How to Make Honey-Sweetened Chocolate
I know that a lot of experts say we shouldn’t eat chocolate. Stimulant. Theobromine. Caffeine. Phytic acid. Highly acidic. I also know that I’ll probably never have a cacao tree growing on our property and therefore will never be eating truly homegrown chocolate.
But if chocolate is wrong I don’t want to be right.
That is to say I’ll probably always eat a little bit of it here and there… for as long as it is possible. It’s just, possibly, one of my favorite foods and part of that 20% of the 80/20 rule (if I subscribed to that).
The one thing I don’t like in my chocolate is a pound of sugar. Sugar makes me cranky, fat, and tired. There, I said it. Any sweetener can do that to me if I have too much, which is why I like just a touch of honey in this recipe.
Honey, for me, is a much more sustainable sweetener than cane sugar or maple syrup. Right now I can get it from a lady down the road who sells raw honey at the farmer’s market. Having bees someday seems more likely than growing sugar cane or having maple trees, which is why raw honey is our sweetener of choice.
Oh, and it makes some pretty good chocolate.
Honey-Sweetened Chocolate
Recipe note: This makes for a very dark, very rich chocolate. You can always adjust the honey to suit your tastes. Half of this recipe will fix the most stubborn of chocolate cravings (not that I would know anything about that.)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter (or other fat)
- 2 teaspoons raw honey
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions
- Gently melt the butter. Add the raw honey and whisk with a fork. Stir in the cocoa powder until well combined.
- At this point you should have something between pourable chocolate and frosting. Let it cool and eat it with a spoon or refrigerate to harden and use as chocolate chips in cookies or grain-free scones.
How do you get your chocolate?
i’ve pretty much sworn off chocolate and although i wouldn’t consider myself a choco-holic, it’s disappointing. who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies?! (i found an awesome sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe on the cultures for health website!)
so i admittedly “cheat” from time to time but it isn’t that much fun for me once the taste has worn off. sugar does the same thing to me: cranky, fat and tired. my husband knows the second i’ve cheated.
i had no idea of a homemade version of chocolate so i’ll definitely be trying this soon. it seems like a great alternative when you really need chocolate, like for cookies! or when you really. need. chocolate… 🙂
Nice! I love seeing more people incorporating what I would call “healthier” chocolates into their diets! I make a spoonable chocolate called Rite Chocolate (www.ritechocolate.com) that is honey-sweetened as well. Check it out!
In the meantime, have fun experimenting with different add-ins! : )
“If chocolate is wrong, I don’t want to be right” Oh, my goodness, that is hilarious and so true. Danielle is going to love that line, too. I had no idea you could make your own chocolate. The ingredients make perfect sense and I look forward to making some in the near future.
Thanks Shannon! You da best!
Haha, Susan, I’m glad you get it :). I hope your chocolate is good!
Oh my goodness! You are my hero today!! Thanks for such a fabulous recipe, it is definitely making the afternoon cooking list.
Ooh yummy! I have made something similar in the past using coconut oil which is really good too. Gives it a slight coconuty flavor. It’s been way too long since I’ve made some, and I all of a sudden feel a need for chocolate!
I’ve not made chocolate chocolate but I have made white chocolate (I had a bunch of cocoa butter from cosmetic making that just happened to be food grade :D)
Do you know if this is legal for GAPS? I’d love to try this but I’m doing GAPS and want to be sure it is a legal food. 🙂
Victoria – I do not know for sure. I assume that if you can handle butter and chocolate that it is :).
Oh my word. I’m going to have to try this. Like, tomorrow. Thanks!
Even though I do not have much of a sweet tooth–I crave salty foods–I like a little chocolate every now and again.
I will definitely have to make my own chocolate now. Thanks for sharing!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
I prefer my chocolate in good old fashioned chocolate milk. No, not the kind made with instant sugar-added vitamin enriched powder of course, nor that tube of squeeze goop from hersheys.
Just a heaping teaspoon of quality organic fair trade cocao powder, milk, sweetner of choice and if I’m feeling adventurous I spice it up with some nutmeg, cinnamon or a pinch of cayenne pepper, or whipped cream!
