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Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe

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chocolate recipe
Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe

If there’s one guilty pleasure all moms enjoy, it’s 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 recipe.

It’s quick and 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! The best chocolate that’s also healthy.

Why a Homemade Chocolate Recipe is the Best

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

All chocolate is not 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.

Then there’s the sugar content, which is a problem … just 1/3 of a Cadbury chocolate bar has 22 grams of sugar. That’s not to mention white chocolate which is made with milk powder, cacao butter, and lots and lots of sugar.

Thankfully more brands are making healthy chocolate options with less sugar and quality ingredients. One of my favorites is Spring and Mulberry. It’s sweetened only with dates (no refined sugars!) and they have delicious flavors like lavender rose, pear and ginger, and mixed berry.

Making your own is cheaper though, and you can easily control the ingredients.

You can stock up on the few ingredients needed to make chocolate (as well as a few silicone candy molds to make fun shapes). It’s a delicious way to whip up a batch of healthy chocolate!

How to Make Chocolate at Home

In search of a GAPS friendly (and gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.) healthy chocolate, I realized I wanted to make my own. This homemade version is smooth and delicious. You can avoid the artificial ingredients when you make your own chocolate from scratch.

Some recipes just involve melting semisweet chocolate chips, but then you’ll still need to search for a healthy chocolate to start with. Instead, I opted for unsweetened cocoa powder as the base.

If it’s your first time making chocolate, here’s how to do it step by step.

Making chocolate at home involves melting cocoa butter, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla on the stove. I use a double boiler (or heat-safe bowl set over a pan with water). Next, you’ll pour the chocolate recipe into molds for it to set.

Choosing a Shape

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

I’m gifting little jars of homemade heart chocolates for Easter this year. They’re great for Christmas, St. Nicholas Day, and other holiday gifts too! You can easily find silicone molds that match any holiday theme (or just make bars).

Different Flavor Options For Homemade Chocolate

Our family prefers the taste of dark chocolate over milk chocolate so the chocolate recipe isn’t overly sweet. If you prefer a bittersweet bar then reduce the honey to 1/4 cup for a more intense chocolate flavor. It’s easy to add a variety of different flavors and mix-ins to create a specialty taste.

Here are some flavor options to try!

  • Mix in dried fruit
  • Add a pinch of salt to the chocolate mix for a sweet and salty taste
  • Add chopped-up marshmallows to the molds before pouring the chocolate in
  • Try some healthy trail mix sprinkled on top
  • Add coconut flakes or chopped nuts
  • Use herbs like lavender or rose petals
  • Flavor it with peppermint, orange, lemon, almond, or vanilla extract
  • Add a teaspoon of brewed espresso for a mocha bar
chocolate recipe

Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe

A simple and delicious homemade chocolate that’s GAPS, paleo, and kid-approved! Customize the recipe to make your favorite flavor.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Cooling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Calories 529kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

5 bars

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a double boiler on the stovetop, melt the cocoa butter over medium-low heat. You can also use a glass bowl on top of a small pan with a few inches of water in the bottom. Be sure the boiling water doesn’t get into the bowl!
  • Once the cocoa butter is melted, remove from heat and add cocoa powder, vanilla, and other flavor extracts.
  • Allow the mixture to cool slightly. When it’s the same thickness as the honey you’re using, stir in the honey. If using a solid raw honey, melt with the cocoa butter.
  • Make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated and smooth. Be careful not to get any water or moisture in the chocolate recipe or it will get grainy!
  • Pour the chocolate into silicone molds or a glass pan to harden. You can also pour it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Let chocolate harden for several hours at room temperature until firm and remove from the molds. You can also stick it in the refrigerator to harden more quickly.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 529 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 27g169%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 15.4g
Sodium 5mg0%
Potassium 280mg8%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

  • These chocolates will stay fresh for over a week at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer. They can also be frozen.
  • The nutrition data is for 1 chocolate bar but will depend on the size mold you use and how much of the bar you eat. 

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

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!

More Chocolate Recipe Tips

You can use coconut oil instead of cocoa butter. This makes a really healthy chocolate, but it won’t be as thick or creamy (but it’s still very good!). If you use coconut oil, I recommend hardening and storing them in the fridge. This is one easy way to add coconut oil and magnesium to your daily diet!

I’ve melted the mixture in a small pan on very low heat and haven’t had a problem, but it’s not as reliable as the double boiler method. 

Looking for More Homemade Chocolate Recipes? Try:

Have you ever made chocolate at home? What are your favorite flavors? Share below!

Sources

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a 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.

Comments

325 responses to “Healthy Homemade Chocolate Recipe”

  1. Juliana Avatar

    5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe… I’m drooling and in agony because I don’t have cocoa butter at home, if I buy it on Amazon the customs in my country make sure I get it after the expire date (Brazil!) and it’s pretty hard to find an organic brand of affordable cocoa butter around here (yes, in Brazil, one of the largest cocoa producers!).
    So I wonder… Can I substitute cocoa butter for coconut oil? I know the melting issue, but I can keep the chocky in the fridge if needed be while I don’t kill it all.
    Thanks a lot for your time!

  2. Monika Avatar

    5 stars
    Can I melt cocoa butter in microwave ,I am not getting how to melt butter . could you please explain more

  3. Karen Avatar

    I made this chocolate, it seemed to work well and was the right consistency, but it was very bitter. I like bitter chocolate, but this had almost a medicinal taste. I used Organic Cacao Powder, organic raw honey and raw Premium Cacao Butter. Can anyone tell me what I might have done wrong?
    I’m a chocoholic so was really hoping to be on to something healthier than store bought! Thx!

