If you are a fan of nutty and smooth coffee, chances are hazelnut is one of your favorites. This popular flavor is served in cafes and coffee shops all over the world. You can order it as hot coffee, iced coffee, a cappuccino, and many other options. Hazelnut is also a good candidate for being mixed with alternative ingredients like almond milk.
Nowadays, more and more people are skipping the Starbucks line and enjoying their favorite brews at home. What happens when you like a specialty coffee like hazelnut, though? We have your answer with four incredibly easy recipes!
Making a hazelnut brew is easier than you would think. There are a few ways that you can create this brew depending on whether you like it sweet or a bit bolder. In the article below, we will break down the quick and easy steps for making a delicious hazelnut coffee at home.
Making a Traditional Hazelnut Coffee
Most coffee houses serve hazelnut coffee that is made with a “hazelnut flavored” syrup. While it’s tasty, it can add a lot of sugar, fat, and calories to your morning brew. In addition to that, it’s not the traditional way of making a hazelnut brew.
Making authentic hazelnut coffee is not a hard process. Most of the supplies and ingredients are things you will likely already have on hand.
- Coffee Beans of your choice (light roast is usually preferred)
- Shelled, unsalted hazelnuts
- Milk of choice
- Sweetener of choice
- Optional: Hazelnut extract
- Coffee grinder, spice grinder, or food processor
- French press (or other brewer)
1. Gather the ingredients.
Your first step is to grab your preferred whole-bean coffee. We recommend going with a light roast as it will bring out the flavor. You will also need unsalted hazelnuts as the salt can alter the taste of your coffee. You also want to ensure the nuts have their skin, as a majority of the flavor is in the outer shells. Don’t worry, you won’t find any trace of the skin in your brew. You want to measure out both your beans and nuts. We suggest going with two parts beans and one part nuts. You may have to play around with the ratio until you get the right flavor for you, however.
2. Grind the coffee and hazelnuts.
Add both the beans and hazelnuts to your grinder to ground them together. Keep in mind that hazelnuts will release oil when ground, so you may want to use a dedicated spice grinder or food processor instead of your coffee grinder. Ideally, you want the outcome to be on the coarse side which will help bring out the flavor of the nuts through the beans. Make sure you thoroughly clean your grinder or processor when you’re finished.
3. Brew the coffee.
For this recipe, you can use any brewer that you have on hand. If you have a choice, however, we would suggest going with a French press, as it brings out more of the hazelnut flavor. Place the grounds in the machine and brew as normal.
4. Add milk or sugar (optional).
This last step is completely optional. Many people prefer to drink their hazelnut coffee black without any additional ingredients. That being said, adding some milk and sweetener can lighten it up. Add one or both to a mug and add coffee.
Tasty Tip: If you want to keep your brew as healthy as possible, go for almond milk instead of dairy milk. Not only will it cut the calories and fat, but it also adds another element of nutty goodness. Be sure to heat the almond milk before combining it with the hot coffee or it will separate.
Tasty Tip: If you want a more in-your-face hazelnut flavor, try adding a couple of drops of hazelnut extract to your coffee. Half a tablespoon of maple syrup can also sweeten it up without loading it with sugar. Plus, the two flavors create a smooth and tasty mix.
Making a Coffee House Hazelnut Brew
If you prefer your hazelnut coffee to be sweeter and closer to a desert beverage, sticking with the coffee house version is your best bet. Like the recipe above, it is a no-nonsense process that will have you sipping the brew in quick order.
Gather all of your ingredients along with some of the optional items so you can try out new versions of your favorite coffee flavor.
- Preferred coffee (whole beans or ground)
- Hazelnut syrup (natural if possible)
- Cream or milk
- Sweetener of choice
- Ground cinnamon, whipped cream, Nutella (optional)
- Drip coffee maker or other brewers
- Brew the Coffee – The first step is brewing your coffee. You can go with any type of coffee, but we find a medium roast works best. We also recommend going with a traditional drip coffee maker. You may have to try different coffees to find which one works best, but with this scenario, you can make some for everyone.
- Add Hazelnut Syrup – You can find hazelnut syrup in coffee shops, grocery stores, and online. They are not all made equal, so you may need to try out a few before you find the right one. Once you have brewed your coffee, grab a mug and add two tablespoons of hazelnut syrup to the bottom of your mug. Pour in coffee and stir until well-blended.
- Add Milk and Sugar – Depending on your taste, add cream or milk to give your brew a smooth creamy texture. You can use sweetener, as well. You want to add the sweetener slowly, however. Syrups, even all-natural ones, can be sweet. Try adding half a teaspoon at a time until the desired sweetness is achieved.
Tasty Tip: We prefer to use organic syrup in our hazelnut coffee recipes as it has less sugar and can be used in many other recipes. You can try making your own or take a look at some of our favorite brands.
Tasty Tip: If you want to ramp up your coffee, try a Nutella hazelnut coffee. To make, brew four cups of your favorite coffee. Then, in a large saucepan heat on medium, heat the following: coffee, 1/4 cup of hazelnut syrup, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a pinch of ground cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, add ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of Nutella. Beat rapidly with a whisk until it thickens to a whipped cream texture. Divide coffee into four mugs and add whipped Nutella to the top.
Hazelnut Coffee Recipes
Now that we have covered how to make the two base versions, we also wanted to share the steps to make an iced hazelnut coffee and a hazelnut cappuccino. Both of these are a classic of the flavor and are still easy enough to make in the comfort of your own home.
Hazelnut Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is great during the warmer months, though it can be enjoyed throughout the year. While a hazelnut ice coffee is tasty on its own, we like this mocha version that adds a little something special to the recipe.
