Chocolate! I have discovered how to make the easiest chocolate at home. I cut it up into pieces and store in my fridge for my daily chocolate fix. I promise this won’t disappoint and it helps you to get more great fats into your daily diet in a sweet way!
Easy Homemade Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut oil – where to buy coconut oil
- 1/2 cup raw honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup raw cacao powder (you can sub or do 1/2 and 1/2 with carob powder if chocolate bothers you)
- dash of salt – where to buy salt
- 1 tsp of vanilla
Directions
In a heat resistant pyrex or other glass bowl or measuring cup, add the coconut oil. Fill a small saucepan with a few inches of water and place the glass measuring cup in it. Heat on stove top until coconut oil is mostly melted (room temp – not hot). UPDATE: please do not skip this step and microwave your oil. You will kill the good antimicrobial properties in the oil and it also won’t blend in well with the cocoa powder. If you end up with a watery mess you heated the coconut oil up too hot!
While the coconut oil is coming to room temperature, add all the other ingredients to a food processor. Add the coconut oil and blend until combined in the food processor.
Place some plastic wrap or parchment paper in a loaf pan to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour the chocolate mixture into the loaf pan and cover with the plastic wrap (gently). Press down or tilt to even out the thickness. I like mine about 1/2 inch thick. UPDATE: I have recently just poured out the chocolate on some parchment paper on a cookie sheet or roasting pan and put the whole thing in the fridge. This avoids the plastic wrap and works just as well.
Place the loaf pan with the fudge into into the freezer and let it set for about 20 min. Remove and slice into bite sized pieces. I put these in a jar and store in the fridge. I sometimes make a double recipe and store the other half already cut up in the freezer.
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Further Reading from Around the Web
- Why Women Love Chocolate
- The Health Benefits of Chocolate
- Why You Should Indulge in Dark Chocolate Daily
- Dark Chocolate: Sweet Truth for Your Sweet Soul
More outdoor recipes here!
- Coconut Cream Chocolate Fudge
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Bars
- Chocolate Crunch Balls
- Avocado Chocolate Cookies
looks great….do you have the nutritional info on it? protein, carbs, fats, fiber? doing WW and would love to know the nutrition info so I can see how many points it has!
Tara – I have no idea – it is completely nourishing with nothing processed.
Lindsey, can I use a blender instead of food processor?
also, can I use raw milk instead of water?
Ty!
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
I’m going to split this in half and add chopped pecans to one half and coconut flakes to the other. 🙂
Is cacao powder the same thing as cocoa powder?
Yes. Look for one that is NOT Dutch processed ( aka alkalized).
Thanks for the speedy answer, and for taking time out from the WAPF conference to reply!! 😉
This is a great way to get coconut oil, however, that much honey isn’t needed and when you’re watching sugar intake (like I am) you can do without it and still have a tasty way to get healthy fats. 🙂
I used maple syrup this time and actually did half coconut oil and half ghee – it wasn’t as firm but it tastes delicious! Yes–I agree you can cut back on the sweet if you want – it doesn’t need it.
I found that it tastes best to me if I use half the honey called for. I might have to try honey-less!
🙁 my chocolate didn’t look like yours on this picture. The coconut oil didn’t blend in?? Any ideas why?
The oil was too hot probably. You just need to get it to room temperature. I hope that helps!
Add arrowroot powder to the mixture to help thicken it up. Let cool and you will have solid chocolate. Keep it cool.
Have I mentioned I have substituted coconut sugar, maple syrup, and organic rice syrup in this recipe also? For some reason I’m not a fan of the honey. I think 1/2 maple syrup and 1/2 coconut sugar is my favorite.
Love love love the coconut oil. It melts so well and is a good coat for the Kitchen Stewardship’s Almond Protein Bars. Another fantastic sweet/fat bomb.
About to go make some more. 🙂
ERRRRR! Double batch and my oil was too warm…I thought it was ok 🙁 Is there anyway to salvage it somehow?? Or is it garbage?
Tara Bauman says:
May 27, 2013 at 11:23 am
Add arrowroot powder to the mixture to help thicken it up. Let cool and you will have solid chocolate. Keep it cool.
– See more at: http://www.homemademommy.net/2012/05/easy-homemade-chocolate.html#sthash.EGea2OG8.dpuf
How much arrowroot would you add? Thanks.
You can always salvage it. If it doesn’t turn out like you wanted, then it’s fudge, or brownie base, or chocolate cake base. Versatility is the key to a successful experience, every time! 🙂
Where do you buy your raw cacao powder? Is it the same as cocoa powder?
Cacao is raw an retains more of the natural nutrients. I love the idea of making healthy chocolate for me and the kids. Cocoa has been processed and looses nutrients. It is still healthy, but far less so.
Ok, I just made this for the second time, first time AWESOME. This time, oil DEFINITELY not warm at all and still have some separation. Really sad…..double batch!! 🙁
Tara Bauman says:
May 27, 2013 at 11:23 am
Add arrowroot powder to the mixture to help thicken it up. Let cool and you will have solid chocolate. Keep it cool.
– See more at: http://www.homemademommy.net/2012/05/easy-homemade-chocolate.html#sthash.EGea2OG8.dpuf
Do you have a place you recommend to buy the carob powder from?
I made it and it tasted amazing- the oil didn’t combine we’ll. The only problem is, I didn’t hear it up at all (it was already at room temperature). While when I put it in, it was room temp but hard, I ended up with a liquid on top which I poured out. Any suggestions so that doesn’t happen?
Coconut oil has a very low melting point, about 76º for virgin coconut oil. Therefore, if you live in a colder climate (like I do in upstate NY), it will be solid at room temperature; however, if you live in a warmer climate, it’ll be liquid at room temperature (because room temperature in that climate is over 76º).
