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Have you ever thought about making chocolate? That’s right, homemade chocolate. Chocolate that doesn’t have a ton of extra ingredients and can be made on demand. Chocolate that tastes decadent and can be dressed up any way you want. Chocolate that’s made in the kitchen. If you answered yes, then I’ve got a treat for you.
Homemade chocolate is not just about taking already produced products and melting them into molds. It’s about starting with the raw ingredients – cacao butter and cacao powder and adding your own sweetener and flavors.
Homemade chocolate is just one of many things you could make at home to help stretch your food budget, and eat healthier at the same time!
Here’s an easy to follow guide on how to make hot chocolate.
Why Make Chocolate?
Aside from having access to chocolate whenever you want it, there are many great reasons to make your own chocolate. Here are a few reasons why:
You Control the Ingredients
Many store-bought chocolates include fillers and preservatives that aren’t great for your system. If you are sensitive to ingredients such as soy, then it makes sense to give it a shot. Most mainstream chocolate has soy lethicin in it.
Other ingredients in most mass produced chocolate has carrageenan, which may trigger inflammation and digestive issues in some people. Homemade chocolate has just four of five simple ingredients.
Homemade Chocolate is Healthy
Homemade chocolate has cacao powder, a derivative of the cacao bean that is less processed than other chocolate products. Cacao is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods you can find.
It is one of the best sources of magnesium and contains iron, calcium, and amino acids, too. If you can add as few other ingredients as possible to this healthy product, you end up with a chocolate treat – eaten in moderation of course.
Cacao butter, on the other hand, has fewer health benefits, so the dark chocolate recipe below is a better choice when taking health considerations into account.
Adjust the Sweetness Level
By making your own chocolate, you can use a more beneficial sweetener and use less of it. Most store bought chocolate uses white sugar to balance out the bitterness of the cacao.
Homemade chocolate can be made with maple syrup or honey. You can achieve a sweet flavor with less added sugar with both options.
Endless Opportunities for Variation
Making your own chocolate at home allows you to experiment with different flavors and additives to make a chocolate that is all your own. Here are a few variations:
- You can substitute mint extract for the vanilla extract for a peppermint flavor.
- Add chopped almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds, or dried cranberries.
- Sprinkle with sea salt or cinnamon.
- Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a kick of spice.
- Put it into candy or bar molds, or spread it out on parchment paper to make chocolate bark.
- Cut it into chunks to make your own chocolate chips.
The final result is up to you!
Homemade Chocolate Ingredients
Here, we’ll describe two variations on homemade chocolate depending on whether you want a milkier/creamier product or a dark (more bittersweet) product.
Creamy Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
1/2 cup cacao butter* (in chunks or cut into shavings)
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla or mint)
dash of salt
Optional Add-Ins:
(chopped almonds, pepitos, dried cranberries, chunky sea salt, etc.)
Dark Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
1/2 cup cacao butter* (in chunks or cut into shavings)
1 cup cacao powder
3 Tablespoons cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla or mint)
dash of salt
Optional Add-Ins:
(chopped almonds, pepitos, dried cranberries, chunky sea salt, etc.)
*Coconut oil can be substituted for cacao butter
White Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional add-ins: white chocolate can taste great with a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon!
Guide to Crafting a Homemade Chocolate
- Place your candy mold or a small plate with parchment paper in the refrigerator to get cold while you make your chocolate. To melt your chocolate, use a double boiler or a pot with a metal pot or ceramic bowl placed on top.
- Put 1-2 inches of water in the bottom pot and bring to a boil on the stovetop. After it reaches a boil, turn off the heat, place the top of the double boiler (or bowl) on top, and put the cocoa butter (or coconut oil) in to melt.
- Remove the bowl from the double boiler and add cocoa powder, sweetener, and extract. Stir with a whisk to combine, then beat for about 30 seconds to thicken. Add your salt and mix-ins (if desired) and fold in with a rubber spatula.
- Pour melted chocolate into cold candy molds or spread with the spatula onto the tray with parchment paper to a 1/4 inch thickness.
- Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Turn out from the mold or remove it from the parchment paper and break it into pieces.
- Store in an airtight container. The chocolate will hold its shape at room temperature.
Homemade Chocolate (Method)
Ingredients
Creamy Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
- ½ cup cacao butter* (in chunks or cut into shavings)
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla or mint extract
- dash salt
- Optional Add-Ins: (chopped almonds, pepitos, dried cranberries, chunky sea salt, etc.)
Dark Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
- ½ cup cacao butter
- 1 cup cacao powder
- 3 tbsp cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla or mint extract
- dash salt
- Optional Add-Ins: (chopped almonds, pepitos, dried cranberries, chunky sea salt, etc.)
White Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
- ½ cup cocoa butter
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional add-ins: white chocolate can taste great with a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon!
Instructions
- Place your candy mold or a small plate with parchment paper in the refrigerator to get cold while you make your chocolate. To melt your chocolate, use a double boiler or a pot with a metal pot or ceramic bowl placed on top.
- Put 1-2 inches of water in the bottom pot and bring to a boil on the stove top. After it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and place the top of the double boiler (or bowl) on top and put the cocoa butter (or coconut oil) in to melt.
- Remove the bowl from the double boiler and add cocoa powder, sweetener, and extract. Stir with a whisk to combine, then beat for about 30 seconds to thicken. Add your salt and mix-ins (if desired) and fold in with a rubber spatula.
- Pour melted chocolate into cold candy molds or spread with the spatula onto the tray with parchment paper to a 1/4 inch thickness.
- Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Turn out from the mold or remove it from the parchment paper and break it into pieces.
- Store in an airtight container. The chocolate will hold its shape at room temperature.
Notes
Carrie Williams Howe is an educational leader by day and an aspiring homesteader by night and weekend. She lives on a small homestead in Vermont with her husband, two children, and a rambunctious border collie. She blogs about her family's homestead life at The Happy Hive.