Hey there, lovebirds. Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. Are you craving something sweet?
Something a little indulgent, but not so off the rails that you need to implement a new workout routine afterwards?
I have just the thing: Easy. Vegan. Chocolate. But no seriously, easy.
I’ve been making chocolate for a while now! My first attempt was chocolate bars, which were delicious and made with a mix of cocoa butter and coconut oil.
Then I went slightly heavier on my cocoa butter : coconut oil ratio in these Raw Double Chocolate Macaroons. So ridiculously good.
And you know what I discovered after all this experimenting? Cocoa butter is king. Here’s why:
Cocoa butter melts like a dream;
There’s zero coconut flavor;
When you add cacao powder, it becomes super velvety and doesn’t separate;
Once it sets, it doesn’t melt in your hands (like coconut oil);
It just tastes better, creamier, more delicious.
Convinced? Good, because you need some cocoa butter in your life.
This recipe is simple requiring just 3 primary ingredients, 1 bowl, and less than 30 minutes to prepare!
Plus, it’s customizable. I left mine pretty basic, adding only cacao nibs, a hint of vanilla, and a little sea salt. But you could add dried fruit, candied ginger, toasted nuts, toasted coconut…really anything you’re craving.
Make this chocolate exactly how you like it! It’s the perfect base for experimenting.
So, why make chocolate at home when you can buy it at the store? Let me tell you.
Homemade is simply better.
It’s naturally sweetened.
No suspicious ingredients.
Vegan, gluten free, guaranteed.
It’s customizable.
It’s fun.
Trust me, homemade chocolate all the way.
I hope you all love this chocolate! It’s:
Velvety
Creamy
Rich
Super chocolatey
Naturally sweetened
Simple
& Decadent
Make this chocolate for Valentine’s Day and beyond. I’ve been making a batch and keeping some in the freezer for an after-dinner treat. The mini molds make them the perfect size for indulging without overdoing it.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Easy Vegan Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped cocoa butter* (packed)
- 3-5 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub agave nectar with varied results)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 pinch sea salt (optional // plus more to taste)
- Cacao nibs (optional // for topping)
Instructions
- Arrange 14 (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)mini cupcake liners on a small baking sheet. Set aside.
- Add 2 inches of water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Then set a medium glass or ceramic mixing bowl on top, making sure it’s not touching the water (this creates a “double boiler”).
- To the mixing bowl, add finely chopped cocoa butter and let melt – 2-3 minutes.
- Once melted, add the maple syrup or agave nectar and use a whisk or wooden spoon to mix until fluid and thoroughly combined. Remove bowl and set on a flat surface. Also, turn off stove-top heat and set saucepan aside.
- Add cacao or cocoa powder, vanilla (optional), and sea salt (optional), and whisk to combine until there are no clumps.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed. I added about 3 Tablespoons agave total and a pinch more salt (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), but it’s completely up to how sweet you prefer your chocolate.
- Carefully pour chocolate into 12-14 mini cupcake liners* (or 7 large cupcake liners // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and top with more sea salt or cacao nibs (optional).
- Transfer chocolate to the freezer or refrigerator to set – about 10 minutes.
- Enjoy straight from the freezer, refrigerator, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Notes
*I tested this chocolate with both raw cacao and cocoa powder and found them both to be delicious! The raw cacao tastes a bit more bitter, while the cocoa was a little less stark and had a more familiar taste on the palette. Cacao wins in health benefits, but cocoa powder wins in taste for me.
*To keep this chocolate raw, use cacao powder and this method (water bath).
*If you don’t have mini cupcake liners, lay parchment paper down on a baking sheet and spread the chocolate into an even layer. Once set, break into bark, or cut into bars (like this).
*If you’re afraid to try cocoa butter, don’t be! It’s so versatile and I use it to make chocolate all the time. I also love it in vegan cheesecake, as well as homemade beauty products. Definitely worth it if you’re a chocolate fan!
*Recipe adapted from my Double Chocolate Raw Macaroons.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Areej says
Hi, I just made this tonight and it tastes okay but it’s very oily and you get it all buttery in your mouth.
How can I fix It?
