Elana's Pantry

New York Times Bestselling author Elana Amsterdam founded Elana’s Pantry, the go-to website for easy, healthy, grain-free, Paleo recipes, in 2006

Homemade Paleo Chocolate

Homemade Paleo Chocolate

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I love chocolate, but it’s not always made with the best ingredients. This healthy Homemade Paleo Chocolate recipe solves that problem!

Made with 7 healthy ingredients, this easy chocolate bar recipe is great because it’s soy-free and dairy-free. It’s also super simple to make. All you need is cacao butter, cocoa powder, coconut butter, maple sugar, sunflower lecithin, vanilla powder, and salt.

What is sunflower lecithin?! It is a super food that contains phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is an important nutrient because it breaks down fat. It also helps with the formation of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is vital for memory and mood stability.

Sunflower lecithin is key to this Homemade Paleo Chocolate recipe. The recipe will not work without this ingredient because it gives the chocolate its creamy flavor. More important, sunflower lecithin keeps the ingredients from separating. I use sunflower lecithin in my Creamsicles recipe, and add it to smoothies every day.

Print Recipe
Homemade Paleo Chocolate
Serves:1bar
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a very small pot over very low heat, melt cacao butter
  2. Stir in coconut butter, then remove from heat
  3. Use scale to measure dry ingredients
  4. Measure cacao powder and place in a small bowl
  5. Measure maple sugar and add to bowl
  6. Measure lecithin and add to bowl
  7. Measure vanilla powder and add to bowl
  8. Add salt to bowl
  9. Grind dry ingredients in a coffee grinder
  10. Use whisk to mix dry ingredients into cacao butter mixture
  11. Transfer mixture to chocolate bar mold
  12. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then serve
  13. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week

I created this recipe using weight measurements rather than volume. This recipe will not work without a scale because so many of the ingredients are in such small amounts it is not possible to measure them accurately by volume. Although I know that most American are used to cooking by volume, I don’t have volume measurements for this recipe, so it does require a little flex!

Another tip? This tiny whisk is very helpful when mixing the dry ingredients into the wet. A standard size whisk didn’t work. Please note this recipe makes one chocolate bar, and I made a couple of extra for the photo. I tested this Homemade Paleo Chocolate recipe more than 50 times to make it perfect and I know you’ll love it!

Comments

  1. Awesome recipe, thank you for your dedication!!

    Could you possibly please make a white chocolate recipe like this? I know it wouldn’t be as healthy without all the antioxidants/polyphenols in the cocoa. However, I use white chocolate a lot for decorative purposes (edible candles for my children’s birthdays, or in molds for special occasions for them), but can’t seem to make a healthy version that tastes good too. (usually it never mixes completely). Any somewhat healthier/organic store bought white chocolate always has soy or dairy. Would it be too risky (I don’t want to waste expensive ingredients) to just omit the cocoa powder? Or do you know what I should try replacing it with?

    Thank you again I am forever grateful to you for your recipes! Your breakfast sausage recipe is the best and we eat it almost everyday. A lifesaver for busy school mornings, healthy, quick, yummy, and NOT messy ;)!

    Thank you for the awesome recipes Elena!

    Reply

    • Jeanette, thanks so much for your comment and request! I have been working on a white chocolate recipe for quite some time but have yet to perfect it :-)

      Reply

      • Thank you Elana for replying, and so promptly! Also, thank you for working on a white chocolate recipe too! I bet you’ll get it before I do, so I’m looking forward to it. And now I don’t feel so bad that I’m not alone in the tedious quest for a healthier white chocolate ;). Much appreciation & many thanks!!!

        Reply

  2. Thanks for posting. I enjoy making homemade chocolate with sunflower lecithin and will definitely try your recipe. I read all of the comments and thoroughly read the recipe hoping to understand why you added coconut butter, rather than exclusively using cacao butter. Was it for flavor, texture, nutrition or another reason? Have you ever made the recipe with only cacao butter? I like to let my chocolate harden overnight at room temperature rather than placing it in the refrigerator and I’m concerned that the addition of coconut butter would result in a softer (less “snappy”) finished bar at room temp. Has that been your experience? Thank you for your time.

