No. 95 · Nuts & seeds Passport food
When can babies have hazelnuts?
Can babies have hazelnuts?
Babies can have hazelnuts from about 6 months as finely ground hazelnut or smooth, unsweetened hazelnut butter mixed into food, but never whole or chopped. Hazelnut is a tree nut, one of the Top 9 allergens, so introduce it on its own and keep offering it regularly.
How to serve hazelnuts by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Grind roasted, unsalted hazelnuts to a fine flour and stir a small pinch into smooth oatmeal, yogurt or mashed pear. Or thin pure hazelnut butter, with no sugar or cocoa, using warm water, breast milk or formula until it drips off a spoon, and stir it into a puree. Roasting first makes the papery skins easy to rub off.
7–8 months
Keep stirring finely ground hazelnut or thinned hazelnut butter into thicker oatmeal, yogurt or mashed fruit, or spread a see-through layer of thinned hazelnut butter on a soft toast strip. Never offer whole or chopped hazelnuts or thick globs of nut butter.
9–12 months
Spread a see-through layer of thinned hazelnut butter on toast fingers or soft pancake strips, or bake ground hazelnut into muffins and oat bars. Keep avoiding chopped hazelnut pieces.
12 months +
Use ground hazelnut in baking and sprinkle it over yogurt or fruit, and spread hazelnut butter thinly at snack time. Whole hazelnuts are round, hard and a classic airway size, so wait until at least age 4 before offering them whole.
Why it’s good
Hazelnuts are one of the richest nut sources of vitamin E, which protects cells, and they also give babies healthy fats, iron, manganese, copper, folate and some protein. A small amount of ground hazelnut adds energy and a mild, sweet flavor to plain foods without any added sugar.
Safety notes
- Whole hazelnuts are round, hard and about the size of a small airway, which makes them one of the riskiest nuts for choking. Never serve them whole or chopped to babies and toddlers.
- Chocolate hazelnut spreads are mostly sugar and often contain milk. They are not a good way to introduce hazelnut and are best kept as an occasional treat after age 2.
- Choose hazelnut butter made only from hazelnuts, with no added sugar, salt, cocoa or palm oil, and always thin it or spread it very thinly.
- Skip honey-roasted, salted, praline or chocolate-coated hazelnuts. Honey is not safe before 12 months, and the coatings add salt and sugar on top of the choking risk.
- Always seat baby upright and stay within arm's reach while they eat.
Introduce hazelnut on its own, then keep it in
Hazelnut is a tree nut, one of the Top 9 food allergens. Some older children and adults with birch pollen allergy get an itchy mouth from raw hazelnut (pollen food syndrome), which is different from a true hazelnut allergy, so ask your pediatrician if you notice any reaction.
Hazelnuts for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about hazelnuts for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have hazelnuts?
Babies can have hazelnuts from about 6 months, once they are ready for solids, as finely ground hazelnut or thinned plain hazelnut butter. Whole and chopped hazelnuts should wait until at least age 4.
Can babies have hazelnuts?
Yes, babies can eat hazelnuts when they are ground or turned into a smooth butter and mixed into food. Hazelnut is a tree nut allergen, so early and regular exposure may help lower the chance of a hazelnut allergy.
Are hazelnuts a choking hazard for babies?
Yes, hazelnuts are a high choking hazard for babies and young children. Whole hazelnuts are round and hard, chopped pieces are hard to chew, and thick hazelnut butter can stick in the throat, so always grind or thin it.
Are hazelnuts a common allergen?
Yes, hazelnuts are a common allergen because they are a tree nut, part of the Top 9 food allergens. Introduce a small amount first and watch for hives, swelling, vomiting or trouble breathing in the two hours after eating.
How do I serve hazelnuts to a 6 month old?
To serve hazelnuts to a 6 month old, grind roasted unsalted hazelnuts into a fine flour and stir a small amount into oatmeal or yogurt. Pure hazelnut butter thinned with warm water and mixed into a puree also works.
Can babies have Nutella?
Nutella and other chocolate hazelnut spreads are not a good choice for babies, because they are mostly sugar with only a small amount of hazelnut. Health guidance advises limiting added sugar before age 2, so use plain hazelnut butter for allergen introduction instead.
Can babies drink hazelnut milk?
Hazelnut milk should not replace breast milk or formula before 12 months. After 12 months, most hazelnut milks are low in protein and often sweetened, so they are not a good main drink unless your pediatrician recommends a fortified, unsweetened version.
Do I need to remove hazelnut skins for babies?
Removing hazelnut skins is not required for safety once the nuts are finely ground, but the skins can taste bitter. Roast hazelnuts for about 10 minutes, then rub them in a clean towel to remove most of the skins before grinding.
How often should my baby eat hazelnut?
Once hazelnut is tolerated, offer hazelnut regularly, ideally a few times a week or at least weekly, to help maintain tolerance. A teaspoon of ground hazelnut in breakfast is an easy routine.
The takeaway
- Babies can have hazelnuts from about 6 months as finely ground hazelnut or smooth, unsweetened hazelnut butter mixed into food, but never whole or chopped.
- Grind roasted, unsalted hazelnuts to a fine flour and stir a small pinch into smooth oatmeal, yogurt or mashed pear.
- Choking risk is high. Tree nut is one of the Top 9 allergens: offer a small amount first, watch for a reaction, then keep it in the diet regularly.
Read next
Sources
This guide follows current advice from these organizations.
- Starting Solid Foods American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Hazards Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Prevention American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Peanut Allergy: What to Know About the Latest Prevention Guidelines American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Iron Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 U.S. Department of Agriculture and HHS
- The Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks AW; American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2019;143(4):e20190281
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Updated November 2026. Reviewed by our dietitians. Based on AAP, CDC and NIAID guidance. Written for healthy, full-term babies; not a substitute for your pediatrician. If your baby was born early, has a medical condition, feeding difficulties or a known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer). Always stay with your baby while they eat.