Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowHappy Halloween! If you don’t feel like gorging on sugar but don’t want to miss out on candy, did you know that you can make your own low carb chocolate bars? It’s actually pretty quick to do. And, making your own keto chocolate bar is actually much cheaper than buying one!
Is Dark Chocolate Keto?
Strictly speaking, almost all commercial chocolate is not low carb or keto friendly. Sugar is almost always the main ingredient. Some people following a low carb or keto lifestyle choose to occasionally eat very dark chocolate (think 70% or more cacao!) in small amounts, because it has lower sugar content than others.
You can also buy sugar-free chocolate. Unfortunately, often times this is sweetened with maltitol, which actually has a significant glycemic impact and is not really suitable for low carb or ketogenic lifestyles.
A few sugar-free chocolate varieties use stevia, which is better, but not everyone likes the taste. Besides, the price can add up.
So, I’ve been on a mission to make a keto chocolate bar recipe for a while now. This one has gone through about half a dozen trials, and it’s finally ready for you!

How Low Carb Dark Chocolate Works
The thing is, making chocolate is a bit of an art and a bit of a science. Even regular, sugar-filled chocolate can be finicky. It can seize, melt too easily, be too sweet or not sweet enough, have the wrong texture… the list of possible issues goes on.
It becomes harder when we want a keto chocolate bar. Stevia can have an aftertaste, monk fruit usually isn’t ideal on its own, and erythritol resists dissolving.
But when you bite into the perfect, luscious chocolate bar, you know exactly why they are worth all the testing.
So, after many trials and poring over commercial chocolate ingredient labels, it came down to the right ingredients first and foremost.
Here are the ones that work best:
Choose (food-grade) cocoa butter.
Some homemade chocolate recipes use coconut oil or even dairy butter. While you can do this, I don’t recommend it.
Real cocoa butter creates a deeper chocolate flavor, and more importantly, it keeps the chocolate solid at room temperature. You can try substituting coconut oil in this keto chocolate recipe if you must, but just know that it will melt pretty easily.
Baking chocolate over cocoa powder.
Baking chocolate can be expensive, so I attempted homemade keto chocolate bars with cocoa powder several times. I tried, I really did.
And please, please, please… trust me when I say not to do it with cocoa powder.
Cocoa powder is too dry and yields a chalky, gritty result. Even with plenty of cocoa butter.
Baking chocolate creates that melt in your mouth result you’re looking for.
If all you have is cocoa powder, you’re better off making keto fudge like this instead.

Sweeten with powdered Besti.
Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend provides sweetness that is closest to sugar, and unlike erythritol, it dissolves pretty easily and doesn’t crystallize. Most other sweeteners contain erythritol (even those labeled “monk fruit” or “stevia” are over 99% erythritol in disguise!) and can leave your chocolate gritty.
Cut the sweetener with inulin.
You may notice that many commercial low carb chocolate bars contain inulin. Sometimes it’s even included in regular chocolate that contains sugar!
So, what is inulin? It’s a natural, prebiotic fiber. In this keto chocolate bar recipe, it adds a bit of sweetness and improves the texture.
Stabilize with lecithin.
Virtually all chocolate – whether you’re looking at keto chocolate bars or just plain chocolate with sugar – contains lecithin. Usually it’s soy lecithin, which isn’t great, as soy can be estrogenic.
The purpose of lecithin in chocolate is to act as both an emulsifier and a stabilizer. It helps give chocolate that silky smooth consistency and prevents ingredients from splitting.
My low carb chocolate recipe uses sunflower lecithin, so you can get the benefits of the lecithin and still avoid the soy. In this case, it even helps the sweetener dissolve a little better.
Enhance flavor with vanilla and salt.
You might think that you can skip the vanilla extract, or that salt doesn’t belong in chocolate. But, you need a bit of both to bring out the flavor in your low carb chocolate bars.

How To Make Keto Chocolate Bars
Now that you know the basics of what each ingredient is for and how it works, let’s talk about the basic technique.
The good news is, making a keto chocolate bar is pretty straightforward with the right tools and ingredients. There are 4 basic steps:
Get a double boiler.
A double boiler is basically a heatproof bowl or saucepan sitting over another saucepan on the stove, with boiling water in the lower one. The one on top heats up from the steam coming from the boiling water, but never touches the boiling water or the heat directly.
Please, please don’t try to make chocolate right on the stovetop without a double boiler. You will burn the chocolate, or make it seize, or just end up with an inconsistent texture.
Melt the cocoa and baking chocolate.
To make your low carb chocolate, melt together the cocoa butter and baking chocolate in the double boiler.

