Homemade Ferrero Rocher (Hazelnut Truffles)

Hazelnut chocolate will forever be one of my guilty pleasures, and these homemade Ferrero Rocher truffles combine all the flavors I love in bite-sized packages. All you need are 8 ingredients for dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, hazelnut truffles that can be also made refined sugar-free!

Rich And Creamy Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

Before I turned vegan, Ferrero Rocher were one of my favorite ‘guilty pleasure’ treats. With the smooth, creamy chocolate hazelnut filling and crunch of the hazelnut- what’s not to love?

So after too long without this delicious treat, I’ve made my very own vegan version of hazelnut bliss balls. Without dairy and gluten, these homemade Ferrero Rocher chocolate truffle balls are a sweet treat that is quite inexpensive.

What Are Ferrero Rochers?

They are little candy balls with a hazelnut ‘heart’. This is then surrounded by a creamy hazelnut filling (similar to ‘Nutella’), a thin wafer shell, and covered with chocolate and roasted hazelnut pieces.

This popular candy is from the Italian manufacturer FERRERO S.p.A. who also produces ‘Raffaello’ Coconut Truffles (another favorite of mine!). If you love coconut, don’t miss to check out my Coconut Balls Recipe.

The original Ferrero Rocher ingredients aren’t vegan, as they include milk powder, concentrated butter, and whey powder. Therefore, I’ve created my own vegan copycat version!

The Ingredients

These hazelnut truffles are filled with healthy raw cacao, and good fats, and can be made without refined sugar. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients:

Cacao Powder: Is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Not to mention rich in other vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It can improve heart health, lower blood pressure, and it can even boost our mood.

Hazelnuts: Are absolutely loaded with healthy fats and omega fatty acids, as well as fiber, vitamin A, manganese, and copper. They are also a great source of antioxidants with possibly anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammatory properties, and can benefit heart health.

Coconut Oil: Contains healthy fatty acids such as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Coconut oil also may have antimicrobial effects, can raise good cholesterol levels (HDL), improve digestion, and possibly even boost brain function. It’s also good for your teeth, skin, and hair.

The Crispy Element

The only element I haven’t included in these homemade Ferrero Rocher is the crispy wafer shell. Unfortunately, this element isn’t easy to source or make at home.

In some countries, you can buy the round wafer shells, but they are often neither vegan nor gluten-free. There is the option of finding gluten-free wafer biscuit, or ice-cream cones.

I decided to omit a ‘crisp’ element for these hazelnut truffles. Therefore, they now taste quite similar to ‘Ferrero Kuesschen’ (which was also one of my favorite candies). However, if you are missing the ‘crunch’ factor, then you could try:

Puffed Brown Rice
OR
Puffed Quinoa

Simply crush them up a bit and pour them into the melted chocolate along with the hazelnut pieces. That way, you’ll still get a crispy crunch element as you bite into the truffles.

How To Make This Homemade Ferrero Rocher Recipe

If you thought making truffles was complicated, don’t worry, it’s not! All that’s required is blending ingredients, rolling the balls, melting chocolate, and coating – simple! This recipe is practically foolproof.

Step One: First, set aside 14 hazelnuts, for the center of your hazelnut chocolate truffles (you’ll need 12-14, depending on the size you make the balls). Then, process the remaining hazelnuts in a blender/food processor for a few seconds, into coarse chunks. Set aside.

Step Two: Add all the Rocher mixture ingredients to the blender/food processor and blend for a few seconds. Stop the machine scraping down the sides with a spatula, then pulse for a further few seconds. You want to end up with a slightly sticky, formable mixture.

Step Three: Use around 1 tsp of the mixture per ball. Add a hazelnut to the center of each ball, and then seal and roll in your hands to smooth the ball shape. Then place each completed ball onto a plate

Step Four: Melt the dairy-free chocolate chips (or dark chocolate) using the double boiler method; in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Bring the water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Meanwhile, stir the chocolate until fully melted.

Step Five: Add the chopped hazelnuts to the melted chocolate and stir with a spoon. Dip each bliss ball into the chocolate coating entirely and then place it back on the plate.

Step Six: Chill the balls to fully set, either in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 15. Once chilled, enjoy!

For the full ingredients list, ingredient measurements, and nutritional information (calories, etc.), then please read the printable recipe card below.

This Recipe Is:

• Vegan (dairy-free & egg-free)
• Refined sugar-free (if using sugar-free chocolate)
• Gluten-free
• No-bake
• Easy to make
• Perfect for a guilt-free snack or treat!

Storing Instructions

Store these homemade vegan Ferrero Rocher truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to four months.

Before eating, simply remove one from the freezer and allow it to soften up for about 10-15 minutes.

