Who makes the best vegan chocolate?
Whether you’re after a silky milk chocolate, indulgent truffle or are partial to the sweet bitterness of a high cocoa percentage, we bring you our list of the best vegan chocolate brands
Looking for the best vegan chocolate to buy? Check out our favourites below and treat yourself or your favourite plant-based foodie to a vegan gift.
What is vegan chocolate made of?
All chocolate shares the same key ingredient; cocoa. Whether it's in solid, butter or powder form, cocoa starts its life as a plant and is therefore vegan in origin. The ingredients added later to create chocolate as we know it, for sweetness, taste and texture are what often contain dairy.
Plant-based alternatives such as creamed coconut and hazelnut paste are being increasingly used in place of whey fat to deliver that indulgently smooth and rich chocolate experience. But the label 'vegan friendly' can often come at the expense of chocolate's traditional taste and texture. Well, you'll be happy to know this is no longer the case!
Is dark chocolate vegan?
The higher the quality of chocolate, the less added ingredients there are. Dark chocolate has a much higher cocoa percentage than milk chocolate but not all dark chocolate is vegan.
So who makes the best vegan chocolate? We tested a range of brands to bring you our favourite vegan dark, milk and truffle chocolate.
Best vegan chocolate to buy 2023
Booja Booja Hazelnut Truffles
- Available from Amazon (£6.25), Waitrose (£6.25), Ocado (£5.25)
Best vegan truffles
If you’re into sweet chocolate truffles these cocoa dusted organic Booja Booja bites combine the smooth texture of classic ganache with small chunks of roasted hazelnut for added bite; a great gift for someone with a sweet tooth.
Available from:
Amazon (£6.25)
Waitrose (£6.25)
Ocado (£5.25)
Divine Fairtrade 70% Dark Chocolate
- Available from Waitrose (£2.40), Ocado (£2.40)
Best vegan dark chocolate
Fruity with a complex finish and smooth mouthfeel, this bar delivers in flavour without any of the bitterness you often get with a high cocoa percentage. Buy this for a rich and balanced dark vegan chocolate experience.
Available from:
Waitrose (£2.40)
Ocado (£2.40)
2. Hotel Chocolat 70% Dark Chocolate Slab, £3.95, 100g, Ocado
Comment: This 70% cocoa slab by Hotel Chocolat came a close second to Divine in depth of flavour and melt. It’s a pricier option and slightly harder in bite but worth the money for dark aficionados.
Other vegan chocolates we tried
Montezuma's Lordy Lord with Cocoa Nibs, £2.60/100g, Ocado. Buy now
Ombar Coco Mylk Chocolate, £2.10/35g, Ocado. Buy now
Doisy and Dam 70% Maple, Toasted Rice and Pink Salt, £2.50/80g Ocado. Buy now
Chocolate and Love Fairtrade Organic Panama 80%, £3.50/80g Ocado. Buy now
Seed and Bean Organic Dark Chocolate 70% with Cornish Sea Salt, £2.69/85g, Ocado. Buy now
Eat Your Hat Organic with Turmeric and Black Pepper, £3.95/ 91g, Ocado. Buy now
PLAYin CHOC Organic Peruvian Cacao M.lk Chocolate, £5.95/100g, playinchoc.com. Buy now
Discover 55 chocolate recipes here
Testing conducted and written by Anya Gilbert
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