Gradually include the sweeteners, stabilizers, etc.
Whisk in the powdered Besti a little at a time, then whisk in the inulin gradually. The trick here is to whisk a lot and try to get them to mix in without clumping.
Stir in the sunflower lecithin and sea salt, then heat and stir until it all dissolves.
Add the vanilla extract last, after removing from heat, because extracts lose their potency when heated (except in baking).
Chill to solidify.
Pour your liquid keto chocolate into molds and chill to firm up.
See? Nothing complicated about the process, as long as you follow the directions. 😉
How To Store Store Chocolate Bars
Like any chocolate, you can store low carb dark chocolate in a cool, dark cupboard. You can also refrigerate it if you want it to be more firm and melt less easily.
Feel free to use the chocolate for other recipes too, like keto turtles.
Tools To Make Low Carb Chocolate Bars
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Double boiler – For melting the chocolate. I thought I could get away without one for years, and wondered why my melted chocolate would curdle or burn so easily. This works so much better!
- Chocolate bar molds – The silicone makes the chocolate pop out effortlessly. And, this one comes in a set of 4 so that you can make multiple bars at once.
- Chocolate chip molds – Try these instead if you want to make sugar-free chocolate chips shaped just like real store-bought ones.
- Mini whisks – These are handy when working with liquids in small amounts or in a shallow container. They’re perfect for making low carb chocolate, because sugar-free sweeteners can take a bit more effort to dissolve.

Keto Chocolate Bar (Easy Recipe)
Learn how to make low carb chocolate bars! This is the best way to make a keto chocolate bar that tastes like the real thing. Includes which sweeteners to use and the best method.
Instructions
[ See step photos ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Melt cocoa butter and baking chocolate in a double boiler over low heat.
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Stir in the powdered Besti, a little at a time. Stir in the inulin, a little at a time. Stir in the sunflower lecithin and salt. Heat until everything is smooth and dissolved. Adjust sweetener to taste if needed and make sure it dissolves.
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Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
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Pour the melted chocolate mixture into molds. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya's Recipe Notes
Recipe makes 2 standard-size chocolate bars.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We'd LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Low Carb Keto Chocolate Bar Recipe

