This 4-ingredient chocolate is what dreams are made of. It’s packed with antioxidants, is easy to make, and is refined sugar-free. What more could your taste buds ask for on Valentine’s day? Give me my man and this chocolate and I’m a happy lady.
When I spotted this bag of cacao butter at Organic Garage I knew I had to pick some up. Cacao butter (or cocoa butter) is the pale yellow vegetable fat extracted from cocoa beans. You can find it at most health food stores, specialty grocery stores (like Organic Garage), and of course, online (for my online vegan shopping guide, see this post).
This recipe I’m sharing today does not result in a traditional hard/waxy chocolate like the bars that you’d buy at a store. Instead, it produces a fudge-like texture that melts in your mouth sending a wave of pure bliss throughout your body. It sounds dramatic because it is!
Update: My original recipe resulted in a softer fudge-like chocolate, however I tried a batch the next day without using the blender (I mixed by hand) and this resulted in a much firmer chocolate. I’ve since updated the recipe to reflect this method as I enjoyed it even more.
I strongly suggest using these silicone baking cups if you can get your hands on some. The chocolate will easily pop right out. If you don’t have the silicone baking cups, you can simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then drop spoonful’s of chocolate all over the paper or you can even use paper liners. The chocolate will stick a bit to paper liners, but they will still come out.
Freeze for about 30 minutes.
“Clean” every nook and cranny of the blender.
And experience love at first bite.
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Easy Homemade Vegan Chocolate
Yield
12 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Chill time
30
Total time
Ingredients
- 120 grams cacao/cocoa butter (about 1 cup of cacao butter chunks)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup room-temperature pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
- pinch of fine grain sea salt
- Flaked sea salt, for finishing
Directions
- Gently melt the cacao butter in a pot over the lowest heat setting. Or you can use a double boiler.
- Whisk all other ingredients (except flaked sea salt) into the pot.
- Pour into 12 silicone cups and sprinkle with flaked sea salt (optional). Alternatively, you can use paper liners (they will stick a tiny bit but will still peel off) or line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop spoonfuls all over the paper. Plastic chocolate molds may stick.
- Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm. Pop chocolate out of the cups and enjoy immediately. Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Tip:
Note: I’ve changed the directions to omit the blending process. The blender seems to yield a softer, thicker mixture while simply mixing by hand resulted in a firmer chocolate that poured easily. I much preferred the chocolate when mixing by hand.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)Instant Hot Chocolate
Simply drop a disc of vegan chocolate into a mug of steamed almond milk and stir until combined. This makes the creamiest, most delightful hot chocolate! It just might be my favourite hot drink yet.
Thank you so much for supporting Oh She Glows in The Kitchn’s blog nomination for Healthy Cooking Blog! I’m currently in second place and would appreciate any extra support you can lend today during this last day of voting.
I hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day tomorrow no matter what you are up to. xo
I always wondered what cacao butter was, so thanks for the info.
I voted for you! You totally earned it, your recipes are the best. I’m not just saying that. I get a lot of recipes online, and yours are the most consistently delicious.
I recently started a blog and am amazed at how hard it is. It’s obvious that you put a lot of time and effort into your site and recipes. You are very inspiring!
Thank you Brianna, you are so sweet to say that. I’m off to check out your blog by the way!
“I always wondered what cacao butter was, so thanks for the info.”
^ I always vaguely wondered what the heck it was too, but never would remember to Google it after coming back home from vegan grocery shopping trips after seeing it on labels…good to know finally!:)
^ [Woops meant to reply to catscallsthe shot comment here]
Mmmm, home made raw chocolate, it is THE best. I do want to point out, if I may, not to overheat the butter, especially when it is raw, just to keep all the goodies in.
I’ve had problems a few times with the mixture going to thick and worked out it was because of the material of the jug I melted the cacao butter in. Stainless steel and glass absorb and distribute too much heat, but plastic is great.
I too started with the small cupcake forms, but a softish ice cube tray is much easier, if you don’t want to buy a chocolate tray yet.