    Reply

  4. Super psyched to try these and gift my kids some gelt. Frontier foods has powdered maple syrup. Would you try that? Did you powder your maple sugar in the food processor?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Chana, thanks for your comment! I powdered my maple sugar in the Vitamix. I haven’t tried that powdered maple syrup :-)

      Reply

  5. Summary: 10g maple sugar should be a scant 1/4 tsp of powdered stevia
    (as a starting point )

    Justification: (per the internet)

    10 g maple sugar = 3 1/3 tsp maple sugar (roughly)
    1 tsp sugar = 1 tsp maple sugar (roughly) in sweetness
    1 tsp sugar = 1/16 tsp powdered stevia (roughly) in sweetness

    so, the math says 10 g maple sugar is roughly 3/16 + 1/48 tsp =5/24 tsp stevia,
    which is just under 1/4 tsp

    So, I will start with a scant 1/4 tsp of stevia for my first batch and go from there.
    The maple sugar provides texture that the stevia will not, so there will be some difference.

    :-)

    Reply

    • Hi Shelley, thanks for your comment! As I mention in this post, “I created this recipe using weight measurements rather than volume. This recipe will not work without a scale because so many of the ingredients are in such small amounts it is not possible to measure them accurately by volume.” :-)

      Reply

      • Just Curious: It annoys me no end that you offer these recipes so generously yet are forever being asked questions like this… How do you remain so patient and kind?

        Reply

  7. Low carbers, keto fans, LCHFs et all, dig in!
    I entered it in to fatsecrect.com for nutritional breakdown. I put down the recipe as making 6 servings, so you can figure out your serving size from there. Also, I put in vanilla extract instead of powder, as I couldn’t find that. But should be close anyway.

    Amount Per Serving
    Calories from Fat 93 Calories 103

    % Daily Values*
    Total Fat 10.33g 16%
    Saturated Fat 6.334g 32%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.132g
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.028g
    Cholesterol 0mg 0%
    Sodium 28mg 1%
    Potassium 9mg
    Total Carbohydrate 3.25g 1%
    Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3%
    Sugars 1.67g
    Protein 0.49g

    Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
    Calcium 2% Iron 9%

    Reply

  8. Hello Elana,
    Thank you for the helpful and healthy recipe! Does this bar need to stay refrigerated or will it stay set at room temperature?

    Reply

  9. My fingers flew to the keyboard as soon as I saw your post – I ordered all the ingredients right away. Now I’ve just made my third batch. I have a deep-ish mould and put coarsely chopped toasted almonds into the bottom before adding the chocolate mixture. My 11-year-old daughter asks me every day to make more. Perfect, Elana! Thank you so much! Two questions for you please: 1) could this be used in your recipes that call for chocolate, such as fudge and choc chip cookies? and 2) does it chocolate count as a ‘health food’ or is that a bit of a stretch? Thank you again! Olivia

    Reply

    • Olivia, I’m so happy you and your daughter are enjoying this homemade chocolate! Here are the answers to your questions: 1) I’m not sure if this would work in the fudge, maybe; I think it might work in the cookies, and I’ll be testing that in the near future. 2. Yes, chocolate, especially dark chocolate such as this is a health food; chocolate has an abundance of antioxidants that are heart healthy and protect against insulin resistance!!!

      Reply

  10. Thanks so much for the recipe, Ms. Elana. I love being able to eat what, for me, is clean chocolate. I made this the other day. It has good flavor but mine turned out with a grainy texture. I’m not sure what it’s due to but might throw all the dry ingredients into a coffee grinder to see if that helps with the next bar. Thanks for sharing your experiments in the kitchen with us. Most of my kids even enjoy them! =)

    Reply

    • Kelli, you’re welcome! If you follow the recipe and do not skip step #9 of the instructions your Homemade Paleo Chocolate will be just like mine –as creamy as can be :-)

      Reply

      • HA! Leave it to me. I don’t know how I missed that. Must have been my desire to get to the chocolate ASAP! =) Well, that explains everything, and it’s good to know that will fix my issue! Thanks and sorry to have used up your time in responding…if only I’d paid closer attention.

        Reply

          • I’m fascinated that you recognize exactly what she missed. Must be those ‘more than 50 practices’ that you’ve already had. I’m continually amazed by your patience and total understanding of how these ingredients fit together and your willingness to just share them with us. You’re a genius – Thanks for all you do.

