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Eating carbs is a no go on the keto diet, which means foods such as bread and cakes need to be eliminated from your diet. But do not despair! While traditional wheat flour, which is used to make bread, is not compatible with the keto diet, there are great alternatives.
Hazelnut flour is one such alternative. Perhaps not as well-known as almond or coconut flour, hazelnut flour is made from, well…hazelnuts. This hazelnut flour can be used as an alternative to wheat flour (or other carb-heavy flours), which means you can still enjoy baked goods on the keto diet.
In this article we’ll outline why hazelnut flour is keto-friendly, what the health benefits are, and how to make it at home. We’ll also cover where you can buy it in the UK, as well as online.
Table of contents
What is hazelnut flour?
Hazelnut flour (also known as hazelnut meal) is made from hazelnuts, which are ground into a finely milled powder. Similarly to almond flour, hazelnut flour can be produced with the skins removed (blanched) or with the skins intact. Removing the skins is preferably however, as it results in a finer powder, which will better mimic the texture and properties of wheat flour.
When it has been ground into a fine powder, hazelnut flour can be used in baking applications as a direct substitute for wheat flour. In addition, hazelnut flour is both low carb and gluten-free, making it a great choice on a low carb diet. Hazelnut flour is also a source of dietary fibre as well as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), making it a healthy addition to your keto diet.
What are blanched hazelnuts?
Blanched hazelnuts are hazelnuts that have been de-shelled and boiled in water to remove their skins. By blanching the hazelnuts and removing the skins, the hazelnuts can be ground into a much finer powder. Buying blanched hazelnuts also saves time in the preparation of hazelnut flour, if you choose to make it at home.
Is hazelnut flour keto?
Before we get carried away, is hazelnut flour actually keto-friendly?
According to the USDA, 100g of hazelnut flour contains around 17.9g of carbohydrate. Not bad, given how much you would eat in a typical serving. However, it gets better. Hazelnut flour is rich in fibre which means per 100g, there is 10.7g of fibre[1].
This means the impact on blood glucose is markedly decreased. What’s more, many commercially available hazelnut flours actually contain significantly fewer carbs than recorded by the USDA (around 6-7g per 100g).
So, yes, hazelnut flour is keto-friendly. As a result, baking with hazelnut flour is a good alternative to wheat flour, meaning you can still enjoying baking while on the keto diet.
But while hazel flour is keto-friendly, you should still moderate your intake. Hazelnuts are rich in fats, which means they are also high in calories. Per 100g, hazelnut flour contains over 600 kcal of energy, which can quickly add up if not moderated[1].
To sum up, hazelnut flour is keto-friendly, but should be consumed moderately to avoid excessive calorie intake.
Is hazelnut flour healthy?
So, now that we know hazelnut flour is a keto-friendly option, let’s find out if it’s actually good for your health. To understand the potential health benefits associated with hazelnut flour, we can take a look at the nutritional composition of hazelnuts.
Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals
Hazelnut flour is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids in addition to beneficial vitamins and minerals. They are particularly rich in vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties, and vitamins B1, B6 and B9, which play important roles in cellular metabolism and the production of red blood cells[2].
Hazelnut flour also contains many minerals and is particularly rich in magnesium, manganese and phosphorus[2]. Consuming good sources of these vitamins and minerals is important to avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies on the keto diet.
They’re gluten-free
In addition to being low carb, hazelnut flour is gluten-free. So if you struggle with eating bread due to a gluten intolerance, hazelnut flour could be a great substitute for you. Even more serious conditions, such as celiac disease, can benefit from the gluten-free nature of hazelnut flour.
Rich in fibre
As mentioned earlier, hazelnut flour is rich in fibre. Not only does this slow digestion, leading to reduced insulin spikes, it is also great for the gut. Studies have shown that a high fibre diet improves the microbiota composition in the gut, in addition to preventing common digestion issues such as constipation[3].