I add vanilla, and the best is ginger, either fresh or crystallized. And citrus zest, pine nuts, brazil nuts – well, any nut, a dash of liqueur, dried berries, nutmeg, cinnamon, chilli powder, it is all divine.
I don’t get a kick out of bought chocolate, but RAW chocolate, oh my, it lifts me up, it is great!
Great tips! Love the soft ice cube tray idea too. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for one.
I just made this in some silicone heart ice cube trays, but I’m having a hard time getting the chocolate out. It gets all crumbly when I try to pop it out. Maybe I’m just too impatient and it’s not solid enough yet.
Love those shots of the chocolate melting in the almond milk. Looks fabulous.
Definitely voted for you in the Homies finals and am spreading the word! You blog is definitely the best healthy eating blog out there…and what’s more we can’t let a paleo blog win!!
hah thank you, I was surprised those shots turned out because I was in a mad rush this morning! Thanks for your support with the contest!
Wow looks delicious!!:)
Love this post! I much prefer fudge over traditional hard chocolate bars anyways so I will be making these asap.
I made your almond milk the other day and I don’t normally like store bought almond milk, but making it homemade made me a convert. :) I omitted the dates because I didn’t have any on-hand but it still was delicious!
Thanks!
Looks amazing! Just picked up a heart shaped mold to make some for my baby : )
This looks amazing! I’ve been wanting a vegan, healthy hot chocolate recipe for years. Thank you!
Err ma gawd this looks awesome!
I voted for you on Day 1! While there are a couple of other worthy nominees, your site is my fav, Angela! Good luck!
Happy Valentines Day Angela! This chocolate looks amazing! My hubby bought me silicone muffin cups – may just be the single best gift he has ever bought me :) Mine are big though so I will need to search for some mini ones (or just have BIG pieces of chocolate – that would be ok too ;)
I have been trying to vote for you in the contest for 2 days and it is not letting me – even when I sign in. Not sure what is up but I’ll try once more – your blog is THE BEST!!!
So, I was JUST thinking about how I want to make some vegan chocolates for my honey for valentine’s day. Then I was thinking about how I could use an easy chocolate fix right now. Then I checked your blog and I’m pretty sure you were reading my mind. THANK YOU!!
Oh my goodness that looks UNREAL! I will have to try this!! Man oh man… good for you for sharing this! I would have kept this secret god-send to myself :P
Ooh this sounds delicious Ange! Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate blissgasms, cacao butter, and maple syrup – all of it! I swear by silicone baking cups as well because I hate cleaning muffin tins. In fact, I have one that I probably should just throw out because it’s a little ‘over seasoned’ from previous baking adventures! Happy (early) Valentine’s Day!
Oh my oh my, this looks like some delightful vegan chocolate! Love the sea salt flakes on top.
Hi, these look amazing! Quick question, I read that pure cocoa butter is used for milk chocolate, and that dark chocolate (like 85% pure dark chocolate) is the “healthiest form of chocolate”, and although I love both, I just wanted your thoughts on making these with the “healthiest” chocolate possible. What are your thoughts? Thanks and keep up the fantastic work!
Tami, from Texas
Hi Tami, Cocoa butter is definitely used in dark chocolate too. :) Dark chocolate tends to have less sugar and of course is free of dairy products. Enjoy!
Hey! These look delicious. Going off this question, are these chocolates closer in flavor to dark chocolate or milk chocolate?
Thanks!
Arielle
Amazing!
My vegan lent officially starts today. Easy vegan hot chocolate is going to get me through!
This is so awesome! Plus, I love the idea of adding it into almond milk to make hot cocoa. I always feel so gross using pre-made packets of hot cocoa. This would fix that!
They look so good! Almost like a biscuit (cookie)! Love how cute they are and that they can be dropped into milk for hot chocolate. Seriously, I’m impressed!
Boo hoo! We’ve given up chocolate for lent… (Well, the husband has given it up – big chocolate eater – and I am ‘supporting’ him. It’ll just have to wait until Easter :-)
YUM! this is one of my fav treats to make. never last long! But I have never tried them in hot chocolate! Sounds delicious!