Sounds really yummy! I make my own raw chocolate syrup with raw organic cocoa powder, honey and water. I keep it refrigerated and make chocolate milk and mocha coffee with it! The coffee is cold-brewed, and I use raw milk…..OUTSTANDING!
ratio for those interested:
Mix 1 cup raw cocoa powder with 1/3 cup raw honey. Add water to desired consistancy-about 2/3 cup or so.. Mix well, refrigerate.
My weakness is cacao nibs. Whenever I have a coconut fruit smoothie or milk kefir, in go a dash of nibs.
When I use cocoa powder or blocks, I get the full cocoa from the liquor before the butter is split off. The only way to tell is if the ingredient list reads like the cacao nibs.
Ciao,
Pavil
Hi Shannon,
This is a beautiful blog and a great article. I’m looking forward to cooking up a batch of healthier chocolate.
With Best Wishes,
Kathleen
Victoria,
Like Shannon said if you can do dairy (butter) and cocoa (advanced full GAPS legal) then you can do this. I’m definitely going to give it a try!! Thanks Shannon.
re: Victoria…we’re doing GAPS too, and i was SO happy to read Dr. Natasha’s response on the FAQ page:
“Cocoa is SCD illegal. However, I find that many people can start having it occasionally on the Full GAPS Diet, once the digestive symptoms are gone. Find pure organic cocoa powder. Mixing the powder with some honey and sour cream makes a delicious dessert, and you can add it to your homemade ice cream or cakes. After trying it for the first time, observe your patient for any reactions. Cocoa is very rich in magnesium and some essential amino acids and, unless your digestive system is not ready for it, there is no need to avoid it.”
Rachel – Excellent information!
Yum! Planning on making coconut oil fudge sweetened with honey this weekend. Chocolate is a worthwhile indulgence in my book, too.
I just made this! I added some extra honey, though (and sprinkled some sea salt on top). I’m trying to go to dark chocolate over milk, and eventually to no chocolate, but I don’t think this counts as chocolate for me. It is so much simpler (and natural, chemical free!) than chocolate you buy at the store! Thank you so much for this recipe. It also tastes a whole lot better than store chocolate. Yum. I put it in the freezer to help it harden faster, but I was wondering, does it harden completely? Or does it only harden to the point of where it doesn’t move, but you can moosh it with the tip of your finger?
Manny – I never found it really brittle like store-bought chocolate, but I am thinking if you upped the fat content it might happen.
I’m with you! There is definitely something to be said for enjoying chocolate – and like you sugar is no bueno for me – so thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! question, do you happen to have a chocolate pudding recipe? my oldest has been begging me to find a good (healthy) chocolate pudding recipe. Thanks, Shannon! 🙂
What I love about this, besides the more healthy ingredients, is the delay time, as in, if I want chocolate, I have to do something to get it. I bought a pound of chocolate thinking it would last a month. Lasted about eight days.
Christina – I know… totally necessary sometimes.
Hi again Shannon!
I don’t drink or eat caffeine, generally, as it seems to make my heart “uppity” and I get palpitations. I do eat chocolate sometimes but it doesn’t seem to affect me like a cup of caffeinated coffee or tea, or raw chocolate milk made with cocoa. A friend recently sent me some carob powder and I was thrilled when I discovered that carob does not contain caffeine. Although, sometimes it is packaged with theobromine but even with that it is still a fraction of the caffeine of regular cocoa powder. I read it takes about 1 1/2 -2 parts carob powder to equal 1 part cocoa powder. I wanted to pass that along in case others out there are hyper sensitive to caffeine like I am. So I plan to follow your honey-sweetened chocolate recipe and use carob powder in place of the cocoa powder.
Thanks again!
Susan
Susan – Thanks for the info. I have tried carob before but wasn’t able to get past the taste. I have heard, though, that a lot of people like it and that it is also high in minerals like calcium… so good stuff!
If you read david wolfs book, naked chocolate, you’ll find out it’s one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet! But must be raw and organic. Raw truffles with some mint oil is my fav!! Mmmm
Angelina – I have read his info and others that conflict with it. I am also not sure how “raw” chocolate can be when it has to go through a roasting process for most final products, but I’ll probably keep eating chocolate anyway :).
