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
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Alek says
Hello Sarah,
I just made this and it was a success; it’s very easy to make, and the taste was good, but I found it somewhat too oily, taste-wise – I could mostly taste the coconut oil. Is it important to keep the oil/cocoa ratio in the recipe or can I use less oil, resulting in, I assume, a denser mixture which will still freez just as well?
Thanks
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Alex! You could try adding less oil, but you’ll likely end up more with a thick, ganache type mixture. The balance of oil to the remaining ingredients is important for getting the right kind of chocolate texture in the end. You could also try using cocoa butter (which is what traditional chocolate is made with) instead of the coconut oil. It’s very similar but you can check out this recipe here in case you’re interested in going that route: https://www.asaucykitchen.com/homemade-chocolate-with-cocoa-butter/
Hope that helps!
Neha Mittal says
Hi, I tried chocolate making for the first time as I wanted to use the packet of cacao powder I have at home. Taste was amazing but I think I need to work on the texture, it felt it could use more of the oil to give a smoother texture. Any tips while using cacao powder instead of cocoa powder. Thanks for the recipe, going to make more. Do you have any video so I can get a better visual of what kind of molds to use.
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Neha! As far as texture goes there really shouldn’t be any difference between using cocoa powder and cacao. Cacao powder and cocoa powder can generally be used interchangeably in many recipes. The main difference between the two is that cacao powder has more antioxidants/nutrients because it’s less processed. It can also sometimes taste stronger due to it being less processed.
If you’re chocolate isn’t as smooth as you would like it to be I think the problem might be more with the sugar/sweetener that you’re using. You might need to increase the temperature slightly or leave it on the heat for longer so that the sugar crystals dissolve completely. You can also try sifting your cocoa powder/cacao powder next time as well – the powder might have been a bit too lumpy which also could have contributed to a grainy texture.
Hope that helps! I don’t currently have a video for this chocolate but I think I’ll get working on making one soon!
Jessica says
We love this recipe. I’ve made a handful of times so far. We use cocoa butter and I used stevia drops (5) instead of honey also pink Himalayan salt. We added pecans in one bar as well. So good. Thank you for making me a chocolatier.
Sarah Nevins says
Oooh pecans sound like they’d be lovely in this! So happy you’ve been enjoying the chocolate – thanks for letting me know what you think!
rasika says
Can i use unsalted amul butter instead of coconut oil..
Waiting for your reply.
Sarah Nevins says
Hi there! I don’t recommend using butter. If you use butter you’re more likely to end up with a ganache as opposed to a chocolate that sets.
Densoulew says
#1 How long can i use them for? I store them in fridge? Like as an expire date but in days.
#2 so i made this dark chocolate but I put them in a bowl, i am wondering if i can use the microwave to reheat and then put them back again in the fridge?
If i could do this it would be easier to remove it from the bowl. Because as it is it’s hard even for my spoon to remove it from the bowl or if there is any alternative please let me know thanks!
Sarah Nevins says
Hi there! This chocolate should keep at least one full week and likely up to two. As for your second question: yes, you can melt the chocolate in the bowl using the microwave. I recommend only working in 10 second bursts on the microwave though so that you don’t accidentally end up burning the chocolate. Make sure to stir the chocolate in between microwaving it as well.
Hope that helps!
Arriana G. says
Hey, I want to make this soon and I have a question. Can I incorporate a protein powder in the mixture? I think this would be a great recipe for me and my mom for our diets. 🙂
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Arriana! I found this video of protein powder chocolate that would probably be helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgst0FaMyss Based on seeing how her chocolate came out I think it would be alright to add it here. Her recipe is a little different (she uses peanut butter in her recipe) but I think it would still work here as well. One suggestion – make sure you subtract from the cocoa powder however much protein powder you add. For example, if you add 1 tablespoon protein powder make sure to use 1 tablespoon less cocoa powder. This is just to make sure that your chocolate doesn’t end up too dry and grain in the end.
Hope that helps!
Radhika says
Hi. I love your recipe. We have stopped buying chocolates. Going to make them with cocoa butter soon.
I had a question.
How many grams of chocolate would this recipe make? or Ounces?
Sarah Nevins says
I’m so happy to hear that! In the end this adds up to about 308g of chocolate
Hi says
Hi! So I’ve tried this twice… And both times it becomes a lumpy mess.. And it happens right after I add the honey.. What’s wrong?
Sarah Nevins says
Hi there! A couple of possible things it could be:
1. If you honey is too cold when you add it that would likely lead to curdling. Honey kept stored in the fridge would likely have this issue.
2. If the mixture is too hot when the honey is added it could lead to burning
Usually when things get lumpy it’s a problem with the temperature. I recommend lowering the heat next time so that you have more control over everything
Hylla says
Hi, Sarah! I’m very excited about attempting this recipe, but I do have one question. Could I use baking chocolate instead of cocoa powder to make dark chocolate? I have a whole brick left over from when my mom bought it, thinking it was dark chocolate, and it’s driving me crazy to see it in the pantry everyday, unused!
Looking forward to your reply,
Hylla
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Hylla! If you’re looking to sweeten your baking chocolate you could try just melting it down and then adding sweetener to it and then letting it firm up again. The texture won’t go back to normal completely but I think that’s probably your best bet
Alexis says
Made your recipe today as you have it today for my mom. She can not get enough of it. I look forward to making my next batch sugar-free for me. Thank you for sharing, I’ll never buy store bought chocolate again.
Sarah Nevins says
Thanks so much Alexis – so glad to hear that 🙂
Molly jenkins says
Why does it say keep in fridge. Will it melt if you don’t keep in fridge!
Sarah Nevins says
Yes! Coconut oil has a low melting point so the chocolate will likely be very melty in hot kitchens and warm environments