Who doesn’t love chocolate? Speaking for myself, I’ve only met a few people who don’t like chocolate in my whole life. Either way, if you don’t like chocolate, then you’re in the wrong place. However, if you (like me) adore chocolate, then keep on reading…
Today’s post is for the chocolate lovers out there!
Below, I’ll give you a brief rundown of the difference between vegan and non-vegan chocolate, so you know what to look for. Then, I’ll show you some of the best vegan chocolate brands that I’ve ever tried.
Whether you’re looking for something light and sweet or dark and flavorful, I’ve got you covered. The only question is, are you ready to indulge?
Is Chocolate Vegan?
When it comes to the vegan diet, there’s often a lot of confusion surrounding chocolate. Some vegans automatically write it off as non-vegan, while other vegans blindly eat all chocolate without looking to see if it’s actually vegan or not.
So, which is it? Is chocolate vegan or is it non-vegan?
Chocolate, by itself, is 100% vegan. It’s just cocoa that’s been turned into a liquid before being poured into a mould and pressed into bars. The problem is that the majority of chocolate contains additives that aren’t so vegan-friendly.
For example, the most popular form of chocolate in the US is milk chocolate. This is the same chocolate that’s used to make Hershey’s Chocolate Bars, M&M’s, and Reese’s – all of which are non-vegan chocolate candies.
Chocolate is actually a purely plant-based food. It comes from the cacao beans, which are harvested from the fruit of the cacao tree.
After the beans are harvested, the gooey outer layer is removed and turned into all-natural cocoa butter. Then, the beans are baked until dry and crushed into a fine powder.
That’s why cocoa powder is 100% vegan!
Vegan Chocolate vs. Non-Vegan Chocolate: What’s The Difference?
The reason they’re non-vegan is that they contain dairy. Milk is one of the most common non-vegan ingredients added to chocolate, so you’ll want to look out for any dairy additives, such as:
- Milk
- Cream
- Milk solids
- Milk powder
- Whey
- Casein
- Butter
Aside from milk, there’s another problematic ingredient that’s used in a number of popular chocolate bars and candies: refined sugar.
Most people think of sugar as an all-natural product, but that’s not quite the whole story. To turn natural cane sugar (which is 100% vegan) into the refined white sugar you buy on store shelves, it must first be filtered through a filter that’s made with animal bone char.
This means that sugar refineries directly support the meat industry by purchasing bone char from them. As a result, a growing number of ethically-driven vegans are boycotting the white sugar industry in support of all-natural cane sugar products instead.
While some dietary vegans still consume white sugar, the number is shrinking as awareness about how sugar is refined becomes more common knowledge.
So, in short – the main difference between vegan and non-vegan chocolate is that vegan chocolate is dairy-free and doesn’t contain any refined white sugar.
Is Lindt Chocolate Vegan?
Lindt Chocolate is one of the most popular brands of chocolate in the world. I can’t count how many bags of Lindt Chocolate I got on Valentine’s day growing up in high school and college! That being said, only some Lindt Chocolate is vegan-friendly.
While some of their dark chocolate options are dairy-free, some of their best-selling varieties of chocolates contain both dairy and refined sugar, making them non-vegan.
The Best Vegan Chocolate Brands 2024: Indulge Your Desires
I get it – reading through ingredients labels can be a pain.
So, to make your life easier, I decided to put together a list of the best vegan chocolates that you can treat yourself to! Whether you’re looking for something nutty, something fruity, or just pure raw chocolate, I’ve got something for you below.
Are you ready to indulge your darkest dark chocolate desires?
1) Hu Chocolate Bars (link)
- Type of Chocolate: Organic Dark Chocolate
Of all of the vegan chocolate that I’ve tried in my life, I have to say that Hu Chocolate Bars are some of the best that I’ve ever had. There are so many varieties and flavours and the quality of the ingredients is out of this world!
They offer over ten different flavours that range from Simple (just pure dark chocolate and coconut sugar) to more complex flavours, such as Hazelnut Coffee and Crunchy Mint.
So far, my personal favourite is the Orange Vanilla Hu Chocolate Bar! I love the bright combination of citrus with warm vanilla and poignant cacao. It’s an entire flavour experience in my mouth, all at once.
So, what makes Hu different from other chocolates?
First and foremost, they don’t contain anything artificial. You’ll never find any artificial preservatives, artificial flavours, colours, or other weird chemicals that you might find in other mainstream chocolate candies.
Secondly, Hu Chocolate Bars don’t contain any refined sugar. Instead, they’re made with organic coconut sugar, which is sustainably sourced and doesn’t go through any bone char refining.
Personally, I think that the nutty flavour from the coconut sugar goes even better with the chocolate than the white sugar used in most chocolate bars!
Lastly, Hu Chocolate Bars are made with all-organic plant-based ingredients. For instance, the main ingredients in my favourite flavour, Orange Vanilla, are:
- Organic cacao
- Cashews
- Cocoa butter
- Coconut sugar
- Vanilla bean
- Orange essential oil
Now, compare that list of ingredients to your average chocolate bar. Trust me, you’ll see the difference.