Fantastic! I love honey sweetened chocolate too….but i don’t eat butter, so I make it with coconut oil. It has very faint coconutty overtones (though my “coconut-hating” daughter loves my chocolate!! It only contains three ingredients too, like yours. Let’s spread the word 🙂
http://lovinleaves.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/a-horrifying-realisation-and-peanut-butter-cups/
and
http://lovinleaves.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/bounty-bar-bites-to-your-health/
We can’t do butter, do you think this would work well with coconut oil or palm oil shortening??
I’m doing something wrong here. Is that a typo on the cocoa or does it really take that much? It does fine at first but by the time I add all the cocoa it turns thick and goopy, and extremely bitter…I’m a dark chocolate lover but when I make it it’s just bitter. I want it to work so badly!
I added a pinch of peppermint .. delicious! – trying coconut next time 🙂
oops… forget to say I used coconut oil it worked fine
I’ve just tried this recipe, but I used coconut oil instead of butter. All organic ingredients. I’d never had honey-chocolate before. All I can say is:
AMAZING! TASTES 10 times better than sugar-chocolate!
I think I’ll be making this more often from now on!!!
Wow! Just a little bit cured my chocolate hangover!
Thank you for the recipe.
Has anyone tried making chocolate in the cake or bar form sweetened only with honey? What proportion of honey to unsweetened chocolate would result in a solid bar again when cooled? What would be the best technique? Thanks for any ideas.
Thank you for the recipe; I am loving raw organic chocolate- taste’s so good. I am experimenting with food grade cocoa butter too- could that be the fat,(add either honey or xylitol and cocoa powdwer) as a subsitute in the original recipe? I am looking to make a chocolate syrup to keep in the fridge for my boys instead of a commercial type. Thanks anybody…somebody,,, love this site!!!(*__*)!!!
Kelly at the Nourishing home- I don’t have the exact amounts correct- but I know a mixture for raw chocolate pudding and I’ll get back to you with measurements and who I owe thanks to the recipe for. Raw chocolate powder, 2 really ripe avacados,honey or sweetner and 1/2 banana was optional. I am pretty sure it came from Kristen on “KNOWthe Cause” show with Doug Kauffman….just saying!!!! It’s delicous!!!(*__*)!!!
Try coconut oil and honey. I use a recipe for chocolate using equal parts coconut oil, cocoa, and honey plus some vanilla (which I find completely optional). Then I put in the freezer. Silicone ice cube trays work great for this but recently I tried putting parchment paper on a tray and spreading the chocolate to the desired thickness, freezing, then I cut the chocolate into pieces and put in a freezer bag. Whenever I crave some chocolate I just grab a couple pieces!
Hi Shannon,
I’ve just given this a try (with a little extra honey for my sweet tooth). I’m afraid I had the same problem as Shaina~ it came out more like a thick gloopy paste than a frosting~ despite only putting 5 spoons of cocoa in. Any ideas what we may be doing wrong? Is it definitely 6 tablespoons of cocoa?
Awesome blog btw 🙂
~Kaz x
Karen – i would go with more cocoa than less as it helps bind it. I think I’ll have to revisit this recipe to see what I can tweak to make it better :).
How much chocolate does this make?
I added a tbsp of milk to mine and really like it.
Hello!
I would like to try your recipe with coconut oil. Did you add the honey will heating the butter to melt? Or I can just mix the oil with honey with no heat involved?
Thanks a lot. This is a excelent idea!
Love your journey! Love the healthy life! Blessings on your family and your beautiful homesteading life!
Do you use raw honey straight from hive or bought honey from shop’s
Gonna have to try this. I gave up sugar for Lent and never went back because I felt so much better. I’ve been enjoying honey instead. Your post came up in a search for “chocolate sweetened with honey”. Thanks for posting.
I wanted a bit of chocolate but not the sugar or risk of allergy (I have many) so I tried this. It makes a great dark chocolate and was quick and easy (I did not want to be bothered, this time, with attempting to temper the chocolate). I used 1 oz of pure cocoa butter instead of regular butter. I have pressed it thin in wax paper and put in the freezer. Thanks for spreading joy!