Useful Recipe Tips & Variations:

• Rather than adding the chopped hazelnuts to the melted chocolate, you could put them in a bowl/plate. Dip the hazelnut truffle balls in the melted chocolate, then immediately roll over the ground nuts.
• Feel free to swap out the maple for brown rice syrup, date syrup, agave syrup, or any other liquid sweetener.
• Make the recipe keto-friendly or low-carb by using a powdered granulated sweetener like Erythritol (e.g. Swerve) instead of maple syrup. Add a little more nut butter to compensate for the missing liquid of the maple syrup.
• I used dairy-free semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. You can use regular-sized chocolate chips or even a bar of chocolate. Just measure the amount in grams. Use sugar-free chocolate for a keto/low carb version.
• Hazelnut butter will taste best in this recipe. However, if you’re finding it hard to source, then swap it out with another nut or seed butter. I.e., almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter.

More Tips:

• You could also make homemade hazelnut butter. You’ll need to make a larger batch (around 1 ½-2 cups of hazelnuts or 300 grams), and have a high-speed blender or good food processor, for it to work well. Simply roast the hazelnuts lightly for 8-10 minutes at 350F, leave to cool slightly, and process in the machine until a smooth butter. Give your machine a break every 2-3 minutes, as this process can take a while.
• Use raw or roasted hazelnuts. Roasted hazelnuts will intensify the nutty flavor and add extra flavor.
• To intensify the chocolate flavor, you can add a small amount of espresso powder. It adds extra depths of flavor to the cacao.

If you enjoy bite-size/individual portion style treats, make sure to also check out my Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies, Vegan Coconut Cups, 5-Ingredient Bliss Balls, and Chocolate Stuffed Cookies.

If you give this homemade vegan Ferrero Rocher recipe a try, I would really appreciate a comment and rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan.

Homemade Ferrero Rocher

Author: Michaela Vais

Hazelnut chocolate will forever be one of my guilty pleasures, and these homemade Ferrero Rocher truffles combine all the flavors I love in bite-sized packages. All you need are 8 ingredients for dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, hazelnut truffles that can be also made refined sugar-free!

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Chill time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 14

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients

 

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Rocher Mixture:

• 3/4 cup (110 g) whole hazelnuts (reserve 14 nuts)
• 1/4 cup (60 g) hazelnut butter or nut/seed butter of choice (*see notes)
• 2 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp coconut oil melted
• 2 tbsp (40 g) maple syrup (*see notes)
• Pinch of sea salt

Chocolate Mixture:

• 1/3 cup (75 g) mini chocolate chips dairy-free (*see notes)
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 2-3 tbsp hazelnuts chopped

Instructions

 

• You can watch the short video for visual instructions.

  Set aside 14 whole hazelnuts for the center of each ball. You might not need all of them, it depends on the size of the balls (the recipe makes 12-14 balls). Process the remaining whole hazelnuts in a food processor for a couple of seconds until they are coarse but not fine like flour.
• Add all other ingredients of the Rocher Mixture (not the Chocolate Mixture) and blend again for a couple of seconds. Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides of the machine with a spatula. Blend or pulse again for a few seconds. The mixture should hold together and be slightly sticky.
• Use about 1 tsp of the mixture per ball and shape it with your hands to form a ball. Place a whole hazelnut into the center and seal the ball, then roll it between your hands. Make this with the remaining dough. Place all balls on a plate lined with parchment paper.
• Add the dairy-free chocolate chips (you can use dark chocolate instead) and 1 tsp coconut oil to a bowl. Heat water in a saucepan and place the bowl with the chocolate on top of the saucepan (double boiler). Bring the water in the saucepan to a boil, then turn off the heat. Stir the chocolate with a spoon until it's melted.
• Transfer the chopped hazelnuts to the chocolate and stir with a spoon. Then dip each Ferrero Rocher ball into the chocolate to coat it from all sides. Do this with all remaining balls and then put them back on the plate.
• Put the plate in the fridge until the balls firm up (about 30 minutes). You can also put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Notes

Video Of The Recipe

 

• Hazelnut butter will taste the best in this recipe but since it's hard to get, it's also fine if you use any other nut or seed butter like almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.
• You can also make your own hazelnut butter (check the Tips & Variations above).
• Feel free to use any other liquid sweetener such as brown rice syrup, date syrup coconut syrup, agave syrup, etc.
• Read the Tips & Variations if you want to make this recipe keto friendly/low carb.
• I prefer dairy-free semi-sweet or refined sugar-free mini chocolate chips. You can use regular-sized chocolate chips (use the measurement in grams) or a bar of chocolate.
• Check the step-by-step photos in the blog post above.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Ferrero Rocher

Amount per Serving

Calories

120

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

9

g

14

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

15

%

Carbohydrates

 

8

g

3

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

5

g

6

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Equipment

Food processor*

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