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    Home » Whole Food Recipes » Best Desserts

    December 16, 2014 | By Jami

    Homemade Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

    Jump to Recipe

    Easily make homemade maple sweetened chocolate with just a few ingredients - really you can make your own healthy chocolate! And when you add peppermint flavor and crushed candy, it becomes a special holiday treat.

    Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

    Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them and purchase I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

    I've wanted to make my own chocolate for awhile. When you read the ingredients in chocolate - cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar and flavoring (usually vanilla) - it seems like it should be fairly simple to make.

    And, like many things I've found that I can make at home (chocolate syrup, ketchup, and other pantry basics), it IS easy. Ridiculously so. And of course I do like controlling the ingredients to make it healthier.

    But, here's the million dollar question: does it taste like the chocolate we all know and love?

    I've got to be honest here - no it doesn't, in both flavor and texture. Contrary to some comments I've read on other sites with homemade chocolate recipes ("best chocolate EVER" "throwing out the Ghiradelli") no one in our family thinks my homemade chocolate tastes as good as commercial chocolate - me included.

    Don't get me wrong - it's not bad and if you're trying to avoid refined sugar completely (or soy lecithin) this is a great option because it's still chocolate, just very lightly sweetened and, in my daughter's words, "healthy-tasting."

    And you might guess that I think it's totally fun to make my own chocolate candy easily - this kinda stuff always gets me excited!

    Homemade Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

    Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers on stand

    For this homemade chocolate recipe you'll need:

    • cocoa butter wafers
    • unsweetened cocoa powder (I like this organic brand, which is also a good price)
    • maple syrup
    • vanilla
    • pure peppermint extract (NOT peppermint flavoring which is in an oil base instead of alcohol like pure extracts)
    • salt
    • optional crushed peppermint candy

    What kind of cocoa butter do you use?

    The only thing that's tricky at all about making homemade chocolate is where to find the cocoa butter and what kind to buy. You want a food-grade cocoa butter (versus cosmetic grade) - I used these Cocoa Butter Wafers, which were really easy to measure and use.

    Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers close

    Maple syrup or honey?

    I made two batches of homemade chocolate - the one sweetened with maple in the recipe below and this recipe for classic chocolate candy with honey (since peanut butter and honey go so well together). You can use either, really, it's up to you.

    Plain or flavored?

    To make this candy recipe more holiday-worthy, I added a bit of peppermint oil and topped the simple wafers (no molds to buy or deal with!) with crushed candy canes. Yes, they have refined sugar, again, it's up to you. I've been on a chocolate-peppermint kick lately, but of course the topping is optional. Without the added topping, though, the wafers will be very dark chocolate, if you get my meaning.

    You can also flavor this chocolate with other pure extracts like orange, strawberry, or other fruit. There's even a pure coffee extract you could use for a mocha flavor!

    Of course you can leave them plain. Though the sweetness then is quite minimal, so I would probably break them up to use as chocolate chips in cookies or something, rather than eating plain.

    Anyway you flavor them, I do really encourage you to try making your own chocolate, it's fun and nice to have as an option, because no one should go without chocolate, right? If you make it, do let me know how you use it!

    Other Healthy Treats to Try

    • Simple Whole Food Dessert Recipes with 6 Ingredients or Less
    • Low Sugar Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters
    • Healthy No-Bake Fudge Oatmeal Bars
    Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers on stand
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Homemade Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

    Homemade chocolate candy sweetened only with maple syrup, flavored with peppermint and an optional candy-cane topping. Makes a special, healthy gift for the holidays!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time5 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Yield: 30 -1/2 dozen
    Author: Jami Boys

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup cocoa butter wafers
    • 3/4 cup cocoa powder unsweetened for baking
    • 6 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla*
    • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract**
    • pinch salt
    • crushed peppermint candy for topping optional

    Instructions

    • Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Set a glass bowl in a saucepan with water in the bottom that doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.
    • Add the cocoa butter to the bowl and heat the water to simmering over medium-high heat, melting the cocoa butter completely.
    • Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder gradually until completely smooth.
    • Add maple syrup, vanilla, peppermint, and salt and whisk again until smooth.
    • Use a teaspoon to drop the chocolate onto the prepared pan, making round wafers. Sprinkle tops with optional crushed peppermint.
    • Cool completely in refrigerator before removing from pan and storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    *Or 1 teaspoon total vanilla for plain flavored chocolate.
    **Try other flavorings using pure fruit extracts (not "flavorings") like fruit, almond, coconut or coffee.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

    Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.

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    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

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    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My goal is to help you live a simple homemade life on your terms: cooking delicious real food, painless gardening, and making easy things that are totally worth your time. 

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