Hi Areej! Not sure if you substituted the cocoa butter for coconut oil, but I find that coconut oil tends to separate, get a little oily, and melts easily when touched.
lizbee says
Aha! I just checked the chocolate-coconut cups and the ratio is different – 210g cocoa butter to 96g cocoa (v. 48 grams as here), so twice as cocoa-y. Looking forward to trying this with the correct ratio, as the texture was incredible.
lizbee says
Just made this today. Texture is smooth and creamy, but as at least one other reviewer noted, the flavor isn’t chocolatey enough (cocoa to cocoa butter ratio off?) and the cocoa butter was more like 2 cups, not 1 cup, by the time i got to 200 g. I think with half as much cocoa butter (or 2x the cocoa) it’d probably be perfect. It’s still tasty…just not as chocolatey as I’d like. I’ll probably break these up and use in cookies, as they’re not quite satisfying enough to just munch as is.
Stephanie Stokkermans says
Hi, great recipe. Thanks. Just wondering how you calculated the shelf life? Cocoa butter lasts for years in a sealed container.
Thanks very much!
ife says
Have you tried to use cacao butter instead of cocoa butter? :)
Mary says
Hi, I made this chocolate just as suggested and it turned out really yummy. Thank you for the recipe! My only question is…Is there any way I can make it a little less oily? Should I add more cocoa powder?
Hi Mary! As you mentioned, I would try adding more cocoa powder!
Samira says
Would it be as easy as swapping coconut milk powder for the cocoa powder to make white chocolate? I am going to try!
Kim says
Samira, did your idea work? I love white chocolate!
Samira says
Unfortunately, not really Kim! Maybe I didn’t prepare it correctly but it separated into layers of the different ingredients I used.
Kim says
Samira, I had the ingredients on hand and I tried it too, several ways. It did the same for me. Shame!
AnnMarie says
This is the first chocolate I’ve ever made. I used it for a topping to a Twix like recipe and made a chocolate bar with fruit and nuts. It was absolutely delicious! The only issue is that it melts way too easily so it’s necessary to keep it in the refrigerator or freezer. Is there a way to temper chocolate made this way? It would make storage so much easier, plus I could share!
Blu says
I love this, but wanted to point out that 1 cup of packed cocoa butter shavings registers as 100 g on my scale, not 200 g. I went with 1 cup and it turned out so well that it’ll be part of my Christmas gift baskets this year. I got a silicone chocolate bar mold and it makes a perfect, shiny chocolate bar. It melts like truffles – delicious.
Dee dee says
This is awesome! I added 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. I love chocolate mint. It’s yummy!
Dee dee says
But I will add here, that I use 84g of cocoa powder to 200 g of cocoa butter.
Bella says
This recipe looks fantastic and I am excited to make it. I was wondering what brand you would best recommend for cocoa butter? Does Whole Foods or Amazon sell a brand you trust? Thanks!
Hi Bella! This is the kind of cocoa butter we like!
Michelle says
Hi, I just made this chocolates and flavor is on target! However after freezing , the chocolate didn’t turn hard but it has a more chewy wet texture, not hard crunchy crisp chocolate. It also feels grainy. I used raw cacao butter and raw cacao powder. How can I make it more dry and crunchy?
Dee dee says
If they are chewy then you got water into your chocolate. You absolutely CANNOT let any water (saliva even) get int he chocolate. It becomes like a Tootsie Roll.
aubree says
Hi!
Wondering if you ever use cocoa butter in a frosting recipe?
Hi! We have not, but I know you can use cocoa butter in a frosting recipe!
Rosa says
Do they really have to be kept in the fridge – and just a week? I thought (even homemade) chocolate should keep for much longer than that. Thanks in advance!
Hi! You can keep them out of the fridge!
Melissa says
It does not have a good chocolatey flavor. I think the ratio of cocoa powder to cocoa butter may be to blame. It melts at room temperature. I would not recommend this recipe.
Dee dee says
I too think the ratio is off. At first I thought you had the same recipe as me, but then I realized that my Cocoa powder is 84 g to 200 g of cocoa butter. You may need to fix this.