  4. Larinda Avatar

    5 stars
    Perfection! Used a little less than 1/4 C honey and turned out better than the store bought

  5. Karen Avatar

    How do we know what cocoa butter is edible? I have some organic cocoa butter discs that I use to make deodorant and lotions etc, but say for external use. The link to Amazon on your recipe doesn’t say it is edible either, so I’m a bit concerned. Can anyone help please?

  6. Sharon Avatar

    I haven’t yet tried this as I don’t want to use honey because of high sugar content. In place of honey, can I use Swerve powdered sweetener?

  7. Rhiannon Avatar
    Rhiannon

    Brilliant recipe – simple and easy. My mum makes chocolate with (all raw cacoa) cacoa butter, cacoa liquor/mass, cacoa powder, carob powder, date syrup, Marillen Schnaps (that’s a type of Austrian apricot brandy to the uninitiated – smells amazing), homemade chilli oil, chopped cacoa nibs, chopped dried barberries, and chopped dried mulberries.

    Mine is simpler, and closer to this recipe, but I add powdered ginger, cinnamon (always use it in sweet things to aid the blood-sugar balance) and nutmeg, and prefer honey over date syrup, and I don’t use carob, chilli or Schnaps (I dislike the flavours). Our local honey is great – we’ve got a jar that is mostly hawthorn, so a good heart-tonic, hooray!

  8. Sierra Avatar

    5 stars
    Have you ever tried milk chocolate? I bought some evaporated coconut milk to try. Thanks.

  9. Gala Avatar

    5 stars
    I have used organic liquid stevia which is great because it mixes into the chocolate mixture very well. I probably added about two teaspoons to 1.5 cups each of the powder and the butter. I also added a few drops of vanilla extract and cayenne pepper to tase. I melted the butter in a class Corning Ware bowl over a pot of boiling water. I bought some silicone molds too to freeze the mix. Fanatastic!

  10. Shelby Avatar

    You don’t have amounts on this recipe. Could you please send me what amounts you use? Thanks!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      It’s up there but I’ll copy it here 🙂

      1 cup of Cocoa Butter
      1 cup of Organic Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
      1/2 cup Raw Honey or to taste- using half this amount or less will make a bittersweet chocolate
      1 teaspoon of Real Vanilla Extract or other flavors to taste
      Optional: Toasted chopped almonds, orange or mint extract, etc)

  11. Heather W. Avatar
    Heather W.

    Is there no ingredient list/measurements on this recipe? Mine loads straight to the Instructions.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      Sorry about that! It’s up there now but I’ll copy it here:

      1 cup of Cocoa Butter
      1 cup of Organic Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
      1/2 cup Raw Honey or to taste- using half this amount or less will make a bittersweet chocolate
      1 teaspoon of Real Vanilla Extract or other flavors to taste
      Optional: Toasted chopped almonds, orange or mint extract, etc)

  12. Ashley Avatar

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! I use coconut BUTTER. Sets up harder than coconut oil. I never have cocoa butter on hand, but i can easily get shredded coconut in bulk for cheap and make my own butter in the food processor.

  13. nit Avatar

    hi, I tried your recipe but the chocolate is not giving the crack sound. It basically melts if i keep out side of fridge. How can i fix that?

  14. Ossie Avatar

    Hi, made this chocolate & love it !
    What cocoa % would this be? & how do you work it out?

  15. Mollika Avatar

    5 stars
    Thank you for this yummy recipe! Is the 1 cup of Cocoa Butter melted or grated when measuring?

  16. Bonnie Avatar

    Hi –
    Do you have an opinions on using Hershey’s Cocoa powder?
    I’m excited to try this recipe! I plan to use Coconut Oil (since I have it on hand), but am concerned how it will mix in with the honey – as I’ve been reading the other reviews. I’ll give it a try though!

    – Bonnie

  17. Kit Avatar

    Love this recipe! How much orange extract do I add and is it in place of the vanilla extract?

    Thank you
    Kit

  18. Alex Avatar

    I tried making this today, but as soon as I added the powder the entire mixture went from being nice and fluid to being kinda paste-like, very hard to spread in a mold! Do you have a guess at what mistake I made? The only difference to my recipe is that I used 2/3 cup of raw cocoa butter and cocoa powder…The tase was great but the texture was not! Not sure where I went wrong

      1. Alex Avatar

        I don’t think so, but you know what? I just realized I used agave nectar instead of honey. I bet that’s what screwed it all up! I’m gonna try again tomorrow! Thanks for responding so quickly!

        1. Ali Avatar

          Hi Alex, it sounds like you have too much dry ingredients, make sure you are using the right quantities. I use 2oz coconut and 4oz raw cacao butter which I melt in a bowl over pan of boiling water. Then add that to 4oz sifted raw cacao powder and add some vanilla, mix. I then leave it to sit and cool (maybe 10 mins) before adding 4.5 oz raw honey (which is great for good blood sugar control) – this is less sweetener than in the main recipe so add the whole amount. This has always turned out great, I add some mint essence to some of it and home made nut butter to the rest with sea salt – it is such a great recipe

  19. John Avatar

    4 stars
    I’m not sure your assertion that coconut oil is healthier for you than cacao butter is true. Should probably skip the coconut oil and just use cacao butter.

  20. Nicole Avatar

    I am wondering how much chocolate this recipe produces. I have chocolate molds. I know each cavity will produce a 10g chocolate if I melt chocolate chips. And I want to calculate how many chocolates I can make with this recipe before I begin. I will be using agave as a sweetener instead of honey.

4.37 from 129 votes (60 ratings without comment)

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