Easy homemade dark chocolate with less than a handful of ingredients!
In case anyone actually needs another reason to reach for some chocolate…..
5 Reasons to Eat More Dark Chocolate🍫
You know, for health…
- It’s basically brain food
The cocoa found in chocolate helps increase blood flow to the brain which leads to faster reaction time, better problem solving skills, and improved attention span. Not only that, but increased blood flow to the brain also improves short term memory and decreases mental decline in seniors. - It helps protect against heart disease
The flavonoids in chocolate help increase blood flow to the heart as well which helps to prevent blood clots and hardening of the arteries. Eating a small amount of dark chocolate a few times a week has been shown to lower blood pressure. - Younger looking skin
Quality dark chocolate, not the sugary kind, is full of antioxidants that have anti-aging benefits to the skin. Not only that, but the same flavonoids that increase blood flow to the heart and brain also increase blood flow to the skin giving off a healthy glow. - It’s a “joy stimulant”Cocoa boosts levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain which leads to improved mood. So when you’re feeling down and you’re craving something sweet it’s likely the boost in serotonin that your body is really craving.
- It helps you stress less
Chocolate is a great source of magnesium which has been dubbed “the original chill pill”. Getting more magnesium through diet leads to better sleep contributing to improved resilience to stress. Another study found: when test subjects who considered themselves to be highly stressed people ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two week had a significant drop in stress hormones.
Keep in mind that these health benefits relate to quality dark chocolate – at least more than 70% cocoa. Conventional chocolate bars filled with lots of sugar and additives don’t have the same benefits and are likely to cause more problems than anything else.
How to make homemade chocolate with Coconut Oil
Making homemade dark chocolate is probably easier than you think. It’s made with only 5 ingredients: cocoa powder (or cacao), coconut oil, honey, and sea salt. All you need is about 5 minutes of melting and whisking plus time to set and you’re good to go.
If you follow this recipe as is you’ll end up with about 72% dark chocolate, but feel free to customise to your taste adding an extra tablespoon or so of honey. I never used to be a fan of dark chocolate but over time I learned to love it as my eating habits changed and I ate less sugar.
Spruce It Up
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the flavours to make your own special chocolate bar. A few ideas to get you started:
- ground ginger
- orange zest or orange extract
- chili flakes
- chopped nuts
If you enjoy this recipe make sure you check out my recipe for homemade chocolate with cocoa butter!
Homemade Dark Chocolate
Easy homemade dark chocolate - only five ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (105g)
- 4 tbsp honey or more for taste (85g)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup unprocessed 100% cocoa powder or cacao powder (118g)
Instructions
- In a small pot over a low heat: melt the coconut oil.
- Stir in the honey, and salt.
- Remove the mixture from the heat. Add the cocoa powder and mix until it's dissolved into the chocolate mixture. You should have a smooth, lump free chocolate sauce.
- Pour the chocolate into silicone moulds or a lined baking pan. Leave out at room temperature to cool and fully set. Once they've hardened pop them out of the moulds and enjoy.
Notes
- You can also use cocoa butter in place of the coconut oil for a creamier chocolate.
- Use maple syrup or agave for a vegan friendly chocolate. Use maple syrup for low FODMAP. Just keep in mind that maple syrup contains more water than honey and could leave you slightly grainy chocolate.
- Keep chocolate stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Don't pack the cocoa powder into a measuring cup - lightly scoop it into the cup until filled.
- I no longer recommend cooling/setting in the fridge or freezer. Firming up at room temperature will take much longer, but the chocolate is much less likely to melt at room temp/in your hand this way.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size:
30 grams Calories: 143Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 2gShop this Post
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Azzy says
the icing sugar is not dissolving in the coconut oil .. what should I do ?? and what happens if we use alkaline cocoa powder instead of unprocessed one ??
