You don’t need to be a skilled chocolatier to make your own homemade vegan milk chocolate! This easy recipe makes coconut milk chocolate with the cocoa you probably already have in your cupboard. Once you try this vegan milk chocolate recipe, I’m sure you’ll be thinking of all kinds of things you can make with it!
Try this recipe for vegan chocolate bars, chocolate-peanut butter cups, dipped pretzels, chocolate bark, s’mores, cookies … anything you can think of where chocolate would make it better! Ok, I guess chocolate would make nearly anything better!
I use coconut oil in this recipe for many reasons, not least of which, its incredible flavor. If you love the flavor of coconuts, opt for unrefined coconut oil as an ingredient; if you’re not so into coconut though, look for refined coconut oil for a neutral flavor.
For more information on the health benefits of coconut oil, hop to this comprehensive article from Well-Being Secrets. If you’d like to know more about how coconut oil can be used for skin care, hair care, toothpaste, sunscreen and so much more, hop to this article from BalanceMeBeautiful and this one from MorningChores on the many incredible things coconut oil can do.
One more note: having a candy thermometer is a really valuable tool anytime you’re handling melted chocolate (or for frying gluten free doughnuts!). For stability and so that it won’t melt so easily, you’ll want to ensure the chocolate is “tempered” by heating and cooling it to below 130F. Tempering chocolate appropriately also gives it a smoother, fine, glossy shine.
Homemade Vegan Milk Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup 111 g cocoa powder, Dutched
- ¾ cup 160g virgin coconut oil, room temperature
- 2/3 cup canned coconut milk full fat is best
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup 125 g sifted 10x confectioner’s sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
- For this recipe, you will need a double boiler or a chocolate melting pot which will slowly heat the chocolate without burning it. I also find that a food processor works best to integrate the ingredients.
- Start by combining the cocoa powder with the coconut oil in a large food processor or mixer. Mix until a paste is formed and there are no chunks of coconut oil remaining.
- Transfer to the double boiler or chocolate melting pot and heat over medium heat while stirring constantly until thinner and smooth. While the water in the lower pot will boil, do not let the chocolate mixture boil. Stir constantly until chocolate reaches 110°–115°F.
- Remove the top pan and place on a wire cooling rack or a towel to remove it from the counter's surface. Allow the chocolate to cool to around 90°–100°F.
- Return the mixture to the food processor or mixing bowl and mix while adding the Coconut Milk, vanilla extract, sugar and salt. Process until totally smooth like warm fudge.
- To make chocolate bars, transfer to an 8×8 baking pan (or smaller pan for thicker chocolate bars; bigger pan for thinner ones) lined with parchment or foil and smooth the top. Place in the freezer until set. The chocolate does not need to remain frozen once set, but if it is very warm outside, it will start to get softer (as chocolate does!).
- To make chocolate bark, follow this chocolate bark recipe, using your homemade coconut milk chocolate.
** Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
Pin it for when those chocolate cravings hit!
Can I use monk fruit sugar intead of confectioners powdered sugar?
Hi Maja, this recipe was developed using confectioner’s sugar. There are some sugar subs in confectioner’s style you could use and see how they work out for you. This one is made with allulose.
~jules