A simple guide on how to make chocolate with cocoa powder in just 10 minutes: Make plain, flavored, or topped vegan milk chocolate or dark chocolate with just 3 base ingredients!
I’m no stranger to making homemade copycat candy like vegan Bounty bars, healthy Snickers, gummy bears, and vegan white chocolate. However, it was only recently that I discovered that making homemade chocolate is surprisingly easy (enough for even kids to get involved!) – no additives or dairy are necessary for perfectly melt-in-the-mouth results.
How Do You Make Chocolate?
Traditionally, making chocolate is a long, complex process that involves fermenting, dehydrating, roasting, and grinding/conching cocoa beans with a special tool called a melanger. But why go through all that when you can learn how to make chocolate from cocoa powder at home in just 10 minutes? I love it a choco-LOT!
Homemade dark chocolate is quick and easy, requiring just 3 base ingredients—4 for homemade milk chocolate. Either way, skip the fuss, dodge the additives, customize it to diet and sweetness, then flavor, top, and shape it as desired—bars, bonbons, and beyond!
Looking for more homemade vegan candy? You might enjoy my homemade Ferrero Rocher, date Snickers, or 2-ingredients vegan condensed milk truffles.
The Ingredients
Just three simple ingredients form the base of this easy homemade chocolate recipe.
- Cacao butter: Make sure it’s food-grade cocoa butter. This gives chocolate its smooth texture, and it can be tempered for a firmer snap. Coconut oil works, too, but melts faster.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder (less processed and has more antioxidants, but also more bitter).
- Maple syrup: Sweetens the chocolate to taste. Agave syrup or honey (if you’re not vegan) will also work.
- Milk powder (optional): For homemade milk chocolate, add 2 tbsp milk powder. I use coconut, soy, or rice milk powder to make it dairy-free/vegan.
For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information read the recipe card below.
Flavorings, Toppings, and Mix-Ins
- Flavorings: A pinch of salt (perfect for enhancing and balancing the flavor), espresso powder, oil-based extracts (mint, orange, vanilla), spices (cinnamon, cardamom, chili), orange zest, or nut butter (peanut butter, almond, or hazelnut).
- Toppings & Mix-ins: Nuts/seeds, puffed quinoa/rice, dried fruit (like raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc.), banana chips, candied orange peel, flaky salt, crushed biscuits (Oreos, Biscoff, etc.), coconut flakes/shreds, or crushed candy canes/candy.
How to Make Chocolate With Cocoa Powder
Follow just five low-effort steps to learn how to make chocolate at home!
- Grate or finely chop the cacao butter and melt it over a double boiler, stirring/whisking often. Once melted, remove it from the heat.
To prepare a double boiler: Add an inch of water to a small-medium saucepan, bring to a simmer, and top with a heat-proof bowl, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla (if using). Whisk until smooth. Optionally add the milk powder for homemade milk chocolate.
- Pour the homemade chocolate mixture into silicone molds (use a silicone spatula to help get it all out of the bowl).
- Let it set for several hours in the fridge or 20-30 minutes in the freezer.
- When ready, release the homemade chocolate bars/shapes from the molds and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Room temperature: Not recommended for untempered chocolate, as it melts easily.
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.
Freezer: Store for 3-4 months in a Ziplock/airtight container to avoid condensation.
FAQs and Troubleshooting
What is dark vs. milk chocolate?
Milk chocolate usually contains 30-50% cocoa (cocoa powder and cocoa butter), with the remaining % made up of milk powder and sugar. Dark chocolate usually contains 50-90% cocoa, usually without dairy.
Why has my chocolate seized?
Overheating it, adding cold ingredients, and adding liquids to chocolate can cause it to seize.
In practice, I’ve never had issues using room-temperature maple syrup or agave when making homemade chocolate bars. However, if you have issues, try heating the syrup with the cocoa butter. If that doesn’t help, try powdered sweetener (powdered sugar or erythritol) in the future.
How to fix seized chocolate?
Stir in extra cacao butter (or vegetable shortening) one teaspoon at a time. If liquid caused the seizing, add boiling water until it smooths and repurpose it as a sauce or for vegan hot chocolate, as it won’t set firmly.
Why Is it so soft/ melty?
When you make your own chocolate, it isn’t tempered, so it is best enjoyed straight from the fridge/freezer. For a firmer snap and more stable texture, temper it.
Can I use homemade dark chocolate for truffles/bonbons?
Sure! Just ensure you temper the chocolate first (using the method in my homemade white chocolate recipe).
Top Tips For The Best Homemade Chocolate
- Avoid porous utensils: Wooden/porous materials can hold onto moisture and cause chocolate to seize.
- For flavored chocolates: Only add flavoring once the homemade chocolate is off-heat.
- For smoother chocolate: If you can source it, use cacao paste or cocoa liquor in place of cacao powder for a significantly smoother texture.
- If you don’t have a silicone mold: Line a shallow baking ish with parchment paper.
- To add toppings: Sprinkle the toppings over the melted mixture and let set.
