Nutella No Bake Treats

Nutella No Bake Treats! I love recipes that can be made without having to turn the oven on because here in Arizona it gets REALLY HOT in the summer! I also love no bake treats since they don't require an oven they can be made while camping or in remote places that have limited electricity. Growing up in southeast Ohio, we would lose our electricity in the winter during a bad snow storm frequently. My parents didn't have a back up generator in those days but we had a little camping cook stove. We were still able to enjoy dessert on those days without having our electric oven available by making no bake treats. :) There are quite a few different recipes out there and I like most of them (I have a sweet tooth!) but this is one of my favorites because it contains Nutella. If you don't care for hazelnuts then by all means you can substitute peanut butter and chopped peanuts OR almond butter with chopped almonds instead. (If you have a gluten allergy just make sure whatever type of spread you are using is gluten free because some brands use flour as a thickener! Nutella does not contain gluten.)

I love Nutella and so does the rest of my family. My mom is from Germany so when we would go to visit our cousins there when we were children, we would DEVOUR Nutella. We would always pack our suitcases with the SCRUMPTIOUS spread to bring home. My aunt Regine would send it in packages and we would savor it until it was gone. My husband got addicted to it on our visit over there a few years ago and my cousin Petra even got him a special "Nutella knife" made to scrape the bottom of the jar clean! Seriously! Now days Nutella is available at most grocery stores so it is easy to find here in the U.S. There are other brands available but I prefer the Nutella brand. (The one made in Germany is slightly different tasting because the one marketed here is made in Canada but they are very similar. Only a true Nutella connoisseur would pick up the difference! Ha ha!)

Nutella No Bake Treats Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk - not evaporated!)
• 1/3 cup Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (I like to lightly toast mine in a skillet first for extra flavor but you don't need to do this. I think it brings out the flavor of the hazelnuts more and gives a better crunch to the treats)
• 2 cups oats (can use quick cooking or old fashioned). Just make sure the brand you use is gluten free if you have a gluten allergy. I personally have never had any issues using Quaker brand. I have had severe rash from using generic brands so I stay away from them. Oats listed "gluten free" are available at specialty stores like Sprouts, Whole Foods, Sunflower Markets, Military commissary and some grocery stores). If you prefer a salty-sweet extra crunchy texture then you can stir in crushed gluten free pretezels (like Glutino brand) or potato sticks (check label for gluten free) in place of oats.

Melt the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together until smooth. (You can do this on the stove top or if you have a microwave available you can do it in there for convenience - just heat for 30 second intervals until melted. College kids and military people living in dorm style rooms usually have a microwave available but not a stove). Stir in Nutella and stir until smooth and well combined. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper so they can cool & set. Store in sealed container with wax paper between each layer.  *These can be spooned into a 9x13 foil lined pan instead of dropping onto waxed paper. Let cool completely to set - should be a fudge texture - before cutting into squares. Recipe can easily be cut in half for a smaller batch or doubled for a huge crowd. It also works great topped on brownies for a delectable frosting! :)

These are a fabulous treat that can be made relatively quickly. They are a yummy treat to receive as a gift...maybe a surprise for someone having a rough day or stressed about an upcoming exam. They also are great additions to cookie plates and look elegant on tiered cake stands for holidays, weddings and parties. You can also make them for yourself because you are having a need for chocolate which is usually why I make them! Almost instant gratification! :)

* You can also use the traditional no-bake cookie recipe (see my No-Bake Cookie post from 2012) and substitute Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread for the peanut butter and mix some chopped hazelnuts with the oats for a similar treat. Although both are quite tasty, the other No-Bake cookie recipe can't be made in the microwave and the fudge base is not quite as creamy. The other No-Bake cookie version is a little firmer texture - which I happen to like but my husband prefers this version which is fine by me because these are a little easier to make! He was craving something chocolate and sweet so I made these for him today since he is working hard painting our guest room.

Nutella No Bake Treats cooling on wax paper lined cookie sheet

Nutella No Bake Treats on a plate to take to some friends later today

Up close view of these fudgey Nutella No Bake Treats!

Ready to eat!

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe and remember to share these treats with someone. It will warm your heart to make someone else smile. Today, I am dropping off a few to some dear friends (Judi & Armando) because they always surprise us with yummy food and I want to return the favor today. Have a chocolate filled yummy day!

Tanja 

Gluten Free Casually