Zubaydah says
Hello I am wanting to know the texture of this chocolate? I just made some home made chocolate out of cacao nibs and it was extremely grainy like sand in the mouth apparently due to no counching/refining.
Is this problem solved due to the liquid sweeteners/powdered cacao?
Can I make it more mylk chocolate by using coconut butter?
Im seriously about to give up… also can this be tempered to not melt in the hand?
Gary says
I had the exact same issue when using Cacao Nibs. Purchased a coffee/spice grinder in hope that would help but still no joy. I then came across this recipe and it works a dream!!! You get the smoothness that you would get with any well known chocolate bar.
Nicole says
Can this be tempered so that the chocolates do not melt so easily in your hand? If so would you temper the melted cacao butter or after the other ingredients have been added? What temperatures should be used?
Sara Garnham says
Heat just the butter first to 46 °c then cool it to 27°c with the other ingredients. Then heat back up to 31°c. Works for me.
Erin says
I Tried this recipe using carob, as cacao and cocoa give a coffe-like buzz which I can’t handle! I also used rice malt syrup as it was the only sweetener I had at the time. The first time I tried it, the recipe was completely lumpy, tasted great! But very lumpy and the cacao butter separates quite a lot. The second time I tried it I added way more sweetener and maple syrup too (along with rice malt syrup) and I was very careful to make sure I sifted the carob. It was much smoother and blended better, however the chocolates did not set hard. They were more sticky, gooey, fudge. Again, taste great, but it’s just not the consistency I’m after! I’m wondering if rice malt syrup doesn’t set properly or blend well with cacao butter. Will you be doing a carob chocolate recipe soon? A carob recipe with cacao butter would be ideal, because I love the texture and taste of cacao butter!
Jodi says
I love love love this chocolate recipe! I have had a pkg of cocoa butter sitting in my fridge for months and finally decided to try it (a month passed it’s best before date – oops!). I don’t use agave nectar so instead I used rice malt syrup (60ml) and some liquid stevia (~6-8 drops). It worked and tasted like a dream! It didn’t last long enough in my hands to notice whether it melted or not. So smooth! It was a bit sweeter than I expected, but still yummy and I’m sure it will be a hit with my 5 year old son! Next time I will play with the sweetness and try a batch with straight stevia drops.
Thank you for sharing!
Mandalay says
I’ve tried this a few times, but my agave never mixes well with the other ingredients, and then when i pour it into the moulds and leave it to set, i’m left with two layers to the chocolate, a really nice hard layer that has no sweetness and a very wet layer on the bottom which is too sweet as all the agave has sunk… help?
Karim says
Same here. The cacao butter and the sweetener I used separate during the cooling process. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Karim, Which sweetener did you use? We would recommend maple syrup for best results. Also, another reader mentioned that heating too long can contribute to separation. Hope that helps!
JA says
Where can the cooking grade cocoa butter be found at?
We just get it at the local grocery store but you can purchase it online as well!
Jes says
Another win, thanks Dana :-)
I halved the recipe, but added some fillings and toppings, so it still made 12 chocolates.
In Australia we have a brand that makes pure peanut spreads, tahini etc (all 100% natural ingredients). They have a cacao-date-nut spread that I decided to use as a filling. I added a pinch of coconut sugar to the filling, and it worked a treat!
Miriam says
So happy I found your blog, since going vegan I am much more thankful for people like you that post amazing recipes for us that are getting indruduced into this new way of eating, now I know there’s an alternative to anyything!
Nivea says
Is there a difference between cocao & cocoa ???
Hi Nivea! Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa looks the same but it’s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures.
Mary says
I tried this but because of some of my restrictions I had to make some alterations (Currently I can’t do any sugar but stevia, manuka honey or monk fruit extract)
Since maple is what is going to remove the bitterness out of the chocolate I ended up adding stevia, peppermint oil, cinnamon, coconut milk and lemon juice to help cut the bitterness and it worked great!
With the nuts I used (Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds) and Seeds (Pumpkin, Sunflower) as well as coconut flakes it is the perfect thing I needed! I have missed my chocolate and I love that not only is this simple but we can control exactly what is going into it vs what is being added in processing thru store packages.