Anti-inflammatory properties
Studies have shown that the consumption of hazelnuts is associated with a reduction in markers of inflammation. This means that hazelnut flour consumption may lead to improvements in inflammation, resulting from the down-regulation of associated inflammatory pathways[4].
May improve cardiovascular health
Similar to other tree nuts, hazelnuts have also been shown to exert cardio-protective effects. A study conducted for a period of 4 weeks showed that daily consumption of hazelnuts resulted in improved cardio-metabolic markers[5].
How to make hazelnut flour at home
So, hazelnut flour is keto-friendly and good for your health. Check and check. But how do you make it? While it’s possible to buy it directly from the supermarket (see next section), you can also flex those cooking muscles and make it at home. Here’s how.
Ingredients and equipment
Ingredients:
Whole hazelnuts or blanched hazelnuts
Equipment:
Blender or food processor. The food processor you use for this is quite important, as you’ll want something reasonably high-quality to create really fine hazelnut flour. Also, if this is something you may be doing on a regular basis, it’s well worth investing in a good quality food processor.
Below are some great food processors available on amazon, including high-quality and good value for money options. (affiliate links)
Ninja 3-in-1 Food processor and blender
Description:
All encompassing food processor and blender, great for finely milling hazelnut flour. Good investment for frequent use, but more on the expensive side.
Check link for price on Amazon
Ninja Food Processor with 4 Auto Programs
Description:
Excellent food processor, but without the blender, jug and smoothie containers of the Ninja 3-in-1. High quality, but more affordable.
Kenwood compact food processor and blender
Description:
Great value for money option, for a decent food processor. Best option if you want an affordable food processor for occasional use.
1. Prepare the hazelnuts
The first step is to acquire the one and only required ingredient; hazelnuts. You can normally buy 2 different types of hazelnuts in the supermarket, those with shells and those without. To make hazelnut flour, you’ll need to remove the shells before grinding. So, to save yourself some time we recommend buying de-shelled hazelnuts.
If you have the time or want to de-shell the hazelnuts yourself, you may want to consider investing in a good nutcracker. To de-shell the hazelnuts, carefully place the nut in between the nutcracker and only apply enough force to crack the shell. Pressing too hard can crack the nut itself, which could interfere with the next step.
Buying blanched hazelnuts is also an option. These hazelnuts have already had both their shells and skins removed, saving a step in the preparation.
2. Gently roast the hazelnuts
This step is key to getting that unique hazelnut flavour. More so than other nuts, hazelnuts markedly change in flavour after roasting.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C and spread the nuts on a lightly oiled baking tray. Once the oven has reached 180C, place the tray in the oven and roast the nuts for around 5 -10 minutes. You only wanted to roast them long enough to turn slightly darker in colour and gain a richer flavour.
Next, remove the baking tray and place all the nuts in a towel. Allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes. After cooling, wrap the towel around the hazelnuts and twist the top to a make-shift bag (to prevent hazelnuts spilling out). Then rub the roasted hazelnuts together repeatedly and continue this process until most of the skins have flaked off.
This is not an exact science and some parts of the skins may remain on some of the hazelnuts. As long as most of the skins have been removed, your hazelnut flour will turn out great.
If you opt for blanched hazelnuts with skins already removed, we would still recommend roasting them in the oven for 5-10 minutes. This will intensify the flavour and improve the taste of your baked goods.
3. Grind the hazelnuts into a fine powder
The final step is to place the skinned hazelnuts into a blender or food processor. You’ll want to initially pulse your blender or food processor in periods of 30 seconds. This will quickly grind the hazelnuts into smaller chunks. After a few rounds of longer pulsing, continue blending, but in shorter intervals of 10 – 15 seconds.
This will allow you to create a fine powder without turning the flour into butter! Continue the pulse cycle until the hazelnuts have been ground into a fluffy powder.
And there you have it, freshly homemade hazelnut flour!
Best hazelnut flour available in UK supermarkets
While it’s possible to make hazelnut flour at home, you may prefer to buy it at the supermarket. It’s more convenient and can reduce your total baking time, so definitely an option if you’re already strapped for time. But where can you get it?