          • Debbie, thanks! Your comment made my day! I don’t know about being a genius, but I do love cooking and helping people however I can :-)

  11. do you know if Nutiva Coconut Manna is the same as coconut butter? thanks so much for posting this. EVERY recipe i’ve made of yours comes out perfectly first time IF i use the exact same ingredients. i still mess with recipes that will still come out great too!! i have your almond flour and cupcake cookbooks and LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!

    Reply

    • Amy, I haven’t tried that brand so not sure exactly what it is, or if it will work in this recipe. I’m so glad to hear that every recipe you’ve made of mine turns out perfectly :-)

      Reply

    • While Nutiva coconut “manna” isn’t quite as delicious eaten off the spoon as Artisana coconut butter, they act almost the same in recipes. Nutiva is cheaper, perhaps because it does not say it is raw. I used Gopal coconut butter and it worked fine.

      Reply

  12. Elana, I had a recipe for chocolate bars using cocoa powder, stevia and coconut oil…I really had to keep them frozen in order for them to maintain their shape (the coconut oil is all that kept it together)…this recipe is an answer to prayer! I will be finding ingredients and trying immediately! it is exactly within the limits of my diet restrictions. Thank you!

    Reply

  13. I love you! Every woman deserves chocolate at least on her period! I’m allergic to sugar cane and dairy! It’s been the death of me finding any “legal” chocolate.

    Could I try Palm sugar or no?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Amanda, I totally agree about that! I haven’t tried making this recipe with palm sugar so not sure if that would work :-)

      Reply

    • I’ve tried making homemade chocolate before with palm sugar. It will have a grainy texture but it is still very good. You could probably blast it in a high powered blender to make it more like powdered sugar and that would likely work better. We didn’t mind the graininess because it was almost like having tiny toffee bits in the chocolate.

      Reply

  14. I’m so giddy when I see a new recipe post of yours. :) I have your almond flour cookbook and love it! Can you tell me if this chocolate recipe tastes more like a “milk” or a “dark” chocolate? Thanks for all you do to create these yummy recipes!

    Reply

    • Hi Becky, I’m so glad you are enjoying my first book, it has some of my favorite recipes! This tastes more like a dark chocolate to me :-)

      Reply

  16. I have liquid sunflower lecithin. Do you think I could use that instead of the powdered form? Thanks for this recipe. I’m looking forward to trying it.

    Reply

  19. Bravo Elana! You so rock in the kitchen! Haven’t made a single recipe of yours that wasn’t extraordinary yet!! I have to get a chocolate mold (thank you for the link to Amazon,) a silicon mold for chips and a scale and I could be known as the chocolate chip gal!

    Reply

  20. Dear Elana, Found you about 6 years ago and have loved so many of your recipes and blogs. Regarding this yummy looking chocolate – could I freeze the bar since you state that it’s best kept for only a week? I know, I know but, though I enjoy me some good chocolate, I don’t eat a lot at a time!
    Thanks for this and all your other good advice.

    Reply

  21. Elana you are amazing, thank you for all that you do! Love love love your blog and books! I am slowly working my way through your recipes and you never disappoint. Can’t wait to try this one!

    Reply

  23. Instead of a chocolate bar mold form, it might be easier to use a silicone pot holder / trivet, if you plan to make chips. I bought one, specifically for this purpose. The holes can be honeycomb (six-sided) shaped, or square. Just pour the mixture over the trivet, level off the excess with a flat-edged tool, and refrigerate!

    Reply

  24. Why the lecithin? So many good chocolates don’t have any, like Theo brand.
    I’ve always wanted to make chocolate. It’s on my list :-)

    Reply

  26. Elena –

    I would love to know exactly what coconut butter is. I am very familiar with coconut oil, coconut cream concentrate (which is gritty and dry,) and the cream that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk, but what is this?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Amy, coconut butter and coconut cream are the same thing. If you click the green words “coconut butter” you will be given more info on this product :-)

      Reply

  28. Thank you sooo much for this, Elana. I love your chocolate chip cookies but don’t want to use chocolate chips with sugar. (and I don’t like the aftertaste of stevia). I will buy a scale and chocolate bar mold. I will then break the bars into bits to use in chocolate chip cookies – it sound like a lot of work, but for chocolate, it will be worth it!!

    Reply

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