Kim says
Wow, you added lemon juice? How much? What an interesting idea!
Alejandro meza Aguilar says
Can you use coconut sugar for it?
Eloise says
You would want to grind it up very fine into as much of a powder as possible. It will leave a grainy texture. The sugar doesn’t dissolve.
Erin says
Hi there, just came across this recipe and I’m sold! Going to look for cocoa butter today! If I use cocoa powder, what type of chocolate will it make? Dark, semi-sweet? And is there any way to make vegan milk chocolate? Thanks so much! Love your recipes!!
Hi Erin! Dark chocolate! While we don’t currently have a recipe for vegan milk chocolate, I’ll pass the suggestion along :D
Eloise says
To make it more of a milk chocolate, you can use more cocoa/cacao butter and less cocoa/cacao powder and add some vanilla. You can also add soymilk powder or coconut milk powder. Your best bet would be more cocoa/cacao butter though.
Sydnee says
Also! My chocolate isn’t hardening it has a truffle consistency which still tastes great but how do I get the chocolate hard? I left it in the freezer over 10min
Eloise says
The lack of hardening was probably due to the added maple syrup. Naturally, adding more liquid will create a softer chocolate. You could try a powdered sugar instead or less cocoa/cacao powder, as that is what causes the bitterness.
Sydnee says
This was really delicious! So rich amd creamy! Just made these for the first time tonight only thing is I needed way more maple syrup the 5 tbsp was very bitter for me. Otherwise loved it! :)
Donna says
Hi,
I’ve made this twice and both times adding the agave nectar has turned the cocoa butter into a truffle-like texture and does not go back to liquid. The second time I made doubly sure the cocoa butter was liquid but the same thing happened – can you offer any advice please?
Thanks!
Eloise says
Use room temperature syrup and add a little at a time.
Akal Atma says
Do you know a good alternative for coconut butter? By the way, these look amazing!!! I’m going to make them as soon as I can…
aline says
I am wanting a dairy free chocolate sauce to drizzle over a pound cake that I am making. Would this work for that purpose? Thank you!
Hi! This one may work better for what you’re doing!
Christy says
I made this today and used it to dip vegan cake pops! I didn’t need to make too many, so I’m gonna save the rest of it for my next vegan order. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Annie says
I just made these – SO EASY and SO good!!!! Can’t wait to experiment more :)
michele G says
Cocoa butter melts like a dream;
There’s zero coconut flavor;
These are both chocolate flavor, correct? why state there is no coconut flavor. There is coconut butter made with coconut meat. did you intend to use coconut butter or oil?
Rosemary Becker says
You may or may not be able to answer this, but do you know if this recipe goes through the process of fermintation? It looks delicious and I am thinking of using it for a fermentation science project. We have been doing research and some chocolate recipes are fermented while others aren’t. If you know the answer and could let me know, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!
demi says
I made some chocolate bars and made ganache but its not like I see in pictures with store bought.when I melt it its way runny and notkinda thick .should I usemore cocoa to butter so it will be thicker?or sth else?maybe use chocolate chips that have more cocoa powder inside?my ganache and mousse were abit thin
amy says
hello ! an i use carob powder instead? thanks.
Melissa Martin says
Thanks for super helpful site! My daughter is vegan and coming home for Christmas, so I’m planning ahead. ?
Question: Would I be able to use granulated sugar or is the liquid sweetener a necessary component?
granulated sugar is fine, just make sure it completely dissolves while mixing!
Charlotte says
I just made these, and they are creamy, melt in the mouth yum! I used 4 tbs. of the agave syrup, a dash of pink Himalayan salt in the chocolate, plus sprinkled a bit on top. I also used cacao powder for the health benefits. Thanks for a wonderful vegan chocolate recipe.
Elle says
Hi! Could I substitute agave with glucose syrup? :)
Sophie says
I made this chocolate this morning. Made half a batch (so 100g cocoa butter, 2 tbsp maple syrup and 24g cocoa powder) – followed all the instructions but my chocolate didn’t set in the fridge. Where did I go wrong? :( I remember it was quite runny when I poured it into the chocolate moulds and I’m actually surprised that some people here found the mixture to be so lumpy/thick that it doesn’t pour as I’m having the complete opposite problem…
So strange! Did you try the freezer?
