It’s very easy to make, and it tastes amazing thanks to the coconut oil, although you can opt for cocoa butter to make it less melty. Making your own chocolate is easy. And when you make it at home, you know exactly what goes into it, and you can also add tasty additions such as your favorite chopped nuts. It’s also a fun recipe to make! My kids LOVE helping me make it, and I’m happy to enlist their help. They love pouring the warm melted mixture into the molds and then watching it magically turn into pretty chocolate bonbons.
Ingredients
Variations
You can use food-grade cacao butter instead of coconut oil. This will result in more stable chocolate. I tried both, and personally, I prefer the flavor of chocolate made with coconut oil. You can vary the nuts you use, so definitely use your favorite nuts. My husband loves this chocolate with pistachios. You can use either unsalted nuts or - if you enjoy sweet-salty flavor combinations - use salted ones. If you love coconut, ½ teaspoon of coconut extract will enhance the flavor even more.
Instructions
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to a week. Take them out of the fridge right before enjoying them.
Virgin coconut oil: I love the wonderful flavor it gives the chocolate. I typically use Spectrum Virgin Coconut Oil. You can use your favorite brand. Unsweetened cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is milder and not as acidic as natural cocoa powder. But if all you have on hand is natural cocoa powder, that works, too, in my experience. Honey: I find that just 2 tablespoons are the perfect amount. They give this chocolate the perfect dose of sweetness - not overly sweet or too bitter. Chopped nuts: You can omit them, so I did not include them in the ingredient shot above. But they do enhance the chocolate in terms of flavor and texture.
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps: Melt the coconut oil in the microwave, then gradually stir in the cocoa powder, honey, and nuts. You can use the stovetop to melt the oil over low heat, but the microwave is faster and easier. Freeze the chocolate until set. This should take between 20-30 minutes. I’m impatient, so I usually take them out after 20 minutes, even though they tend to still be quite melty at this point. Release the chocolate from the mold and enjoy! You should still keep it in the fridge and take it out of the fridge just before enjoying it. I sometimes make myself and my kids a plate with cheese cubes, fruit slices, and a couple of chocolates for an afternoon treat.
More Chocolate Recipes
Recipe Card
