Plant-Based, Naturally-Sweetened Dark Chocolate

Is there anything better than a really good piece of dark chocolate? How about a plant-based, naturally-sweetened, dark chocolate?!

You can find a LOT of different types of chocolate out there- from dark to milk to healthy to not so healthy. And while lots of these chocolates taste really good- the after effects of eating chocolate packed with white sugar is less than ideal. (Because who wants to feel a racing heart and spike in blood sugar?)

Since it’s pretty hard to find a naturally-sweetened dark chocolate in grocery stores, I got into the kitchen and got crafty. And the result is better than I ever could have imagined.

This Plant-Based Naturally-Sweetened Homemade Dark Chocolate is sweetened with date syrup. Dates not only help to sweeten the recipe, but they provide lots of other potential health benefits. Because of their fiber, they can help to lower blood pressure. And with their antioxidant make-up, they can also help to fight free radical damage. In addition to that, they’re also rich in iron, so they can help to prevent anemia.

My favorite thing though about dates is that they are a naturally-occurring sweetener source and are packed with real, whole food nutrients. And while you can totally use maple syrup to sweeten this recipe, I love that this chocolate not only tastes awesome, but it’s packed with good-for-you nutrients from both dates and cacao.

Naturally-Sweetened Plant-Based Dark Chocolate

• 1 cup cacao powder
• 1 cup cacao butter
• 1/3 cup date syrup or 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp himalayan salt
• toppings for chocolate (goji berries, cashews, coconut shreds all work well!)

1. Prep a double broiler: situate a smaller pot on top of a larger pot filled with about 2″ of water.
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Melt cacao butter in smaller pot over double broiler.
4. Once melted, combine cacao butter with cacao powder in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
5. Add date syrup, salt, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
6. Pour onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Add any desire toppings.
8. Freeze until firm (about 30 minutes).
9. Remove from freezer, chop and enjoy!
10. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Click here to shop this recipe.

Feel free to get wild when adding toppings to your chocolate. Both cashews and goji berries work SO WELL in this recipe!

If you want more details on why cacao is so awesome for you, how to use it, and what to look for when buying it, check out this blog post.

More Cacao Recipes: