Anyone that loves coffee can find themselves searching for new thrills in their cup! Usually, we don't have to venture too far. We can try adding exciting new flavors to our coffee. Vanilla, pumpkin spice and coconut coffee are all favorites in the coffee world.
I want to find out more about the best hazelnut coffee. It may sound tasty, but where does it come from? How is it made? Put your nut allergies aside and let's dig deeper into this flavored coffee!
Hazelnuts: A Brief Bio
Many types of flavored coffee are whipped up by clever chemists. These professional flavor chemists are able to combine both natural and synthetic flavor chemicals. As a result, they're able to create almost any flavor you could possibly think of!
Hazelnut is a flavor that appears naturally on this earth. It is protected by a shell called a "fibrous husk". When it's ripe, it falls out of this shell. What's inside can be eaten raw or roasted. Hazelnuts come from a tree that is native to Europe and Western Asia.
People have been eating hazelnuts for over 9000 years! Ancient people found them to be a filling, nutritious part of their diet.
The largest producer of hazelnuts is Turkey. However, you'll also see Italy and the states of Washington and Oregon producing them in large quantities. We can gather natural hazelnut oil by pressing hazelnuts and using it in food and drinks. They are full of protein, unsaturated fat and healthy vitamins!
What is Hazelnut Coffee?
There are three ways you can achieve a cup of the best hazelnut coffee:
- You can make it completely from scratch! I'm talking by grabbing your own bag of hazelnuts and brewing them into your coffee. This method takes longer, but you'll end up with a unique, homemade drink to be proud of.
- You can buy hazelnut coffee beans. In this case, the coffee roaster has already combined the flavors for you! It makes the process easier for you. Just add hot water and it's ready to drink!
- Brew your coffee as you normally would and add hazelnut syrup. I usually add the syrup before the hot water, so it mixes better with the coffee.
We'll take a closer look at hazelnut coffee recipes later on.
It is said that Alpine monks came up with the idea of hazelnut coffee. At the time, there were plenty of hazelnuts around just waiting to be used. The monks would crush up the nuts and add it to coffee to improve the taste.
Another account of the history thanks to the people of Turkey for hazelnut coffee. Apparently, the Turks appreciated the hazelnut and used it for many purposes, both food and medicinal. As they have also been drinking Turkish coffee since the 16th century, it made sense to combine the two.
Whoever it was that invented hazelnut coffee, it's still a huge part of the coffee culture in many countries. For years, it has remained amongst the most popular flavors. You'll often find hazelnut coffee as a light roast. There's no need to roast the beans any further as we don't want to mask the smooth, hazelnut taste.
Now, there's an almost unlimited list of different types of hazelnut coffee! You can buy vanilla hazelnut coffee, cinnamon hazelnut, chocolate hazelnut and more. What do you think makes the best hazelnut coffee? Keeping it simple with the original flavor? Or mixing it up to create something new?
Hawaiian Hazelnut Coffee
Speaking of unusual hazelnut coffee flavors, the Hawaiian hazelnut coffee is one that keeps popping up. This name doesn't describe where the beans - or even the idea - comes from. In fact, Hawaii might have nothing to do with it!
It's more about what we associate with Hawaii. Hot weather, tropical beaches and stunning landscapes and waterfalls. It is exotic, and so is Hawaiian hazelnut coffee.
This coffee is a mixture of hazelnut, coconut, and French vanilla. The exotic flavors combine to make a creamy, nutty cup. Taking a sip will almost transport you to those tropical islands of Hawaii! You can buy the flavor as ground coffee beans. Just brew them with hot water and enjoy the perfect combination of tastes.
How to Make the Best Hazelnut Coffee from Scratch
First of all, I'm going to show you how to make hazelnut coffee from scratch. The great thing about making your own is that you have full control. You can choose your own ratios of coffee beans to hazelnut, and choose the type of beans you'll use.
It takes some time and will require more equipment, though the payback is huge! Adding your own hazelnuts retains their nutritional value. This means your coffee will be swimming with vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats.
You will need:
- Fresh, whole coffee beans
- Shelled, unsalted hazelnuts
- Hot water
- French press
- Grinder
- Cup
| The Method |
|---|---|
1. | Choose your preferences. You have to make some decisions at this point. What roast would you prefer? What ratio will you choose? If you need some guidance, go with a light roast as it's more popular for this coffee. A good ratio is two parts coffee beans to one part hazelnuts. |
2. | Grind your coffee beans and hazelnuts together. Add both the beans and the nuts into a grinder. The perfect setting here would be very coarse. |
3. | Brewing. Next, brew the mixture in a French press as you normally would. Add the beans and nuts to the French press and pour a little hot water to soak them. Then add the rest of the water and allow it to steep for around four minutes. Push down the handle of the French press to brew. The filter should take care of pieces of hazelnut you don't want. |
4. | Pour and enjoy. Pour into a hot cup for the best results. You can add sugar, milk or foam if you choose. Otherwise, drink black and appreciate the hints of hazelnut that shine through! |
Using Hazelnut Coffee Beans
Of course, a much simpler method would be to buy hazelnut coffee beans and brew them. Its popularity means that these beans are widely available. Try looking online for many affordable options! You can choose to mix the coffee with other flavors, and there are even decaf versions available.
Buy from the pros for the perfect ratio. Browse at your leisure to choose the type of roast you prefer. Hazelnut coffee is available from a light roast to a French roast. You'll notice a smooth, aromatic and rich cup that you'll want to drink every day!
You don't need a French press to make this coffee. Go with your favorite brewing method. It's always best to grind the beans yourself, though you can buy pre-ground options. Brew as you normally would with some hot water and instantly make this nutty cup of coffee!
Nutritional Notes
If you're keen to try some tasty, nutty coffee, you might want to know how it will affect your health. Let's see how hazelnut instant coffee fares against regular instant coffee.
Anyone watching their weight will be happy to hear that the hazelnut coffee calories are no more than in your usual cup. You pile on the calories when you add things like milk, sugar, and cream. You'll find no more than 5 calories in a cup, so your personal trainer will be pleased!
Although we don't have to worry about calories, it seems that roasting hazelnuts in coffee also loses some other health benefits. We no longer absorb the proteins and vitamins of the raw hazelnut.
Here's what a 6 oz serving looks like.Calories | 5 |
Fat | 0g |
Carbohydrates | 1g |
Protein | 0g |
Cholesterol | 0mg |
Sodium | 0mg |
Potassium | 0mg |
The Bottom Line
Hazelnuts are full of health benefits, though some of these are lost in hazelnut syrups and flavors. For years, humans have realized the many uses and the great taste of hazelnuts. You'll probably find them in numerous staple items in your kitchen cupboard!
Despite the extra flavor, hazelnut coffee has no extra calories. You can brew it with fresh hazelnuts or buy it ready-made. It all depends on your lifestyle and your preferences. Of course, it's so popular, so try it now if you still haven't!