Sophie says
Hi Dana, they did set fine in the freezer, thanks! They start melting as soon as you touch them though… Tastes great though so I’m going to try adding more cocoa powder next time and see if that helps with the issue I had.
SO odd! Yeah, maybe less sweetener more cocoa powder next time!
Amanda says
Hi, i live in a high humidity area so my chocolates also set fine in tbe freezer but would start to melt once they are out? Why does that happen?
It sounds like the chocolates aren’t a fan of the humid weather in your neck of the woods! I’d recommend refrigerating or freezing them until you’re ready to eat them..
Jamie says
I was going to ask if the chocolate tempers or can be tempered with this recipe—sounds like it doesn’t if it gets soft as soon as touched? I want a refined sugar free that will hold…maybe I’ll try and see.
Dolphin says
Hi,
I have had the same problem with the liquid getting lumpy and not pourable. I know that when making chocolate its important not to get any water in the melted cocoa butter or it will “bind”. It seems like the liquid in the maple is causing that problem. I have made lots of chocolate using maple syrup and maple syrup does not always bind it, but the last two times I made it, it did. Perhaps it has something to do with how much water is in that particular batch of maple syrup. Next time I’m going to try it with agave, I think I have had better results with that.
Hmm, I did like agave overall better for flavor/texture, but I definitely didn’t experience any of those textural issues with the maple syrup. Perhaps it is a reaction between the kind of maple syrup and cocoa butter you have?
Dolphin says
Yes, I was guessing the same thing, as Ive made chocolate using maple as a sweetener before without it binding. Maple syrup is boiled down from a much more watery sap, perhaps this batch wasn’t boiled as much.
Sally-Anne Wilkinson says
The first time I made the chocolate, it was perfect. I used an agave/stevia mix, with minimum sweetness . The second time I made it, it clumped, despite using exactly the same carob/cocoa butter (but I omitted the stevia, and used more agave to increase sweetness for my father-in-law, who doesn’t like a dark chocolate taste). The third time I used a little less agave (again no stevia) and it was ok – it hardened but was a little clumpy. I do think it may be an issue with the quantities of agave used.
Brenda says
Thanks for this recipe….they look and sound amazing! Do you think they would come out ok using silicone candy moulds?
I do!
Allison says
Help, what am I doing wrong? I’ve made this twice and the cocoa butter melts perfect, I take it off the heat, use maple syrup, then the coco powder mixes well, but wirhin minutes the mixture settles, clumps, separates, will not pour. I have no idea what’s going wrong. Tips?
Sabrina says
Hi! I had the same problem couple times, lol I think it’s because we do not wait long enough before adding other ingredients . Coconut butter will melt fast but it turns into a paste instead of keeping that liquid state. Wait a bit more until it turns very liquid, then add other ingredients.
Hope this was helpful and hope I’m right! Give it a try!
Luiza says
Hi, can I substitute cocoa butter for cacao butter? For some reason, I could only find cacao butter after checking numerous stores, will the recipe still work?
fdgdg says
No you cant
Julia says
Hi
Does anyone else have a problem that after freezing the mixture separates: cocoa butter seems to form a white/yellow layer on top and the cacao mass seems to be on the bottom… help!
Julia
Leah says
I’m wondering if you could use this as a ‘magic shell’ ice cream topping. If you used coconut oil instead of cocoa butter would it harden up when you drizzle it over the ice cream?
I would think so Leah! Yes, I believe using coconut oil instead of cocoa butter would allow it to harden up over ice cream, let us know if you end up trying this!
Steph says
I was just wondering if there was a significant difference between cocoa butter and cacao butter? I noticed you said you used cocoa butter in the recipe, but the amazon link takes you to cacao butter. I wondered if substituting one for the other would be okay? Thanks!
Claire says
I just made these, the taste is yum, but I have some separation. There’s some oil at the bottom of all the cases, which I’m assuming is either agave or cacao butter. I originally thought they hadn’t hardened, but then realised it wasn’t going to.
Any ideas why this happened?
