanched
0.1 g0.3 g1 g11 kcal

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Martina Slajerova
Creator of KetoDietApp.com

Martina Slajerova

I changed the way I ate in 2011, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I had no energy, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

That’s when I decided to quit sugar, grains, and processed foods, and to start following a whole-foods-based ketogenic approach to food.

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Comments (13)

Im just wondering why you chop the nurs and add them back in just to take them right back out again?

It's to infuse the extract with more flavor. You can stop at step 3 and then just discard the nuts. This would result in less concentrated but less cloudy extract.

I made this and it was potent.
Shouldn’t the alcohol have been burnt off?
Everything else was great, but I could only taste vodka

Hi Maria, you will definitely taste the vodka - same with vanilla extract. It depends how you plan to use it. If you want to use it as a liqueur then this is a better way: Homemade Low-Carb Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur

Nice recipe thanks it turned out real good. Rather than discarding the nuts I used them in a chocolate chip cookie recipe very tasty

Thank you Jeremy, will have to try!

I'm wondering if sweetener is needed? I do not want a syrup, just an extract.

Hi Venus, the sweetener is optional so it is not needed 😊

HI Martina
This sounds great. I would love to try it out. Thanks for sharing.

Seems as if more flavor would be extracted if the nuts & beans were chopped in blender before adding the alcohol.

I think that it won't make much difference (keeping them in alcohol for 2-4 weeks should be enough) but you can give it a try and let me know 😊

I made a batch 4 weeks ago and tried it in low-carb pancakes today. I also used hazelnut flour in my pancakes and this extract gives it a nice flavour boost!

Thank you Julie, glad you liked it!😊