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198 Comments
Ng shu tian
0How do you count the nutrition facts?? As in that 8 serving, per how many grams etc??
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ng Shu Tain, Serving size is 1/4 of the total recipe. Each serving is 143 calories and 1 net carb. I hope this helps.
Antony
0Hey! As I said before I live in Australia and many of the products you have recommended are unavailable in Australia :(. Is there a way for me to send you the links or pictures of the products that are available in my area? Maybe you could provide me with an affiliate link of the product you recommend me from my area. And help would be greatly appreciated! Also, the website keeps logging me out when I visit this website :(.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Antony, I am really sorry, but I do not know specifically which products are available to you in Australia.
Antony
0Are there any side effects of Inulin and erythritol? I live in Australia, which brands of the above do you recommend? Is it possible to send you pics of the brands that are available locally so you can tell me which ones suit this recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Antony, You can read here about the side effects of erythritol. Inulin is a fiber powder, so it can affect you in the same way any other fiber supplement can when consumed in large enough quantities.
Antony
0Hi, is it possible to add protien to this recipe? If so what ingredients do I add and how will it affect the taste? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Anthony, I wouldn’t add protein to this chocolate bar. Chocolate is very finicky and I don’t think it would respond well to protein powder.
Antony
0Ah okay, thanks for letting me know!
S C
0You can use hemp seeds in the bar for added crunch and added protein, if you’d like.
Lisa B.
0Anthony, use pepitas (peeled pumpkin seeds) as an add-in. They’re very high in protein. A quarter of a cup has nine grams of protein. If you can’t get them, use the nut of your choice to bump the protein some.
Suzanne Pritchard
0Hi, I was wondering if it had a tangy, type after taste. I’m trying to find a recipe without an odd after taste
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Suzanne, Yes, this cheesecake has a tang to it like traditional cheesecake.
Leanne
0Hi thank you for all your amazing recipes! I can’t wait to try this one. I have all the ingredients except Inulin. I’m not familiar with it so I checked it out and can you tell me if you used the blue agave or the chickory root? Also do you think psyllium husk would work as a substitute for the Inulin? It’s the only thing I could find as a suggested substitute? I value your opinion and I don’t want to fail. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Leanne, I used this one. Please don’t use psyllium husk powder! That would not work.
Sheri
0Fantastic recipe. I made it with powdered Lakanto (that’s what I had in powdered form) and it came out great. It was easy to make, especially with all of your helpful tips. Thanks for another great recipe.
Jay
0I was wondering if you tried adding powdered cream to make a milk chocolate bar?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jay, I have not experimented with that yet. Please let us know how it turns out if you decide to give it a go!
Angela Moorhead
0I love this recipe but I found it quite sweet. Would it harm it to add more chocolate to the mix?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Angela, Yes, that’s fine to add more chocolate.
Diane Kimes
0Hi Maya.
Would the inulin still be needed if I subbed xylitol for the erythritol? The cooling thing wouldn’t be an issue, but I don’t know if xylitol has the same tendency to crystallize as erythritol. Inquiring minds want to know… 😉
Elise
0Hi Maya, I accidentally used granulated besti instead of powdered, and obviously it came out a little grainy (but not terribly so, I know what overcooked chocolate acts like, so it’s definitely not that. Do you have any suggestions on fixing it or using it for something else? I have everything I need to make more (including the correct /powdered/ besti). I was thinking keto brownies or fudge, but have no clue. Would the granulated besti dissolve if I added some heavy cream and heated it again gently to make a ganache?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Elise, I think the ganache idea might work! Let me know how it goes if you try that.
ligia sava
0Hi
please let me know if you used xylitol and how is work .
Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Diane, I’m not sure how the xylitol would do on it’s own. Please let us know how it turns out if you decide to experiment!
Pam
0Very grainy even though I followed the directions to the letter and purchased the ingredients linked to the recipe. I’m sure I over heated the chocolate while slowly adding the powdered erythritol. I used a double boiler, ensured the water did not touch the inner bowl, and had the burner on its lowest setting. Temp held steady at 110° using an infrared thermometer after melting. But I had both hands occupied with slowly adding the erythritol. Afterwards, temp was up to 170°. Next time, I’ll try either turning the burner off or removing from heat during that step. I was really hoping this recipe would be the one that didn’t turn grainy on me. But I think this time it was my fault. I hope someone else will watch their temp closer because of my mistake.
Doug
0Looks really good!!!
I can only find powdered sunflower lecithin locally, can I use that or does it have to be liquid?
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Dooug, liquid is definitely preferred here. Powdered might not dissolve completely.
Barbara
0I have everything but the sunflower lecithin, which I should have tomorrow. Is this recipe just enough for one Bar? If so how well does it scale up? I have 4 molds. I would like to make enough of the recipe for 4 molds and freeze 3 bars. I intend to make a single recipe, first, to get a feel for the process. The comments your comments plus the reader’s comments clearly indicate caution. So any ideas about 1 recipe 4 times or 1 recipe quadrupled? Either way, I am looking forward to this. I have a recipe for chocolate-covered coconut bars I am looking forward to.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Barbara, The recipe should make one 4oz bar. Chocolate is fussy, so I wouldn’t quadruple the recipe right off the bat. Start with a single recipe and work with it until you feel comfortable, then you can scale up as you need. Best of luck!
Cush
0If I wanted to add another extract, like maybe mint or orange, then do I still need vanilla extract? If so then how much of the other extract would I use?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cush, I would still add the vanilla, and then half as much flavoring.
CA
0Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been really missing chocolate! Any suggestions for a substitution for erythritol? Apparently, I’m allergic to it (and possibly xylitol). Could I use BochaSweet and allouse, alone or combined?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi CA, check out this Sweetener Guide and Conversion Chart to help you with substitutions.
Peg Doolin
0I ordered some delicious keto dark chocolate bars with pumpkin seeds, sea salt and mct oil. This led me on a search to try and make my own. If I were to try to add some mct oil, do you have any suggestions? I had to order the inulin and lecithin. I ordered molds too and am excited to try making my own bars.
I just made your fudge. The ‘batter’ was delicious, and it’s chilling right now. I admire your research in creating your recipes.
Thanks for any advice you can give!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Peg, If adding MCT oil, I would look for a powdered version to incorporate into your chocolate.
Darin
0Got all my ingredients in the mail yesterday and made them today. OMG, these are delicious!!! All the recipe fit perfectly into a 15 cube silicone ice tray. I cracked a coconut earlier in the week, dehydrated the meat and then grated it. In half the ice tray I put coconut in the middle with an almond on top. My wife likes those best. So waste to make. Thank you so much for your recipe.
Sven
0Any thoughts on tempering the chocolate? This is a method of aligning the crystals to make the chocolate have more snap and sheen. I discovered this after accidentally overheating my chocolate and having it separate. It’s a pretty fussy process, but makes for much better mouth feel and great for coating as it cures quickly and is harder and more resistant to melting in your fingers. I now know that chocolate is very temperature sensitive. Anything over 120 degrees and you will burn it.
Erin
0Did you end up trying to temper this recipe? I did and it didn’t work at all, but it was my first time ever attempting, with homemade or store bought chocolate, so it might be me. Just curious if you got this recipe to temper. Don’t want to keep trying if it’s a lost cause.
Wholesome Yum A
0Agreed, Sven! Low and slow is best for this recipe if you have the time.
Diana Rodríguez
0I can’t wait to try this recipe ! One question !!! I do not have sunflower lecithin . Could I omit this one ? Thanks
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Diana, as mentioned in the post, the lecithin helps give chocolate a smooth consistency, prevents ingredients from splitting, and helps the erythritol dissolve better. I wouldn’t recommend omitting it.
DeeDee
0You must be the keto cooking queen, to have tried and tried to get this recipe looking so good, and sounding so delicious! I so appreciate your tips and hints to make this chocolate bar successful! Thanks for all the work you do for us!