Hazelnut extract is widely used in cooking recipes and makes a delicious addition to salad dressing as well as baking recipes. In addition, hazelnut extract can be used to flavor stir-fry recipes or you can use it to prepare desserts. It’s an apt way of adding the authentic hazelnut flavor to the recipes and it can add a delicious flavor to icings, cakes, cookies, and frostings. However, if you want to use it in some recipes and cannot get your hands on it, we are sharing some substitutes that you can try!
Hazelnut Extract Substitute
- Hazelnuts
If you cannot get your hands on hazelnut extract, there is nothing better than whole hazelnuts to add flavor to the dish. You can opt for crushed or whole hazelnuts in the recipes and achieve the desired flavors. However, you need to make some adjustments to the recipe, and as far as substitution is concerned, you can use a half cup of hazelnut in place of one teaspoon of hazelnut extract.
- Hazelnut Butter
The second alternative that you can try is to use hazelnut butter which is an apt way of adding flavor to baked recipes. For instance, you can use hazelnut butter to flavor the muffins, cakes, and cookies. On the contrary, you need to remember that this butter is not readily available at supermarkets and grocery stores but it’s readily available at online stores. As far as substation quantity is concerned, you can use two tablespoons of hazelnut butter to replace a teaspoon of hazelnut extract because the butter has a mild flavor.
- Nutella
One of the most delicious alternatives for hazelnut extract is Nutella because it’s a combination of hazelnut and chocolate, which makes it a great addition to desserts. It can be used in baking recipes but you can also use it as a spread. However, you cannot use it in savory recipes if it called for hazelnut extract because Nutella has a sweeter flavor. As far as using Nutella in desserts and sweet baking recipes, it’s recommended that you reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe because Nutella is extremely sweet on its own. To replace one teaspoon of hazelnut extract, you can opt for one tablespoon of Nutella.
- Almond Extract
In case you are looking for a hazelnut extract because you don’t want the hazelnut flavor, we recommend that you opt for almond extract. This is because almond extract doesn’t have the hazelnut flavor but has enough nuttiness, which makes it suitable for the majority of desserts. The almond extract is readily available at grocery stores and can be used in sweet as well as savory recipes. All in all, you can depend on the 1:1 substitution ratio.
- Cashew Extract
Cashew extract is extremely delicious and is a favorite of many pastry chefs. It’s a great alternative for hazelnut extract in desserts. It goes without saying that it has a nutty flavor and is easier to find as compared to hazelnut extract. Having said that, if you tend to bake a lot of desserts, we recommend that you stock cashew extract in the pantry. In addition to grocery stores, you can find the extract in grocery stores.
- Macadamia Nuts
Another alternative that you can try in place of hazelnut extract is macadamia nuts because it’s from the hazelnut family. The nuts have a similar texture and appearance as hazelnuts but there might be a slight difference in the flavor. In particular, these nuts are a bit sweeter as compared to hazelnut, which means you’ve to reduce the quantity of sugar in the baking recipes. All in all, macadamia nuts can be added to pies, cookies, and salads to replace hazelnut extract but we recommend crushing the nuts to release the flavor.
- Pecans
Pecans are a variety of nuts and are popular for their smooth shell. These nuts are loaded with vital nutrients and have a buttery and sweet flavor. As far as texture is concerned, it’s crunchy and crispy, and since there are monounsaturated fats in these nuts, they are extremely healthy. To use pecans as a substitute for hazelnut extract, it’s recommended that you crush them or blend them into a powder. On top of everything, pecans have the same texture, nuttiness, and sweetness as hazelnuts, making them a suitable alternative.