What the recipe calls for is liquid coconut oil, which you did not have, as you did not heat it. What I believe this recipe means by heating it to room temperature is that you want it hot enough to be liquid, but not so hot that you’re boiling it and overheat it. Probably in the 85º neighborhood would be good – just enough to melt it. Otherwise it won’t blend, and you’ll end up with the issue you had 🙂
To avoid it in the future, gently melt it, as the recipe calls for 🙂
Is it possible to use another type of oil or ghee in place of coconut oil? I’m allergic unfortunately….
I have made this with ghee. Go for it!
I am just curious……do you ever make your own vanilla extract? I would love to try it!
Yum! I’ve tasted another one of your chocolate recipes, so I can’t wait to try this one too. Thanks!
Lynn
Yum! I’ve tasted one of your other chocolate recipes, so I look forward to trying this one. Thanks!
Lynn
If the chocolate separates keep it on low in blender and poor a bit of water in. It will come back together. I used to do chocolate this way. But slowly stopped using coconut oil. Instead I use coconut butter and cacao butter. It’s not so oily, thickens better and stays longer out of the fridge not melted. I love using maple syrup too. I have a sweet tooth and love milk chocolate. The coconut butter give’s me just that. the difference in cacao and cocoa. Cacao is raw, cocoa is roasted. Yum
I just tried what you suggested to do when the chocolate separates, and it worked beautifully!
Thanks! I’m here looking for this answer and I didn’t even have to ask my question. I made this twice without trouble but the last two times my oil (hot summer room temp) separated and I had no idea why. I will try this next time.
This was fabulous!! LOVED it! I did use a little less honey, and a little pure maple syrup. I can’t say enough good about it! I didn’t heat the coconut oil at all. My kitchen was warn so it was already liquid. I also mixed it with my stick blender. It turned out perfectly! Thanks for all your great recipes!
I’m wondering do you think Agave Nectar could replace the raw honey? Really want to try this out
I do not recommend using agave. It has more fructose than HFCS
I tried this with carob powder instead of cocoa and it did NOT work! The carob powder did not absorb the coconut oil and it all separated. I actually pored the oil off and retained it for another project.
Was your oil very hot? That can cause the recipe to fail.
I’ve tried this, but it never firms up for me. Yes, I can freeze it, but that isn’t firming, it’s frozen!
Can’t wait to try this recipe.
I have also started with a base of some kind of nut butter (cashew, almond), then added equal (to the nut butter) amounts of butter (Kerry Gold Unsalted) and coconut oil – all in food processor – puree until all mixed, start with the most solid one first, and melt the coconut oil – then add the cocoa powder and some vanilla extract, see if you like the sweetness – can we say delicious! And gets just soft enough when left on the counter that I can get a spoonful whenever I feel like it. Enjoy!
But I must say, what I consider sweet enough or almost overly sweet is not at all sweet to others who are admitted sugar addicts…
Why are you heating it on the stove wasting electricity (or gas) and risking overheating the oil? Setting the glas bowl in a larger bowl of warm water from the tap with do the trick just fine since coconut oil has such a low melting point. Anyway, it sounds absolutely delicious and I’ve pinned it for later 🙂
For those with sugar issues..try TUPELO honey ! It is a specialty honey that most diabetics can eat without raising their sugar levels!!! It also taste great!
Help! I am making a homemade chocolate recipe that uses coconut oil. I put this at a low heat on the stove and when it is dissolved add some to the cocoa. As soon as I add remaining ingredients including cane sugar and/or milk powder, it becomes grainy. It almost looks like the cane sugar or powder is not dissolving. Any suggestions? I have made 3 attempts today…ugh!
My recipe doesn’t call for cane sugar.
How long is the shelf life for this chocolate? Does it need to be kept refrigerated? I was planning to use this recipe to send to a relative for Valentine’s Day and it may take at least a week to get there. Will this chocolate last?
This is not a ‘tempered’ chocolate recipe. I do keep it refrigerated. Shipping now might not be so bad because it is so cold out but if it got too warm it would melt. That is because the primary thing holding it solid is the coconut oil. Coconut oil goes to a liquid state above room temp. My raw chocolate macaroons might be a better fit to ship if you put them in individual tiny muffin cups in a box. http://www.homemademommy.net/2012/09/chocolate-macaroons.html
I just tried this out and it came out real bitter and I let the oil get too warm sadly, but I like dark chocolate, so to me it tasted alright but my family if more for milk or white.
So I think next time i’ll decrease the cocoa powder, oil and use honey instead of maple syrup :3
Hello! I love this recipe but it gets so melty at room temperature! I was hoping to add something and possibly increase its melting temperature. Maybe flour?
Thanks!
Ruby
You would need to find a tempered chocolate recipe which is much harder to do. Good luck! I just keep it in the fridge.
This is an AWESOME recipe. It is all I need for dessert for the rest of my life!!! Well done!
Oh my goodness- I am so excited about making this! That is truly saying something, because although I love to bake I’ve had to have my husband take over. I’ve undergone two surgeries in the past seven months, one being an invasive brain surgery, and both failed to cure or even lessen my chronic, rare nerve disorder. Despite really wanting to be back in the kitchen, baking and creating, my doctors keep telling me I’m pushing myself too hard. I call it trying to distract myself from the horrible pain. Either way I think I’m going to have to figure out how to get some cacao powder into our food budget! There are so many possible variations for this-I’m already concocting recipes in my head! Thanks so very much for sharing this!
Can we make our own cacao powder by grinding cacao beans?
I have about 10 pounds of food grade cocoa butter for making soap with. Could I use that in place of the coconut oil? Would it have as much nutrition?
I am not sure as I have not tried this. That would be an entirely different recipe.