Hu Chocolate Bars may not be the cheapest chocolate on the block, but I guarantee that they are some of the best-tasting, most natural chocolate bars you’ll ever have.
What I Love About It:
- No refined sugar, palm oil, emulsifiers, or other shady ingredients
- Made with real organic fair-trade cacao
- No artificial ingredients
- Tantalizing flavours
What’s Not-So-Great:
- It’s quite expensive for chocolate
2) UNREAL Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (link)
- Type of Chocolate: Dark Chocolate
Okay, so maybe exotic dark chocolate bars aren’t your thing… If you like Reese’s and you’re looking for something a bit more familiar, then you’ll enjoy UNREAL’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
The main reason why traditional Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups aren’t vegan is that they contain semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate, which both contain dairy. Additionally, Reese’s are also made with refined white sugar, which a lot of vegans are boycotting these days.
These dark chocolate peanut butter cups are made with simple ingredients: dark chocolate, peanuts, cane sugar, organic palm oil, peanut flour, blue agave, sea salt, and sunflower lecithin.
Now, you might have noticed the palm oil on that list… Before you get worried, though, keep in mind that it’s organic Fair-Trade-Certified palm oil.
Unlike traditional palm oil that comes from exploitative farms that burn down our rainforests, organic palm oil comes from organic, sustainable farms that don’t participate in these destructive activities.
UNREAL’s Vegan Peanut Butter Cups taste almost identical to Reese’s. The main difference is that they’re not quite as sweet. Since they don’t contain milk chocolate or refined sugar, this vegan alternative tastes a lot more like a combination of real dark chocolate with real peanut butter.
This leads me to the next point – UNREAL Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are sweetened with blue agave inulin. This all-natural, plant-based sweetener contains very little sugar or calories.
This means that each serving only contains 5 grams of sugar, which is a fraction of what you’d find in normal chocolate candies.
What I Love About It:
- Tastes very similar to Reese’s
- Made with real dark chocolate and real peanuts
- Made with all-organic ingredients
- Sweetened with low-calorie, natural agave inulin
What’s Not-So-Great:
- They’re not very sweet
3) No Whey Foods – Chocolate Truffle Collection (link)
- Type of Chocolate: Mixed Variety
If you’re the type of person who enjoys chocolate truffles, then you’ll die for the No Whey Foods Chocolate Truffle Collection! These vegan chocolate truffles are just as sweet and indulgent as the dairy-packed truffles you’ll find everywhere else.
Unlike your usual truffles, though, these vegan truffles are 100% dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and don’t contain any other allergens that are typically found in truffles. They’re suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and lactose-intolerant individuals, and they’re even gluten-free.
Each box contains five different types of truffles, with a total of fifteen truffles (three of each flavour). The flavours are Coffee, Salted Caramel (made with vegan caramel), Grand Marnier, “Milk” Fudge, and Raspberry.
So, no matter what your personal taste is, you’re guaranteed to like at least one!
What I Love About It:
- Made without any dairy
- Five delicious flavours
- Allergen-free
- Sweetened with vegan cane sugar
What’s Not-So-Great:
- The box is a bit expensive (great for a gift!)
4) Funtasty Vegan Dark Chocolate Bar 66% Cacao (link)
- Type of Chocolate: Organic Dark Chocolate
If you’ve ever wondered how Ecuadorian dark chocolate tastes, then look no further. Funtasy’s Vegan Dark Chocolate Bar with 66% Cacao is as real as it gets. This bar is made using real cacao from Ecuador, which is a bit different than the cocoa used in most chocolate bars.
You see, cocoa goes through an alkalization process that strips the cocoa of some of its flavour (and health benefits). Instead, this bar is made with raw cacao, which is far less processed than the cocoa powder used in most chocolate bars.
For a full breakdown of the difference between cocoa and cacao, watch this quick video:
The flavour is brighter, slightly more acidic, and has fruity notes that you wouldn’t expect. This bar is all-natural, sweetened with organic cane sugar, and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients whatsoever!
What I Love About It:
- Made with real Ecuadorian cacao
- Made with cacao, which has a different flavour from processed cocoa
- No artificial ingredients
- A true “bean to bar” product
What’s Not-So-Great:
- The flavour is a bit more acidic than some people may be used to
Conclusion – What’s The Best Vegan Chocolate Brand?
If I had to choose the best vegan chocolate, I’d have to say that Hu Chocolate Bars are, by far, my favourite. I’ve eaten a lot of vegan chocolate, and I haven’t found anything that even comes close to what Hu creates.
The exotic flavours, organic ingredients, and coconut sugar make for a combination like no other.
One of my favourite ways to eat Hu Chocolate is to chop the chocolate and use it as a topping for my favourite vegan ice cream. Keep on reading to see my favourite vegan ice cream brands next!
