Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus with Hazelnut

If you love the taste of a certain popular chocolate and hazelnut spread, but don’t like the chemicals and added sugar, you’re in for a treat with my Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus with Hazelnut.

Wait, did I just say “dessert hummus” …? Yes, I did! And if you haven’t tried it, well, your dessert game is about to totally change just in time for Valentine’s Day!

So, let’s answer the obvious question: What is dessert hummus and how is it different from regular hummus?

Like traditional hummus, dessert hummus is also made from chickpeas. But instead of featuring common hummus ingredients such as lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic, dessert hummus typically includes sweeter ingredients such as chocolate, maple syrups or honey, and vanilla.

The best feature of this Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus with Hazelnut is that you get all the sweet indulgence you love without the highly inflammatory table sugar and added calories. Plus, there are some pretty amazing health benefits.

For example, chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. Plus, they’re known to support satiety and help reduce in-between-meal snacking.

A 2010 study followed 42 participants and discovered that when they supplemented their diets with chickpeas, they reported eating less junk foods, feeling more satisfied, and having improved bowel function. [1]

Additionally, the cocoa powder in this Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus with Hazelnut contains antioxidants known as polyphenols.

Polyphenols have been shown to support healthy blood sugar levels, promote healthy weight management and satiety, fight inflammation and resulting inflammatory diseases (such as diabetes and heart disease), and even boost both energy levels and mood!

For these reasons, cocoa, while commonly eaten today as an indulgent treat, has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes! [2] You can read all about the many health benefits of dark chocolate here.

So, at this point you’re likely wondering what goes with dark chocolate hummus. Well, the great thing about this dark chocolate dessert hummus is that it tastes great with just about anything.

From pretzels (for a salty infusion) to fruit for a nice extra sweet kick, it’s absolutely delicious. I’m even guilty of eating it directly from the spoon!

Give it a try and treat yourself (or wow your loved one!), and let me know how you prefer to eat it!

 

Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus with Hazelnut

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

 

 

Ingredients

½ cup raw hazelnuts

1¼ cup unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tahini

½ cup pure maple syrup

? cup unsweetened raw cacao or cocoa powder

3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extracted

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon vegan mini chocolate chips

 

Directions

1. In a skillet, warm the hazelnuts over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant and golden.

2. Transfer the hazelnuts to a cutting board and roughly chop. Set aside about 1 tablespoon of the chopped hazelnuts for topping. Transfer the remaining chopped hazelnuts to the food processor.

3. Add the chickpeas, tahini, maple syrup, cacao, almond milk, vanilla, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.

4. Transfer to a bowl. Top with the reserved hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Enjoy with fresh fruit, crackers, or directly from a spoon.