Homemade Vegan Ferrero Rocher

This homemade version is vegan, gluten-free, no-bake and easy to make with 7 simple ingredients. The process is beginner-friendly and requires no no fancy techniques.

They’re delicious as an everyday treat, make a great edible gift and are perfect for special occasions. For gifting, you can even go the extra mile and use gold foil candy wrappers just like the store-bought variety.

These homemade Nut Clusters, Easy Vegan Turtles, Homemade Butterfinger, Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs and Homemade Mounds Bars Recipe all make great gifts too.

Recipe Highlights

• Vegan (dairy-free).
• Gluten-free.
• No-bake.
• 7 ingredients.
• Easy to make.
• No blender or food processor needed.

Ingredients

• Almond Butter: For more hazelnut flavour, homemade or store-bought hazelnut butter can be used in place of almond butter. See section below on how to make your own hazelnut butter. Alternatively, any other nut or seed butter could be used.
• Cocoa Powder: You can use any cocoa powder or cacao powder you enjoy.
• Maple Syrup: You can use any liquid sweetener you enjoy here, such as brown rice syrup or agave syrup. Do not substitute a granulated sweetener. If you’d prefer not to use maple syrup, see the alternative recipes for the fudge balls, all of which are made from dates.
• Hazelnuts (Filberts): You’ll need whole hazelnuts for the centres and chopped hazelnuts for coating. Blanched, unsalted roasted or raw hazelnuts work. You can also make your own toasted hazelnuts to enhance the flavor.
• Chocolate: I used dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate but you can use any milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
• Coconut Oil: This helps to thin the chocolate so it’s easier to coat the truffles. Plant-based butter works as a substitute.

Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

Variations & Additions

• For more hazelnut flavor, you can add a few drops of hazelnut extract to the truffles.
• Add 1-2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder to the fudge mixture to enhance the chocolate flavour.
• To enhance the flavor of the hazelnuts, you can roast them on a pan in the oven at 350 F for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.
• Ferrero Rocher also has a layer of wafer. I didn’t add this but if you wanted to, crush any vanilla wafer, graham cracker, biscoff cookies or other plain, biscuit-like cookie into a powder and roll the truffles in it, pressing it into the balls somewhat (before coating in chocolate).
• You could use any of these alternative recipes made with medjool dates for the fudge balls:
  • No-Bake Brownie Bites
  • Cacao Hazelnut Energy Balls
  • No-Bake Hazelnut Truffles
  • 3-Ingredient Chocolate Date Balls
  • Chocolate Energy Balls

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the chocolate fudge.

Mix the vanilla, maple syrup, almond butter (or hazelnut butter), cocoa powder and salt in a mixing bowl until it forms a uniform dough.

Place the mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes, this will make it easier to roll into balls.

Step 2: Create the truffles.

After 10 minutes, remove the filling mixture from the refrigerator. Scoop portions of the mixture to roll into into balls, using about 1 tbsp per ball, placing them on a baking sheet. You should get about 14-16 small truffles.

Use your finger to push a whole hazelnut into the center of each ball, making sure the hazelnut is completely covered by the fudge mixture. 

Place them back in the fridge while you prepare the melted chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.

Note: If you want to add a wafer layer, you should roll the truffles in the crushed wafers, cookies or cornflakes now.

Step 3: Coat the truffles in chocolate and hazelnut.

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in 30-second increments in the microwave or using a double boiler method.

Using a fork or toothpick, dip a ball into the melted chocolate, tossing to coat on all sides.

Drip off any excess chocolate by tapping the fork handle on the side of the bowl. Transfer the ball to the bowl of chopped hazelnuts and sprinkle them over the top and sides to coat. Repeat with the remaining balls until they’re all coated.

Step 4: Chill truffles until hardened.

Place the coated balls back on the tray. Once they’re all coated, place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate is set.

This should take about 20-30 minutes. They’re now ready to enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

How to Skin the Hazelnuts

I didn’t remove the skins from the hazelnuts but the skins can be somewhat bitter so you may consider this if you’d like to take the extra step. Alternatively, you could use blanched hazelnuts.

To remove the skins, roast the hazelnuts on a pan in the oven at 350 F for up 10-15 minutes until fragrant, slightly blistering and starting to brown. After roasting, cover them with a dish cloth and let them sit for a few minutes on the pan. Rub the with the dish cloth to remove the skins.

How to Make Homemade Hazelnut Butter

If you’d like to make your own hazelnut butter for the fudge, toast about 3 cups of hazelnuts at 350 F for 10-15 minutes then let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes.

Add them to a food processor or high-speed blender and process until they form a smooth, runny butter consistency. This can take 5-15 minutes depending on the strength of your blender or food processor.

If you can find hazelnut butter in stores, that also works!