We’ve done the leg work here and identified the different hazelnut flours available in some of the biggest supermarkets across the UK.
Please note, prices are accurate as of November 2023. Prices are subject to change, so could be different depending on when you are viewing this article.
Tesco hazelnut flour
Fudco Ground Hazelnut Flour 200g
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 650 kcal
- Fat: 63.5g
- Carbohydrate: 6g
- Fibre: 6.5g
- Protein: 14.1g
- Salt: 0g
Price per package (200g): £5.50 (£2.75 per 100g)
Available at: Tesco
Comments: Raw, ground hazelnuts, suitable for cooking applications.
Sainsbury's hazelnut flour
Sainsbury's Ground Roasted Hazelnuts 100g
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 690 kcal
- Fat: 65.8g
- Carbohydrate: 6g
- Fibre: 4.4g
- Protein: 16.2g
- Salt: 0g
Price per package (100g): £1.85
Available at: Sainsbury’s
Comments: Roasted, ground hazelnuts, suitable for cooking applications. The roasting adds additional flavour, making them preferable to raw, ground hazelnuts.
Holland & Barrett hazelnut flour
Bob's Red Mill Hazelnut Flour 396g
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 567 kcal
- Fat: 45g
- Carbohydrate: 16g
- Fibre: 15g
- Protein: 17g
- Salt: 0g
Price per package (396g): £15.54, (£3.91 per 100g)
Available at: Holland & Barrett
Comments: Finely ground hazelnut flour, from whole hazelnuts (including skins).
Buying hazelnut flour online
Compared to our article on almond flour, you may have noticed that there are fewer hazelnut flour options available in UK supermarkets. As a result, buying online is often a better option. And where better than Amazon.
Take a look below at some of the options available on Amazon UK (affiliate links).
1 kg Hazelnut Flour Extra Fine
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 694 kcal
- Fat: 60g
- Carbohydrate: 16g
- Fibre: 10g
- Protein: 16g
- Salt: 0g
Description:
Finely ground hazelnut flour, made from blanched hazelnuts. Great for baking and cooking.
Indigo Herbs Organic Hazelnut Flour
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 669 kcal
- Fat: 54g
- Carbohydrate: 8.4g
- Fibre: 10.2g
- Protein: 17g
- Salt: 0g
Description:
Organic ground hazelnut flour, made from blanched hazelnuts. Company is based in the UK and is climate pledge-friendly. Comes in 500g and 1kg packages.
Bob’s Red Mill Natural Hazelnut Meal Flour
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 567 kcal
- Fat: 45g
- Carbohydrate: 16g
- Fibre: 15g
- Protein: 17g
- Salt: 0g
Description:
Finely ground hazelnut flour, made from whole hazelnuts. This flour contains the hazelnut skins as well, which means it won’t form as fine a flour.
RealFoodSource Ground Hazelnuts
Nutrition per 100g
- Total energy: 650 kcal
- Fat: 63.5g
- Carbohydrate: 6g
- Fibre: 6.5g
- Protein: 14.1g
- Salt: 0g
Description:
Unroasted ground hazelnuts. No added preservatives or additives. Great for keto and gluten-free baking.
Sussex Wholefoods Ground Hazelnuts
No nutritional information – see USDA
Description:
Unroasted, ground hazelnut flour. Whole hazelnuts used so there are skins included. Available in both 500g and 1kg packages.
Persis Premium Quality Hazelnut Meal
No nutritional information – see USDA
Description:
Premium quality ground hazelnuts, creating a fine and fluffy flour. Available in a variety of sizes, including 250g, 500g, 1kg, 2.5kg and 5kg.
Conclusion
Hazelnut flour is a great alternative to wheat flour, on the keto diet. It’s high in fats and protein, low in carbs and contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals. As a result, hazelnut flour is good for your health and allows you to enjoy your favourite baked treats, while sticking to keto.
If you end up making your own hazelnut flour, we’d love to see what you make with it!