Sharon says
Love this recipe! It is easy, versatile and tastes delish! My only problem is these definetly start to melt as soon as we touch them. I was hoping to get some tips on how to keep them from melting…they would make great gifts if I could figure this part out! Any suggestions??
Tim says
Great I need a good recipe for vegan chocolate What exactly is cocoa butter though? Thanks
Eden Passante says
This looks amazing! Great vegan recipe!!
Jeanie says
I tried this yesterday afternoon. My toddler is chocolate crazy and he won’t eat anything else these days (without making a fuss) so wanted something healthy and he just loved this so much!!!!
arthur says
Hello!
thank you for the input. i am from brazil and i would like to know if this chocolate would melt at our “room temperature” which is around 30 – 34 celsius. wouldnt be needed a thermal shock?
thank you
Cyndi says
Hi! Can Carob powder be used in place of cocoa powder?
Melissa says
Yes, it can. I’ve tried making carob “chocolate” with the same ingredients and to me it actually tastes even better (and less bitter)!
Sally-Anne Wilkinson says
I made carob chocolate too and it was given a thumbs up by all my guests at a dinner I made :)
Karin says
I’ve made this before and it’s delicious but now I can’t remember… Do you know how big a block of cocoa butter you needed to get 1 cup grated? I’m planning on quadrupling the recipe but don’t want to overbuy since it’s a pricey ingredient! Thanks!
Lia says
Even though I’m not vegan, I come to your site quite often because the recipes seem so simple and easy. I’m gonna have to try some of them soon!
shatha says
Hello,
Thank you so much for such a lovely recipe.
The chocolate turned out to be creamy and rich. If I want to make a lighter version of this recipe, what ingredients do you suggest I use (to replace regular milk chocolate).
Thanks a lot
Shatha
Melissa says
Yes, use cashew butter. Use about one teaspoon. You will want to replace the liquid sweetener with a powdered form of whatever dry sweetener you use (sucanat, cane sugar, coconut sugar…) because the cashew butter will soften the texture. It tastes pretty dreamy.
Melissa says
I meant 3-4 teaspoons…sorry
Kiera says
hi, i had my first go at this today.
tasting amazing… some of the cocao butter had hardened on the top, and the cocoa powder has sunk to the bottom (its looking a little like Top Deck)…they still work, consistancy is good…i am wondering why there might be this seperation…
omg they taste amazing….
Stacy says
Hello. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Can I use honey as a sweetener instead of agave? Thanks.
Carly Syms says
Hi Stacy! Dana answers questions about sweetener substitutions here.
Melanie says
She doesn’t answer Stacy’s question in that link regarding whether Honey can be used as a substitute for Agave, which is so unhealthy. Can you please let us know? I’d love to use honey as well :)
Yes, honey should work!
Katie B says
Woah! Just made these and they are super easy and delish!!
Kai says
I wish I could give this recipe 10 stars. I recently went dairy-free and was searching for dessert recipes. Oh. my. GOODNESS. Velvety, melt in your mouth (but not in your hand!), delicious chocolate that my friends (and I) cannot believe is VEGAN. I have topped with shaved coconut, hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, the possibilities are endless. THANK YOU, DANA!!
susan says
looks great. perfect for someone who can’t have soy, which is in most commercial chocolate. would adding more cocoa butter make it more milk chocolatey? or would it just make it greasy and soft?
Amy says
Yep. These are good. And thank you so much for pointing me in the direction of where to find cocoa butter. Can’t wait to fill them with dried fruit and such.
Sophie says
Is there a reason you choose to use a liquid sweetener instead of something like coconut sugar? My chocolate ended up with a “sweaty” quality when I bite into it.
Delicious, of course. That’s a given.
Lennae says
Oh my goodness I love chocolate! I especially love homemade raw chocolate that is a healthier option! Thanks for sharing, I cant wait to give this recipe a go.
Lennae xxx
Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship says
I like the sound of perfect for experimenting. All my old favorite chocolate bars….
Carol says
Do you think I could add a bit of coconut milk to be more milk chocolate like? Would they still harden?
Imke says
I just made them, can’t wait till they are cooled off!