Sarah says
Hi Azzy! I think maybe you just need to keep stirring it a little longer – sometimes it just takes a little more time but icing sugar should absolutely dissolve in warm, melted coconut oil. As for the alkaline cocoa powder that’s totally fine! I specify using an unprocessed one since more of my readers are interested in paleo recipes but alkaline cocoa powder will work just fine!
Emily says
Where did you get your heart-shaped mold? Can you post a link?
Sarah says
Hi Emily! I can’t find the exact mold because it’s been a few years but these ones are almost identical https://www.amazon.com/Webake-Silicone-Chocolate-Molds-Cavity/dp/B01GYL3I5W/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1531167924&sr=8-6&keywords=chocolate+heart+molds&dpID=51S1Blfl29L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch Hope that helps!
Joel says
Hi , thanks for the recipe!! Can I use Rice bran oil instead of Coconut oil, because the chocolate has a taste of coconut oil apart from cocoa.
Sarah says
Hi Joel! I wouldn’t recommend rice bran oil because the chocolate wouldn’t solidify at room temperature. You could use palm shortening or even cocoa butter instead though and those should both work!
Cat G. says
I will admit it, I have a problem. I am a 3-4 bar a week addict of the 85% Lindt Extra Dark Chocolate bars. It gets to be expensive to support my habit. haha I’m looking at buying the candy bar silicone molds off Amazon. For this recipe, would you suggest the 2 pack of the 3 oz or the 6.6 oz size?
Sarah says
Haha totally understand that! Either one would be alright but the 6.6 oz might be better because it should fill that
Sindy says
Thank you for the recipe! This is was easy to make 🙂
I still found it a little too bitter with 2 tbsp of honey so I added 2 tbsp of powdered sugar. This made it just right- for those who also found it a little too bitter. Very yummy. Thank you again!
Sarah says
Thanks Sindy! So happy you liked it! Totally understand the sweetness too – using powdered sugar is a great tip because it doesn’t have as distinct a flavour as honey or maple but still adds a nice sweetness. Thanks so much for coming back to let me know what you thought!
Swati says
I dont have to melt coconut oil. Its in liquid form since I’m in India! In that case what’s the procedure you would suggest? I want to make it
Sarah says
That’s no problem! I just suggest melting since I know a lot of Americans don’t use kitchen scales – it’s easier to measure in liquid form. Just do everything as you normally would – you’ll still need to warm everything up over the stove top to help dissolve the sweetener. Hope you like it!
namrata says
Thanks for sharing the recipe!! will try it…I had a query thoug, will these choclate bars smell of coconut oil? I hope not…kindly confirm…
Sarah says
I don’t smell it, but it’s possible that I’m more used to coconut oil now. I’m pretty sure the cocoa/cacao powder is the main smell though. Hope that helps!
Steph says
This is such a simple great tasting recipe. I used cocoa butter because I wanted to be able to keep the chocolate out of the fridge plus I wanted that extra taste that comes from the cocoa butter. I baked it into some choc chunk cookies and it worked great. Just about everyone who tasted it likes it and they’re amazed that it’s homemade. I only added 3 Tbsp of honey as I wanted a semi-sweet taste; I just tasted it before adding and went from there.
Sarah says
That’s so great – I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment/review!
Nuguy says
The article is so helpful. I like dark chocolate. I wanna try this recipe. Thank you for sharing
Sarah says
Glad you found it helpful! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Brad says
Mine was a travesty. I followed the recipe but my cup measuring cup was dirty so I used a 1/3. By the time I added the second third it turned into a thick paste
Sarah says
Oh no! My guess is that maybe the stove temperature may have been too hot which is why it thickened up so quickly
Khushi Shukla says
Chocolates Are So Yum That No One Needs No Reason To Eat B’coz There Is No Fixed Time When To Eat Chocolates… Eat Chocolates Every Hour Whenever U Feel STRESSED Eat Chocolates B’coz Reverse Of STRESSED Is DESSERTS…… Be Happy And Eat Chocolates….
Khushi Shukla says
☺☺🍫🍫🍬🍬