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Homemade Chocolate Recipe
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Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe

Katie WellsMar 27, 2018Updated: Jul 30, 2019
Reading Time: 4 min

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  • Why Homemade Chocolate is the Best
  • How to Make Chocolate at Home+−
    • Looking for More Homemade Chocolate Recipes? Try:
  • Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe

If there’s one guilty pleasure all moms enjoy, it’s wine chocolate! Thankfully there’s a way to justify indulging a little because chocolate (like wine) has some fantastic health benefits. The key is to choose quality chocolate from the right sources … or make your own homemade chocolate. It’s easy and you have total control over the ingredients (and maybe even get to lick the spoon!).

This recipe takes just a few ingredients. Melt over the stove, pour into molds, and … there you have it! Pure, healthy chocolate.

Why Homemade Chocolate is the Best

It turns out there are even biological reasons that we as women crave chocolate. It may be for the magnesium boost (yes, chocolate contains magnesium) or for the feel-good serotonin and dopamine release that helps mood and sleep.

Certainly, not all chocolate is created equal and most store-bought chocolate brands contain a lot more than cocoa powder. High fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, soy lecithin, artificial flavoring, and carrageenan make the list of objectionable ingredients in many commercial brands. Not to mention the sugar content, which is a problem … just 1/3 of a Cadbury chocolate bar contains 22 grams of sugar.

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True, opting for a quality brand of organic chocolate with less dairy and sugar means we can get some of the benefits of chocolate without impacting our waistlines and our health, but these options are often pricey. Stock up on the few ingredients needed to make chocolate instead (as well as a few silicone candy molds to make fun shapes) and you can whip up a batch of healthy chocolate without overpaying and without shopping around.

How to Make Chocolate at Home

In search of a GAPS friendly (and paleo, primal, etc.) healthy chocolate, I realized I’d have to make my own. This homemade version is smooth and delicious, and you can completely avoid the artificial ingredients.

Making chocolate at home basically involves melting cocoa butter, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla in a double boiler (or heat-safe bowl set over a pan containing a few inches of water), pouring into molds, and waiting for it to set. Cocoa butter is the only “unusual” ingredient that you may need to purchase to make this recipe (but Amazon sure makes it easy on us!).

I used these silicone heart molds to make fun bite-size chocolates (great gift idea!) and a mini loaf pan for the bar sizes. You can even find a mold specifically in a chocolate bar shape if you want to be really authentic!

Homemade Chocolate Recipe- Healthy, easy and delicious

I’m gifting little jars of homemade heart chocolates for Easter this year, as I have done for Christmas, St. Nicholas Day, and other holidays in the past. It’s easy to add variety by using a little orange extract to taste, or a teaspoon of brewed espresso, or even some chopped almonds to create a specialty taste.

Homemade Chocolate Recipe

Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe

Katie Wells
A simple and delicious homemade chocolate that is GAPS, paleo, and primal approved (and definitely kid approved!).
4.38 from 122 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 4 hrs 10 mins
Course Dessert
Servings 8
Calories 259 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup  cocoa butter
  • 1 cup  cocoa powder
  • ½ cup  honey or to taste using half this amount or less will make a bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 tsp  vanilla extract or other flavors to taste
  • almonds chopped and toasted (optional)
  • orange or mint extract  optional

Instructions
 

  • In a double boiler or a glass bowl on top of a small pan with an inch of water in the bottom, melt cocoa butter over medium heat. Make sure that the water isn't touching the bowl.
  • When the cocoa butter is completely melted, remove from heat and add cocoa powder, vanilla, and other flavor extracts.
  • Allow it to cool slightly. When it has cooled enough to thicken to the same thickness of the honey you are using, stir in the honey. If using a solid raw honey, melt with the cocoa butter.
  • Make sure all ingredients are well incorporated and smooth. At this point, make sure that no water or liquid gets in to the chocolate as it can cause the texture to get mealy! Be careful even with wet hands or a drop of water in the mold! 
  • Pour the chocolate into molds or glass pan to harden, or pour onto a baking sheet lined with natural parchment paper.
  • Let harden for several hours at room temperature until hardened and remove from molds. You can also stick in the refrigerator to harden more quickly. These chocolates will store for over a week at room temperature or can be kept refrigerated for longer. They can also be frozen.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Feel free to play with the mix-ins for this recipe to create YOUR favorite flavor of chocolate!
You can also use coconut oil in place of the cocoa butter which will produce a very healthy chocolate, but it will not be as thick or creamy (but still very good!). If you use coconut oil, I recommend hardening and storing in the fridge. This is one easy way to add coconut oil and magnesium to your daily diet!
Also, I've done the melting in a small pan on very low heat and not had a problem, but this isn't as reliable as the double boiler method. 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 2-3 chocolatesCalories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 23.4gProtein: 2gFat: 20.2gSaturated Fat: 12.1gSodium: 3mgFiber: 3.2gSugar: 17.7g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Looking for More Homemade Chocolate Recipes? Try:

  • Simple Homemade Chocolate Truffles Recipe
  • How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bombs (Keto Friendly)
  • Nutella Recipe: How to Make Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
  • Chocolate Coconut Energy Bars
  • Healthy Hot Chocolate Recipe

Like these recipes? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Have you ever made chocolate at home? Would you try? How would you flavor it? Share below!

This healthy homemade chocolate recipe is easy to make and healthy. It uses honey instead of sugar with cocoa butter and is GAPS, paleo and primal approved!

Category: Dessert Recipes, Recipes, Snack Recipes

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a wife and mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

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Reader Interactions

Discussion (323 Comments)

  1. elizaveta borukhova

    September 3, 2013 at 12:15 PM

    Hey Katie, can you share and clarify for me-about raw chocolate and roasted beans chocolate(powder)
    I would like to make my own chocolate, but not sure where to get raw chocolate powder, I know in raw chocolate the temp. not recommended to be above 45 degrees when heated. I’ve read that heating cocoa beans above 100 degrees reduces antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients of cocoa?!
    am I missing some info? little confused 🙂
    thank you in advance

    Reply
  2. Sam

    August 24, 2013 at 6:59 AM

    mine got mealy, any way to fix it?

    Reply
    • Susan

      February 16, 2014 at 5:25 PM

      She mentions in her article to be extra careful about not getting even a drop of water in it as water causes it to be mealy. Could that be the problem?

      Reply
  3. Lazaro Garza

    June 13, 2013 at 12:12 AM

    My grandmother is diabetic could she eat this ????

    Reply
    • Mark

      May 11, 2014 at 4:08 AM

      AS with anything diabetic, moderation, but being with honey, it is a much healthier option than processed sugar. I am diabetic, I also make my own choccy,. but never eat many bits in a row 🙂

      Reply
  4. Penny

    June 3, 2013 at 3:02 PM

    I followed the recipe exactly and they are delectable! I got 20 one tablespoon sized truffles. (I may have left some extra for cleaning out the bowl 😉 )
    I want to try so many variations. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  5. Alette Pena

    May 23, 2013 at 1:18 PM

    Mmm added cayenne pepper! Super yum 🙂

    Reply
    • diane

      August 19, 2016 at 6:20 PM

      How much cayenne pepper?

      Reply
  6. devan

    May 8, 2013 at 10:00 PM

    how much chocolate exactly does this recipe make? it says 6+ people, but im looking to give one small piece of chocolate to around 30 people

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      May 8, 2013 at 11:00 PM

      It should make enough to give that many people each a piece, especially if you are using molds…

      Reply
  7. Jessica Millund

    March 29, 2013 at 10:48 AM

    I have struggled for years to make Easter candy for my daughters without cain sugar, corn, dairy and soy, the allergies at my house. Every year I curse as I fight with different ideas. I have usually gotten gritty, thickly textured results. Once I tried melting to sugar and then adding the chocolate and wound up with something I called chocolate bark, long twisted hard strands, the kids liked it though. I did not feel like spending a lot on the cocoa butter and I had unsweetened chocolate bars so I just melted them and added honey, poured them into the mold and Voila! Tasty, smooth bunnies!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Mallory Cook

    March 22, 2013 at 2:40 PM

    Would love to try this recipe but I only have cacao powder. Could I use that instead of dutch processed?

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      March 22, 2013 at 3:58 PM

      Yep 🙂

      Reply
  9. Raina M

    February 3, 2013 at 4:41 PM

    Just tried this recipe with the kids and it was great! I love the rich chocolate flavor. We will definetely be making chocolate for Valentine’s day.

    Reply
  10. Missy

    February 2, 2013 at 5:13 PM

    This was yummy! Now I want to make some to use in my fallen chocolate souffle cake, but math is not my thing. Can anyone help me with how much you would need to make to equal an 8 oz. box of semi-sweet baking chocolate?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      July 26, 2014 at 12:32 AM

      8oz 😉

      Reply
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