Renee says
If these are like “regular chocolate”, then why do they have to be kept in the refrigerator? Chocolate bars, etc., should never be kept in a refrigerator. Too much humidity.
Nancy says
I loved the taste of these treats! But i must have done something wrong because the consistency was more like a fudge. They didn’t harden like a chocolate bar….what did I do wrong?
Melanie says
I make these, but use coconut oil, and put mine in ice cubes trays. Works great!!
Wendy says
This was my first attempt at making my own chocolates and they were so simple and delicious to make, I can’t wait to make more, possibly a “milk” chocolate version using coconut milk or almond milk maybe, thanks so much for sharing this recipe
Charlotte says
Have you tried this yet?! How did it go?
Brittany H says
Could you sweeten with a little bit of stevia? If so, how would it affect the ratios of the other ingredients?
You could sweeten with Stevia! And I don’t think you’d really have to change the ratios. I just think you’ll get slightly less chocolate. Good luck!
Andrea says
Do these travel well? I was going out of town this weekend and I wanted to make some for my boyfriend (he’s vegan and it’s his birthday) but I’m going to be in a car for two hours and I don’t want them to melt- especially if I have to stack them together in a container. Do they hold up as well as regular chocolate?
Yes! They do. Just don’t sub coconut oil for the cocoa butter or they will melt.
Lora W. says
I made it a day after the Valentine’s Day using the cocoa butter. It’s not that I am a vegan, but this recipe was very tempting and I couldn’t miss it. The chocolate melted in my mouth just like Cadbury’s Dairy Milk; in fact, I would say even better.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Lora!
jenna says
These would be amazing to make into immitation reese’s PB cups: just whip homemade PB with some coconut oil, maybe some maple syrup and nutritional yeast, and freeze them in layers. Maybe since you are using cocoa butter, you could use that instead of coconut oil? Who knows, I’m about to get crazy in the kitchen with this recipe.
I have no clue where to buy cocoa butter though, I’ve never seen it in stores? Then again, I’ve never looked for it in stores haha. I will try whole foods/sprouts/Trader Joes.. Any ideas on top of that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I always order mine online, but others have suggested looking in the beauty section of health food stores and ensuring it’s food grade. Good luck!
Toni says
Wholes Foods carries raw cocoa butter right next to the nibs and raw cacao powders.
J says
I made these chocolates for a Valentine’s Day party and they were absolutely amazing! I added some chopped dried Bing cherries for little extra tartness and my friends loved it.
I am a huge fan of white chocolate, so I was wondering if it is possible to make vegan-friendly white chocolate from scratch?
I’m working on a recipe! Stay tuned.
Christina says
These are GORGEOUS. I’ve never made chocolate cups and I don’t know what the heck I’m waiting for.
Samar says
Hey Dene
I have one question can I replace cocoa butter to normal butter, because I didn’t find in market? And thank you it seem so awesome .
Unfortunately, no. It wouldn’t give a similar effect.
Jill says
I couldn’t find Cocoa Butter at our store, I picked up red palm oil. Any thoughts on how this would turn out?
I don’t think that will work, unfortunately. But if you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Amy says
So, this looks awesome. Delicious. But I’ve been having trouble doing cocoa butter locally. Even at whole foods. Unless I’m looking in the wrong place. Where do you find yours?
Kim says
Try the skin care section and make sure it’s food grade, 100% cocoa butter.
Ren says
Nuts.com is a great place to buy cocoa butter. And many other things as well. Very good quality products.
June says
Wanted to buy some cocoa butter but couldn’t find it anywhere. Any recommendations on brands and where to buy it? Thanks.
Kim says
Dana posted a link to Amazon for cocoa butter. I found mine at Central Market in the skin care section not in the regular food aisles. I can’t remember the brand but it is 100% cocoa butter, food grade.
Kelsey says
Making these today and realize my question might not get answered, however, can I sub coconut butter for cocoa butter? Perhaps with more cocoa? I also have coconut oil…
Kim says
I made this last night. Oh my goodness!! So good! So easy! Melts in your mouth greatness! Thank you for such an awesome recipe. I’m dairy and gluten free and now I can make my own chocolate yumminess thanks to this recipe! Yay! And, I look forward to your peanut butter cup recipe.
