Creative Birthday Fun: Puff Pastry Creations with a Healthier "Nutella" Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
When planning my daughter’s birthday party, I wanted an activity that was fun, creative, and delicious — something that the kids could make themselves and enjoy eating afterwards. We decided on party-themed puff pastry snacks — easy to prepare, exciting to decorate, and a perfect balance between playful and tasty.
What You Need
- Paper plates
- Party-themed cookie cutters (shapes like shells, fish, hearts, stars)
- Tools (plastic knives, forks, sticks)
- Paper towels / wet wipes
- Decorations and fillings:
- Hundreds and thousands (sprinkles)
- Grated cheese
- Jam
- Icing sugar
- Our special homemade healthier Nutella (recipe below!)
- and any other decorations/fillings you would like to add
The Activity
The best part about this activity is that it gives kids the freedom to explore and create. We had all the shapes, tools, and decorations ready for them to dive in.
As our party was crab-themed, we included sea shell shapes, fish shapes, and even showed the kids how to craft their own little octopus pastries. Their creativity was amazing!
Once their creations were ready for the oven, the kids dashed off for a well-deserved swim and pool games. By the time they came back, their puff pastry masterpieces were baked to golden perfection.
The result? Happy hearts, full tummies, and lots of proud smiles.
Recipe : Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
“nutella”
Forget the store-bought jars full of sugar and palm oil — this version is creamy, chocolatey, and much better for little (and big) tummies.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup hazelnuts (135g) roasted, skins removed (or blanched)
- 1 cup dates (140g)
- 1 cup unsweetened milk of choice (plus more if needed)
- 4-6 tbsp (1/4 to 1/3 cup) cocoa powder, depending on the intensity of the chocolate
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Method:
- If dates are firm, put them in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes or until soft, and drain well.
- Add hazelnuts, drained dates, milk, cacao powder, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt in a food processor. Pulse until a uniform texture and then blend until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of extra milk if needed.
- Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Note: You will want hazelnuts without skins. To remove skins preheat oven to 180C/350F. Put hazelnuts a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 8 minutes, then allow to cool and slip off the majority of the skins using your hands or a tea towel (@SugarProof)
This activity was such a hit at our party — the kids had a blast decorating, baking, and of course eating their creations. It’s a fun way to keep them busy, encourage creativity, and add a touch of healthier sweetness with homemade Nutella.