- Coffee
- Hazelnuts or hazelnut syrup
- Milk (or half and a half)
- Sweetener
- Chocolate syrup
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy whipping cream
- Lidded container
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Brew coffee. For this recipe, brew 4 cups of coffee in either way outlined above. Once done, transfer to a container with a tight lid and allow to cool to room temperature. Note: If you prefer the syrup, brew your coffee and add the syrup before allowing it to cool.
- Add syrup, milk, and vanilla. Once cool, add ¼ cup chocolate syrup (or 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder), 1 ½ cups of milk, and about 4 drops of vanilla extract to the container. Replace lid and shake rapidly until all of the ingredients are mixed well.
- Make the chocolate whipped topping. In another small bowl, add two teaspoons of sugar or sweetener and a tablespoon of hot water. Mix until sugar is turned into a liquid. Add ¼ cup heavy whipping cream and 1 ½ teaspoon of cocoa to liquid sugar. Whisk briskly until mixtures start to thicken. Place to the side.
- Put it all together. Fill four cups halfway with ice. Pour coffee mixture over ice ¾ full. Add chocolate whipped topping and sprinkle with cocoa powder to garnish.
Hazelnut Cappuccino
If a sweet, fancy coffee such as the one above is not to your liking, a hazelnut cappuccino may be more your speed. For this recipe, we will be making it traditionally, though you can swap out ingredients and steps to suit your needs.
- Light roast coffee beans
- Unsalted, shelled hazelnuts
- Milk of choice
- Sweetener
- Coffee grinder, spice grinder, or food processor
- Espresso machine
- Milk steamer or saucepan
- Grind the beans and brew espresso. The first step is to grind your coffee beans and nuts together as shown above. Keep in mind that hazelnuts are oily when ground, so you may not want to use your coffee grinder for this. A strong blender, food processor, or dedicated spice grinder should do the trick! For a cappuccino, you should have one part espresso and one part milk, though you can choose whether you want a single or double shot. Brew the espresso into a mug and set it aside.
- Steam milk. Next, you will need to create both steamed and frothed milk. Using about a ½ cup of the milk of your choice, you can heat your milk if you have a steamer on hand. Otherwise, in a medium saucepan slowly heat milk on medium stirring often. You don’t want to let the milk come to a boil. Once it’s hot, add half the contents to your espresso.
- Froth milk. With the remaining milk, turn the heat up slightly and use a hand mixer on low to beat milk. Increase the speed slowly as you go until you see a foam-like texture appear. Add the remaining foamed milk to your cup.
All About the Hazelnut
The hazelnut has been around for almost nine millennia. It was originally found in Europe and West Asia, and it comes from the Corylus Avellana tree. Back before brewed coffee was a household beverage, people ate the nuts for their natural sweetness and the health benefits thought to be associated with them.
Over time, the Hazelnut tree expanded to other countries like Scotland where the nuts were eaten in the freezing winters. As meat was harder to come by in the cold winter months, clans would fill up on hazelnuts to keep them full, healthy, and with enough energy to make it through the difficult season.
Although they didn’t know it, the small nut was giving the Scottish people more nutrients than the meat ever could…
Benefits of Hazelnuts
Today, hazelnuts are primarily grown in the United States, Turkey, Poland, and China. While it’s still eaten in its raw form, it’s also popular as an ingredient in candy, butter spread, baked goods, and coffee syrup. That is not the only reason why its popularity has grown, however.
These nuts have a lot of nutritional value that the early Scottish clans were not aware of. Take a look at the benefits that go along with eating this nut:
- Promotes heart health
- Prevents several forms of cancer
- Strengthens muscles
- Nourishes skin
- Good for bone health
- Regulates blood pressure
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves blood sugar levels
All of these health benefits are due to the nutrients in the nut. Although this small snack may be higher in calories, it is packed with antioxidants, protein, omega fatty acids, fiber, vitamin E and B6, and folate.
Traditional Hazelnut Coffee
Equipment
- Coffee grinder, spice grinder, or food processor
- French press (or other brewer)
Ingredients
- 1 ounce whole bean coffee light roast is usually preferred
- 1/2 ounce unsalted hazelnuts shelled
- Milk of choice to taste
- Sweetener of choice to taste
- Hazelnut extract optional
Instructions
- Your first step is to grab your preferred whole bean coffee. We recommend going with a light roast as it will bring out the flavor. You will also need unsalted hazelnuts as the salt can alter the taste of your coffee. You also want to ensure the nuts have their skin, as a majority of the flavor is in the outer shells. Don’t worry, you won’t find any trace of the skin in your brew. You want to measure out both your beans and nuts. We suggest going with two parts beans and one part nuts. You may have to play around with the ratio until you get the right flavor for you, however.
- Add both the beans and hazelnuts to your grinder to be ground together. Ideally, you want the outcome to be on the coarse side which will help bring out the flavor of the nuts through the beans.
- Brew the coffee. For this recipe, you can use any brewer that you have on hand. If you have a choice, however, we would suggest going with a French press, as it brings out more of the hazelnut flavor. Place the grounds in the machine and brew as normal.
- Add milk or sugar (optional). Many people prefer to drink their hazelnut coffee black without any additional ingredients. That being said, adding some milk and sweetener can lighten it up. Add one or both to a mug and add coffee.
Notes
Nutrition
The Bottom Line
Hazelnut coffee is one of the most popular and tasty beverages, and making it at home is simple as long as you know what steps to take. We hope this article has helped you find the right recipe for you and given you some ideas on how to make a unique coffee with this flavorful nut.
OTHER GREAT READS:
- 5 Best Hazelnut Coffee Brands: Our Top Picks & Reviews
- How to Make New Orleans Cold Brew
- 6 Festive St Patrick’s Day Coffee Recipes
Featured Image: tjstudio, Pixabay
