Hazelnuts and dark chocolate.
One of my all time favorite dessert combinations.
You’ll definitely be seeing this combo a lot in this little blog of mine. And I mean, a WHOLE lot.
Just like Doc and Marty in Back to the Future, or Han Solo and Chewbacca in Star Wars, or The Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth—you CAN’T have hazelnuts without chocolate!
These two just go hand in hand. End of story!
So what I have for you guys this time around, I’m taking the beloved combination of hazelnut/dark chocolate, and merging it with another favorite flavor of mine, one that definitely needs more attention in the food blogging world, amaretto.
And what I came up with has become one of my favorite recipes on the entire blog thus far, and one that I’m sure you’ll continue to come back to over and over again as well…
So without further adieu….
Enter….my Hazelnut Mocha Amaretto Protein Pancakes!!
That’s right, hazelnut mocha amaretto infused protein pancakes!!
If the name alone doesn’t get your juices flowing, I don’t know what will!
Dark chocolate chips, chopped hazelnuts, espresso powder, amaretto, banana….dusted with cinnamon, more hazelnuts, more chocolate chips, and finally finished off with a 72% cacao dark chocolate drizzle….
So glorious….
So magnificent…..
So mind-blowing delicious….
and soooo addicting!!
You won’t be able to contain yourself!
Go ahead and let your inner beast out! You have my permission to devour this like no tomorrow!
YOW-ZA!!
OK, so I use a 72% cacao dark chocolate bar for that hypnotizing drizzle. I feel that 70%-75% cacao is the perfect balance for flavor and nutrition when it comes to dark chocolate.
The higher the cacao percentage, the more fiber and nutrients it contains—but be aware that the bitter flavor intensifies as the percentage rises.
So for me, I like to use about a 72-73% cacao dark chocolate, that’s the sweet spot.
Amaretto is a sweet Italian liqueur from Saronna, Italy flavored from bitter almonds, apricot pits, and sometimes peach. The non-alcoholic substitute for this is almond extract.
This extract is so concentrated with flavor, you just need to use a tiny bit of it to get that boost of flavor. Even so, I like to use 2 tsp per recipe just to make sure that flavor really pops.
I prefer to use the extract over the actual alcohol because it provides less sugars, and I feel the flavor is more intense and concentrated.
Almond extract is my preferred extract over vanilla. It’s much cheaper, and the flavor is much more apparent versus vanilla extract.
Almond flour is my go-to flour of choice, pretty much every, single time. It provides excellent nutritional value—-high in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants….
And also, according to the Diabetes Education Online website, “because fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body can’t digest, it does not affect your blood sugar levels. You should subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate.”
Generally, almond flour contains 5 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Taking this into account, this means that almond flour only has 2 grams net carbs per serving! Much leaner than the commonly used whole wheat flour or oat flour!
I mean, it tastes great too, so for me, why use anything else?!
OK, here are more notes on the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Hazelnut Mocha Amaretto Protein Pancakes…
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Studies have found flavonols in dark chocolate may help improve blood circulation to the heart and may help lower blood pressure.
Hazelnuts are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and they are known to be one of the most nutritious out of all the nuts found in the world. Studies have shown that regular consumption may help to fight off cancer, help prevent heart disease, boost metabolism, protect the brain from degeneration, and its high Vitamin E content helps keep the hair and skin healthy.
Almonds which are basically ground up to create almond flour, contain exceptional amounts of protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, riboflavin, calcium. They contain a special kind of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol—studies show this antioxidant may be a powerful cancer-fighter. Almonds contain monounsaturated fatty acids, “healthy fats,” which studies have shown may help support the heart and may help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
Here’s what you’ll need…
Some quick notes before you get started…
–Don’t over mix the batter!
-If the batter is too thick for your liking, just add more almond milk.
-Be sure to spray more olive oil onto the pan after each batch for easier pancake flipping.
If you prefer to use actual amaretto liqueur instead of almond extract, the substitution ratio is about:
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur = 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
(be sure to be of legal drinking age)**
–Also, for even more amaretto flavor, in addition to using almond extract, use amaretto liqueur instead of almond milk! 1:1 ratio.
**I don’t think the alcohol completely burns off when using amaretto liqueur cooking these pancakes, so please be aware that there may still be alcohol left in the final dish.**
-To keep the recipe non-alcoholic, don’t use amaretto liqueur! Just use almond extract as specified in the recipe card down below.
If you like these, then you should definitely check out my….
- Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Protein Donuts
- Peanut Butter Bananas Foster Protein Pancakes
- Dark Chocolate Blueberry Hazelnut Protein Bars
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
pancakes
|
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp espresso powder
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (more if desired!)
- 1 large banana
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp almond milk
- 4 dark chocolate squares (70% cacao or higher)
- chopped hazelnuts
- dark chocolate chips
- cinnamon
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
Wet Ingredients:
Garnish:
|
|
- Preheat pan on stove top to low/med heat.
- In a large bowl, mash banana with fork until mushy, no clumps. Add all wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
- In separate bowl, mix protein powder, almond flour, finely-chopped hazelnuts, cinnamon, espresso powder, and baking powder. Gradually pour into wet ingredients bowl, mixing thoroughly.
- Fold in dark chocolate chips. Fully incorporate, but don't over-mix.
- Once pan is hot enough, measure 1/3 cup of batter and pour onto pan. You should be able to form about 6-7 pancakes.
- Let cook for about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. If spatula slides cleanly underneath, flip over.
- Let cook for about 2 more minutes. If spatula slides clean under, pancakes should be done. Thicker cakes may need more time.
- Meanwhile, add dark chocolate squares in microwave, using 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.
- Remove pancakes from pan. Drizzle melted chocolate on top. Add additional toppings. Enjoy!
-Don't over mix the batter!
-If the batter is too thick, add more almond milk.
-Spray more olive oil onto the pan after each batch for easier pancake flipping.
If you prefer to use actual amaretto liqueur instead of almond extract, the substitution ratio is about:
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur = 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
-For even more amaretto flavor, in addition to using almond extract, use amaretto liqueur instead of almond milk! 1:1 ratio.
**I don't think the alcohol completely burns off when using amaretto liqueur cooking these pancakes, so please be aware that there may still be alcohol left in the final dish.**
-To keep the recipe non-alcoholic, don't use amaretto liqueur! Just use almond extract as specified.
Did you try this recipe? How did it work out for you? Any questions about my method? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comments section below or use the social media links above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!
