Is Chocolate Vegan?
It can be! Since chocolate at its most basic form comes from a plant (hello, cacao tree) it starts out as vegan. Other ingredients like sugar, cocoa butter and sometimes vanilla make it the treat you know and love. Of course, many of the chocolates at the store also include additives like milk, milk solids or butter, making them definitely not vegan.
Fortunately, some of the best chocolates out there contain no additives. We’ve rounded up our favorites!
Chocolove Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate
Not only is this heavenly semisweet chocolate ($3) vegan and loaded with almonds and sea salt goodness, but it’s also non-GMO certified and made using fair trade practices. Bonus: There’s a sweet love poem included in every Chocolove wrapper!
Newman’s Own Organics Dark Chocolate
One bite of this rich, ultra-dark vegan chocolate ($45 for 12 bars) will make you forget all of your dairy-filled favorites. It tastes richer and smoother than other chocolates thanks to its longer conching (read: mixing and aerating to decrease bitterness) process. Because it comes in a pack of 12, you won’t be running out anytime soon.
Equal Exchange Organic Dark Chocolate Mint Crunch
If mint chocolate is your jam, try this chocolate bar ($3) from fair trade-certified Equal Exchange. It pairs creamy dark chocolate with a subtle mint crunch for a texture and flavor combination that’s out of this world. This bar is soy-free, so it’s safe even if you have a soy sensitivity. Find a mint chip vegan ice cream, too.
Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Marzipan
Feel extra fancy with a German-made specialty. Filled with marzipan made of a mixture of sweet Californian almonds and bitter Mediterranean almonds, this dark chocolate ($32 for 12 bars) is a vegan treat that feels downright decadent. What is marzipan? Find out here.
Hu Raspberry Jelly Cashew Butter Chocolate Bars
Rich raspberry jelly, sweet cashew butter and smooth dark chocolate combine in this elevated version of a classic flavor combo ($25 for four bars). Hu makes all of its chocolates not only vegan, but also paleo, without refined sugars, sugar alcohols or soy lecithin, so you know exactly what you’re getting in every bar.
Raaka Bananas Foster Dark Chocolate Bar
Can you actually capture the amazing taste of bananas Foster in a chocolate bar? Raaka says yes, you can! This three-pack of bars ($20) is made with rum-steamed Peruvian cacao, caramelized sugar, bananas and vanilla bean for a tasty flavor you won’t believe is vegan.
Alter Eco Dark Blackout Chocolate Bar
Serious chocolate lovers will fall in love with this ultra-dark, 85% cocoa chocolate bar ($10). Its deep, rich flavor is great on its own or as part of a sweet dessert for a contradictory flavor. Since it’s 100% organic, non-GMO certified and made using carbon-neutral practices, it’s a treat you can feel good about eating, too. Don’t miss our top vegan dessert recipes.
The post 7 Best Vegan Chocolate Bars appeared first on Taste of Home.
Megan Mowery