- To avoid bloomed chocolate: Let it cool at room temp before chilling. Otherwise, it may bloom (white steaks/patches and dullness). It’s fine to eat but doesn’t look great.
More Vegan Chocolate Recipes
- 3 Ingredient chocolate rice cakes
- No-bake chocolate salami
- Keto chocolate truffles
- Vegan chocolate mousse
- Healthy avocado chocolate pudding
- 4-ingredient chocolate panna cotta
If you try this homemade chocolate recipe (milk or dark), I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.
How To Make Chocolate (Dark or Milk)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz (40 g) cacao butter (see notes)
- 3-4 Tbsp (20 g) cocoa powder (I used Dutch processed)
- 1 1/2-2 Tbsp (35 g) pure maple syrup room temperature, not cold (see notes)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- You can watch the short video for visual instructions.
- First, melt the cacao butter (finely chop it if it's in big pieces) over a double boiler, stirring/whisking often. Once melted, remove it from the heat.To prepare a double boiler, add a couple of inches of water to a small-medium saucepan and top it with a heat-proof bowl, ensuring the water doesn’t come in contact with the bowl, then bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium to medium-low heat.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract (if using) and whisk until lump-free.
- Pour the homemade chocolate mixture into the silicone mold of your choice (using a silicone spatula helps to get it all out of the bowl) and leave it to set for several hours in the fridge or 20-30 minutes in the freezer.
- When ready, release the homemade chocolate bar from the mold and enjoy!
Notes
- Cacao Butter: Using food-grade cacao butter gives homemade chocolate that smooth, luxurious mouthfeel you get with high-quality chocolate. You can also use coconut oil as an alternative, but keep in mind the chocolate will be softer and more prone to melting.
- Sweetener: Agave syrup (or honey if you're not vegan) will also work.
- Optional add-ins: Add a few spoons of nuts/seeds, puffed quinoa/rice, or raisins/dried fruit to your homemade chocolate.
- For keto chocolate: You could try using powdered Erythritol. Avoid adding any keto syrups (water-based) as they will cause the chocolate to seize.
- Prefer milk chocolate? Add 2 Tbsp of coconut milk powder (or soy milk powder) to the mixture.
- You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in the freezer for 3-4 months. I don’t recommend storing untempered chocolate at room temperature, as it melts easily.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
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We r doing this recipe for our year 6 project
That’s awesome – what a fun and tasty choice for your Year 6 project!
This looks so much easier than I had thought and I’ve got to try it. I have all these ingredients in my pantry, so I’m making chocolate candy this weekend. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
That sounds great, Gary! I’m so glad the recipe feels approachable — and how perfect that you already have everything on hand. I’d love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
For a first attempt, I’m pleased with the results. Hard chocolate that breaks instead of bending and doesn’t melt readily. Good taste too! I will try this again very soon!
That sounds like a great first success, congrats! The fact that the chocolate snaps cleanly and doesn’t melt easily suggests you likely got a good temper on it, which is impressive for a first try! 🙂
Ela,
I’ve made this twice now second one with cayenne pepper and dried cranberries lots of fun. Being vegan it’s not always easy to find any somewhat healthy chocolate without a ton of sugar. The whole process was really easy to do I visit your website on a regular basis.
Thanks Jeff
Hey Jeff, so great to hear you’ve made it twice already! Love the idea of adding cayenne and dried cranberries, sounds like a fun twist! And I totally get you, finding vegan chocolate without loads of sugar can be a challenge. I’m really glad the recipe worked well for you and that you’re enjoying the process. Thanks so much for your kind words and for being a regular visitor! 🙂
Ela
Where’s the video? I don’t see it anywhere on this page and website?
Also, I have been trying a long time to buy cacao butter, but it seems ALL of the stores in my area have never ever heard of cacao butter for chocolate-making. They’ve heard of cocoa butter for skin treatments. That’s what they think it’s for. When I tell them I want to make chocolate, they seem baffled.
Hey Jamie, the video is embedded under the word VIDEO. Make sure your ad blocker is turned off and try using the Chrome browser. If you still can’t see it, switch to another device or watch it on my YouTube channel.
Not sure where you’re located, but ordering cacao butter online might be your best option.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Hello, I have been trying to make this chocolate recipe for a while now but each time I do it, it never solidifies. I don’t know if it’s because I am in a high altitude state or if it’s because of something else. overall I have loved having the experience and it was really fun trying it out.
Hi Kyle, did you use cacao butter or coconut oil?
This tastes really good but mine is not liquidy like yours it’s thicker, hard to pour. Is it seizing? Also after storing it and ready to use can you remelt it???!
Hi there,
I have made this recipe before and it worked perfectly but this time I added 2 tbs soy milk powder along with the cocoa powder and syrup as suggested to make milk chocolate. The mixture turned thick and grainy like a cake batter. Why did this happen and is there a way I can fix it? Should I have used less cocoa powder to accommodate for the added dry powder? Or more cacao butter? If so, how much? Or did my butter cool too quickly maybe and I should have left it on the heat? Any help would be appreciated
Hi Bec, I am sorry to hear that it didn’t work. I am not sure why the chocolate seized. Please read the section “CAN I FIX SEIZED CHOCOLATE?” Hopefully you will be able to fix it.