Gluten Free Babe says
Looks so delicious. Perfect recipe for V-Day! I was also looking at the DIY dark chocolate almond bars. I notice the only difference is that those have same amount of cocoa butter – but more cocoa powder and a bit more maple. Can you describe the difference? I am not sure which recipe I would like better! Thx!!
Hi there! I now prefer the Easy Vegan Chocolate over the chocolate bars, and I made those slight changes based on testing. But they’re both great!
merilyn says
these look gorgeous thankyou dana!
love m:)X
Leila Revel says
Hi Dana,
This recipe looks awesome! I was wondering if this chocolate could be used for dipping/coating instead of melted chocolate chip/chunks? Thinking about trying it with your salted caramel peanut butter truffles, peanut butter mousse cups or peanut butter eggs. Do you think it would work? If so, could I do it the same way? Thanks again for all the tasty recipes, keep em coming.
Yes! It is a little thinner in consistency, so I’d recommend thickening it a little with some extra cocoa or cacao powder. Good luck!
Bernice @ Doughverload says
Wow, I’d never thought of making vegan chocolate- this looks as good as the real thing! I imagine putting it into little heart shaped moulds to set would be very cute.
Agreed! I like keeping it simple and just using paper liners, but molds would take these to the next level ;D
Mairead says
Amazing recipe- thank you!
Rubber ice cube trays reduce the paper waste and are just as easy! They typically come in fun shapes and can usually pick up at Dollar land/5 & Below for next to nothing.
Katrina says
Homemade chocolate?! And vegan too?? Looks awesome!
Sarah | Well and Full says
Amazing as always, Dana! <3
Mel @ The Refreshanista says
Oh yummy!!! Clearly I need to buy more cocoa butter so I can make these :)
Nadia@maisontravers says
This looks delicious and very easy.
Sarah says
this looks absolutely delicious. I’m definitely going to try this recipe one day :)
sarahjaihelee.com
Let me know how it goes, Sarah!
Emily @ Robust Recipes says
Yum! You can never go wrong wurh chocolate!
IVONNE says
Can I substitute maple syrup for agave?
Yes!
maia says
this is great
matyx
Ashley says
I have been working on my raw chocolate recipe for a while, and you’ve convinced me that cocoa butter is the way to go. My last attempt involved both coconut oil and cocoa butter but it still melts so easily :(
Yeah, cocoa butter really is the key. I’ve found a nice combination to be cocoa butter (you can sub only up to 1 Tbsp with coconut oil), cocoa powder and maple syrup!
Cassie Tran says
This is perfect for enjoying for Valentine’s Day with your loved ones or by yourself!
Aubrey says
YUMMY:) They look like reseese’s cups with just chocolate :p
I was tempted to make peanut butter cups, but just decided to keep things pure. But that’s probably up next! xoxo
Hazel Adams says
It looks so simple. I have thought about sweetening chocolate with not only agave but stevia. Do you think this will work as well?
You can try!
Shannon says
I have done this with just plain liquid dark stevia when I was sugar-free! It does work. Not sure how much, just adjust to your liking.
Coulinjo says
Don’t bother – it tastes chemically and disgusting!
Some stevia brands do take on a chemical taste. But pure stevia extract (I like Trader Joe’s brand) doesn’t tend to have any poor taste. Hope that helps!
Coulinjo says
I wasn’t even aware that Stevia powders could be different so that’s really helpful :)
Anne says
I know this comment is old, but I sweetened myocolate with a very small amount of agave and some stevia. Tastes great! I wouldn’t do just stevia though. It tends to taste a little thin all on it’s own in this king of setting. If you really wants to go low sugar you cold use poured dates and stevia. I’ve done this as well and it tasted good, but I got the cocoa powder to cocoa butter ratio wrong. The texture was a littt off and I don’t know if the issue was with the ratio, the dates or a little of both.
Anne says
I’m sorry about these spellings, typing with one eye on my kid!
Stephanie says
Do you have an Instagram or Facebook or something where you post recipes or anything like that?
Hi Stephanie! We have both! Here is our Instagram and here is our Facebook!