37 Recipes Made With Dark Chocolate

Chocolate grows on trees. That’s right. Chocolate comes from cacao seeds, which come from the seeds of football-shaped pods that grow on cacao trees. So yes, there is such a thing as a chocolate forest! Chocolate contains phytonutrients called flavanoids, natural plant compounds that act as antioxidants in the body, and it also contains fiber and various minerals including magnesium, copper, and iron. To reap the heart and brain-health benefits of chocolate, choose dark chocolate — 70% cacao or higher — and limit your portion to about 1 ounce a day. Chocolate (even dark) provides luscious, mood-enhancing flavors, but it also comes with saturated fat and sugar. So 1 ounce daily appears to be the magic number.

As a dark chocolate super fan, I put together this delicious roundup of better-for-you dark chocolate recipes featuring treats like Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies with Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cakes and no-sugar-added breakfasts including Dark Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowls. I hope you love this roundup as much as I do. Ah, where to begin …

Want to learn all about the health benefits of dark chocolate? Tune into this week’s EAT, DRINK, LIVE LONGER.

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DARK CHOCOLATE RECIPE CATEGORIES:

Cookies

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies with Sea Salt by Kara at Kara Lydon Nutrition (shown above)

Cakes/Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cakes by Brittany at Your Choice Nutrition (shown above)

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes by Amy at Amy Gorin Nutrition (shown above)

Mousse/Pudding/Ice Cream

Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Chia Pudding by Julie at The Healthy Epicurean (shown above)

Dairy-Free Chocolate Ice Cream by Colleen at Zest Nutrition

Dark Chocolate Orange Mousse by Laura at Laura M. Ali

Easy Chocolate Chia Pudding with Strawberries by Sharon at The Plant-Powered Dietitian

Easy Vegan Chocolate Mousse by Ginger at Champagne Nutrition

Truffles/Bark

Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles by Mackenzie at Cheerful Choices (shown above)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles by Jessica at Jessica Levinson

Pomegranate-Pistachio Bark by Toby at Toby Amidor Nutrition

Vegan Turtles by Kelly at Kelly Jones Nutrition

Drinks

Cacao Powder Hot Chocolate by Monica at Monica Nedeff – The Traveling Dietitian (shown above)

Oat Milk Hot Chocolate by Leanne at Healthy(ish) Appetite

Breads/Brownies

Best Avocado Brownies by Lindsey at Nutrition to Fit (shown above)

Chocolate Cherry Brownies by Chrissy at Snacking in Sneakers

Chickpea Dark Chocolate Chunk Blondies by Kelli at Hungry Hobby

Double Chocolate Banana Dessert Bread by Jackie at Jackie Newgent (shown above)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread by Julie at The Healthy Epicurean

Easy Black Bean Brownies by Ginger at Champagne Nutrition

Vegan Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate Chunks by Melissa at Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Muffins by Melissa at Melissa Traub Plant-Based Nutrition

Vegan Gluten Free Brownies Recipe by Melissa at Fad Free Nutrition

Fruit Desserts

Crunchy Dark Chocolate, Cherry & Pecan Clusters by Liz at Liz’s Healthy Table (shown above)

Dark Chocolate-Covered Candied Orange Slices by Anne at Craving Something Healthy

Dark Chocolate Covered Fruit Bites Base Recipe by Lexi at To Taste

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Walnuts by Elysia at Haute & Healthy Living

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bark by Andrea at Beautiful Eats & Things

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert by Anna at Healthy Simple Yum

Breakfast

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola by Leanne at Healthy(ish) Appetite

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Baked Oats by Anne at Craving Something Healthy

Dark Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl by Sarah at Bucket List Tummy

Bite-Sized Desserts/Snacks

Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate by Elysia at Haute & Healthy Living (shown above)

Chocolate Hazelnut Balls by Megan at The Oregon Dietitian

Chocolate Sea Salt Granola by Monica at Monica Nedeff – The Traveling Dietitian

Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Dessert Cups by Amy at Amy Gorin Nutrition

Vegan Cacao Coconut Snowballs by Jenna at Whole-istic Living