Homemade Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

I’ve been wanting to make my own chocolate for a long time. It just seemed like it would be so easy when I read the ingredients: cocoa butter, cocoa powder, some type of sweetener and flavoring (usually vanilla). And, like many things I’ve found I could make at home (chocolate syrup, ketchup, etc.), it IS easy. Ridiculously so. And I do like that I can add the type of sweetener that I want. But…(did you guess there was a but?) does it taste like the chocolate we all know and love?

I’ve gotta be honest here – no it doesn’t, in both flavor and texture. Contrary to some comments I’ve read on other sites (“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 (weirdly, I know, what can I say?).

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 Cocoa Butter Wafers (affiliate link), which were really easy to measure. I also used this organic cocoa powder from Amazon, which is a great deal for bulk cocoa powder even though it seems expensive, as it comes in huge 5-lb. bags.

I made two batches of homemade chocolate – one sweetened with honey and this one with maple syrup (tomorrow you’ll get the recipe I made to use the honey-sweetened chocolate). To make this candy 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 – 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 quite dark chocolatety, if you get my meaning. I would probably break them up to use as chocolate chips in cookies or something, rather than eating plain. I do really encourage you to try making your own chocolate – and let me know how you use it!

Homemade Maple Sweetened Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

Homemade chocolate candy sweetened only with maple syrup (candy cane topping is optional).

• Author: Jami Boys - An Oregon Cottage
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 15 mins
• Yield: 2-3 dozen
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 c. cocoa butter wafers
• 3/4 c. cocoa powder (unsweetened for baking)
• 6 Tb. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla*
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• pinch salt
• crushed peppermint candy for topping (optional)

Instructions

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

Notes

*or 1 tsp. total vanilla for regular flavored chocolate

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