Maybe try making a smaller batch next time and only add a little bit of the soy milk powder to see if it makes a difference.
I don’t recommend using the alcohol sugars xylitol or erythritol. I may be mistaken but I think it’ll turn your chocolate rock hard if you heat it. They can be baked in cakes and cookies but not heated on the stove top. You might be okay if you add it after you remove the melted chocolate from the heat.
Excellent recipe. I used only 1 tablespoon golden syrup instead of maple, left out the vanilla but added cinnamon – delicious.
I also made it with 1 tablespoon butterscotch syrup, no vanilla,. divided the mixture into 2 adding a little salt to one half. Again it was absolutely DELICIOUS.
I used silicone muffin moulds and only poured about 3 or 4mm of mixture into each. Makes about 9 and they take very little time to set. They have a satisfying “snap” to them when they’re ready to be eaten..
Going to make more and more using various additions including a small amount of rose water.
Hi & thank you for the chocolate recipe. I made this a few time & it’s delicious but my chocate won’t harden, even if I leave it in the freezer overnight. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.
Same thing happened to me. Word firm up. Stays pliable.
Hi Just a question if I wanted to add liquid milk how much could I add and when do I add it?
Hi, it might seize if you add liquid milk, so I don’t recommend it.
made this recipe was so good. I used raw cacao powder and first batch was clumpy I tried again but took butter off heat and then added warm maple syrup with vanilla once I had whisked in the cacao powder and I cut up lots of nuts seeds and dried fruit for a dark choc fruit and nut it was absolutely delicious recipe worked!! thank you
Hello! I just made this recipe, and it didn’t work out, but I’m not sure where I went wrong. I melted the cacao butter using the double broiler method, removed from heat, then whisked-in two tablespoons room temp pure maple syrup, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup raw cacao powder. The result was big chunks of chocolate goo swimming in oil. It would not come together, no matter how much I whisked. Could it be because I used raw cacao powder instead of Dutch process? I’ve successfully used raw cacao to make chocolate in the past, but with coconut oil, so I thought it would work for this. Thank you!
Hey, I never used raw cacao powder, so I am not sure. Maybe your mixture was also too hot?
I had a similar issue on the first try. Then I tried again shortly after and slowly added all liquid ingredients to the double boiler and whisked until mixed well. Then removed from heat and added a bit less cocoa powder. This batch resulted in a perfect melted chocolate. Never give up and always try to do things slightly different if you don’t get your desired outcome 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Emily! 🙂
Hi, Michaela. I made this recently but found the end result too intense.
a. Can I add the cocoa powder at leas than equal measure to the cacao butter?
b. I used the right portion of maple syrup but the result was not sweet. How much more should I add?
c. Is there anything else I can add to make the end result creamier? (I mixed the ingredients really well.)
Hi Ploni, the recipe already contains a lot of cocoa powder, and that’s why the chocolate is also not overall sweet. If you want it sweeter, use LESS cocoa powder.
Maybe a nut butter would make it creamier, but I haven’t tried it.
Good day! I need my chocolate to be harder and stronger. I tried tempering but it is tricky and doesn’t get the chocolate brittle enough. What can I add to Baking chocolate to get it harder or stronger, or to any chocolate for that matter. I need it be thin and strong for a mould.
More cocoa butter will make it harder.
Hi Ela,
Can you please recommend a cacao butter? I have checked many stores near me and cannot find it. Do you buy yours online? I checked Amazon and found some but unsure which kind to purchase. Thank you in advance,
Chriss
Hi Chriss, here is the one I use: https://amzn.to/45RsIbL
nice
yum
Hello, can we temper this homemade chocolate?
Yes, you can! 🙂
How do you temper it? I saw somewhere that homemade chocolate needs to be tempered to be able to be stored out of the fridge.
I will try it, thank you! Can not find a video…
No worries, Natalie. The recipe video is now embedded in the recipe card. There is a green button on top of each post that says “Jump to Video”. If you click it, you will skip right to the video. I hope this helps!
Hello Ela, thank you for your recipes and great articles. I am wondering if I can use a rice powdered milk?
Wish you all the best 🙂
Hi Daria, I think that should also work. Just note that it has to be a very fine powder, otherwise, the chocolate will be grainy. 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I have been looking around for a simple chocolate recipe.
I have 2 questions:
-If I got the right mold, would this type of chocolate be okay to use as chocolate chips such as in your delicious blondies, for example?
– And do you think it would be okay to use date sugar powder rather than maple syrup? And if so, how much would you suggest in the recipe? (I usually use it 1:1 for other granulated sugars such as coconut sugar, etc.)
Hi Annie, yes, that will work. I also make my own chocolate chips, which I store in a bag in my fridge. I used them in this chocolate pumpkin bread. Worked fine!
Any powdered sweetener is fine too, the mixture will be a little thicker, though. You can add 25 grams, taste it and then add more if it’s not sweet enough. 🙂
Thank you, Ela! I look forward to making my own chocolate chips!
You are very welcome. 🙂