Chocolate is one of those foods that can be baffling for vegan eaters. Sure, milk chocolate pretty clearly has dairy (sourced from an animal), but what about dark chocolate? Is cocoa butter vegan? Consider this your official vegan chocolate guide, detailing everything you need to know straight from chocolate experts who are intimately familiar with how chocolate is made. Plus, get tips on how to make sure you’re buying the best vegan chocolate out there and some quality picks to try.
What Is Vegan Chocolate?
According to Clay Gordon, creator of The Chocolate Life, vegan chocolate is chocolate that contains no ingredients that come from animals (or insects) or incorporate processing steps where animal remains might be involved. “For example, dark chocolate sweetened with honey is not considered vegan chocolate,” he says. He adds that sugar derived from cane juice that is filtered through charcoal is usually not considered vegan because the charcoal might contain the remains of animal bones. “Vegan sugar is often unrefined and not pure white,” he says. While milk chocolate does contain dairy, Gordon says that there are no official rules about whether or not dark chocolate can or cannot contain dairy or other animal-sourced ingredients. But Jennifer Earle, chocolate expert, food innovation consultant, and founder of Chocolate Ecstasy Tours, says that all good dark chocolate is naturally vegan. (Though, like Gordon, she says some of the choices aren’t, depending on how the sugar is sourced.) “Milk chocolate is only made with cow’s milk powder. Vegan ‘milk’ chocolate replaces the cow’s milk powder with any combination of ingredients in powdered form,” Earle explains. She says that this can include oats, rice, cashews, soy, macadamia nuts, tiger nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds or other nuts. “Basically anything you could also make a vegan milk replacement with,” she says. All of these sources have different tastes and nutritional makeup, so don’t expect all vegan chocolate to taste the same or have the same texture. What if your chocolate is made with cocoa butter? Though traditional butter is not vegan, both experts say that cocoa butter is. “Cocoa butter is naturally vegan even if it is not certified vegan. But as with sugar, there may be a processing step where it comes into contact with some animal product or by-product, thereby rendering it non-vegan, but this is extremely rare,” Gordon says.
What To Keep In Mind When Buying Vegan Chocolate
Both Gordon and Earle concur that vegan chocolate can taste just as delicious as non-vegan chocolate. “It’s up to the skill of the chocolate makers,” Gordon says. He adds that just like there are great-tasting chocolate and not-so great chocolates, there are great-tasting vegan chocolates and some that aren’t so great. While vegan chocolate can taste just as yummy as traditional chocolate, Earle says that it still may taste different than what you may be used to. “Classic, non-vegan milk chocolate is seared in the memory for most of us and so the vegan versions might disappoint if you’re expecting them to taste the same,” she shares. So how can you ensure that the vegan chocolate you’re eying is worth the money? Earle advises seeking out good-quality craft dark chocolate. This type of chocolate will be free of emulsifiers and have cocoa solids (the components of cocoa beans remaining after cocoa butter) of at least 40 percent. Gordon says it’s also important to consider what you like. (The journey to figuring that out can be a tasty one.) For example, if you like sweet chocolate, you’re going to like one that has a bit more sugar. If you like creamy chocolate, look for ingredients that reflect that, like coconut cream or cocoa butter. He adds that the best, most high-quality vegan chocolates aren’t cheap. “The more certifications you add [such as fair-trade, organic and non-GMO] the more expensive the chocolate should be,” he says. This is necessary to pay the farmers who grew the cocoa a fair living wage. As with other products, with vegan chocolate, you often get what you pay for. With all of this in mind, below are five vegan chocolates to consider trying. Here at Parade.com, we’re all about sharing products we love with our audience. When you make a purchase on an item seen on this page, we may earn a commission, however, all picks are independently chosen unless otherwise mentioned.
Best Vegan Chocolate Brands to Try
9. Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips, $17.97 for a 3-pack on Thrive Market
In need of some vegan chocolate chips for baking or just want some to pair with a spoonful of peanut butter? Enjoy Life has you covered with their semi-sweet chocolate chips, which are made with unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter and cane sugar. Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips, $17.97 for a 3-pack on Thrive Market
10. Lily’s Sea Salt Extra Dark Chocolate, $4.29 for 1 bar on Target
Sometimes, a classic dark chocolate bar sprinkled with sea salt is exactly what’s necessary. This bar has that and also is made with a hint of vanilla, adding a nice complex layer of sweetness. Lily’s Sea Salt Extra Dark Chocolate, $4.29 for 1 bar on Target
11. Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar, $2.94 for 1 bar at Walmart
Not all of Lindt’s chocolate is vegan, but this bar is and it’s one of the most affordable ones you’ll find. Bourbon chocolate beans and sugar are used for sweetness, which are sure to titillate all your tastebuds. Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar, $2.94 for 1 bar at Walmart Next up, see a roundup of 50 100% vegan snack ideas.
Sources
Clay Gordon, creator of The Chocolate LifeJennifer Earle, chocolate expert, food innovation consultant, and founder of Chocolate Ecstasy Tours
