Is Dark Chocolate Vegan?
Dark chocolate is often the first place people turn when they cut out dairy, as many dark chocolates are made without any milk at all, but not every bar is vegan. Some recipes include milk fat or milk powder, and others are made alongside milk chocolate, which can affect whether they suit a vegan diet.
Does Dark Chocolate Contain Milk?
A lot of dark chocolate treats don’t contain milk, as they rely on cocoa and sugar. That said, there are some dark chocolates that contain milk ingredients to soften the taste or create a smoother texture. Milk powder is one of the most common ingredients to be added.
What Is Dark Chocolate Made Of?
At its simplest, dark chocolate is made from cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar. Cocoa mass, sometimes listed as cocoa solids, comes from ground cocoa beans and is what gives dark chocolate its intense and slightly bitter taste.
Cocoa butter is the natural fat pressed from the bean, and it’s what makes chocolate melt so smoothly. Despite the name, cocoa butter is entirely plant based and contains no dairy.
Many dark chocolates also include an emulsifier such as soya, which helps the chocolate flow and set evenly, along with a little vanilla for a rounder flavour. Our own 70% dark chocolate contains soya, for example, which you will see highlighted as an allergen on the label.
The cocoa percentage tells you how much of the chocolate comes from the cocoa bean. Our own 70% dark chocolate is 70% cocoa mass and cocoa butter combined, with the rest made up mostly of sugar.
Is Dark Chocolate Dairy Free?
Dark chocolate with no milk ingredients is dairy free by recipe, but that doesn’t always mean it’s free from traces of milk. A lot of chocolate is made in kitchens and factories that also produce milk chocolate, often using shared equipment.
Small amounts of milk can pass between products, which is why you’ll often see ‘may contain milk’ on dark chocolate packaging. For most people avoiding dairy by choice, this is not a concern. If you have a milk allergy, however, a ‘may contain’ warning matters and should be taken seriously.
Always check the allergen information before you purchase, and you can also reach out to the team if you’re unsure.
What's the Difference Between Vegan and Plant Based Chocolate?
The terms vegan and plant based are often used as if they mean the same thing, but there’s a useful difference when it comes to chocolate.
Plant based describes the ingredients. A plant based chocolate is made without animal products, so there’s no milk, butter, cream or eggs in the recipe. Every ingredient comes from plants.
Vegan goes beyond the recipe and often extends to how a product is made. Some vegans are happy with any chocolate made from plant based ingredients, while others prefer to buy from kitchens that handle no animal products at all.
Knowing the difference helps you choose the chocolate that is right for you.
How to Tell If Dark Chocolate Is Vegan
The quickest way to check is to read the ingredients list. In the UK, allergens such as milk must be emphasised in the ingredients, usually in bold or capital letters, so dairy is easy to spot.
The main ones to look out for are milk and milk powder, but there might be others depending on the manufacturer. If any of these appear, the chocolate contains dairy and is not vegan.
It’s also worth checking filled or flavoured chocolates for additional ingredients such as honey, cream, butter and gelatine.
Finally, look for a ‘may contain’ statement near the ingredients, or in the allergens section. This tells you whether the chocolate has been made alongside milk or other allergens.
Plant Based Dark Chocolate from Sam Joseph Chocolates
Our plant based chocolate collection offers the same rich flavour and smooth texture as the rest of our range, all handcrafted in our kitchen with plant based ingredients. It’s a range for anyone who still wants to enjoy good-quality plant based chocolate, without compromising on the taste.
For a classic dark chocolate hit, our 70% dark chocolate buttons are perfect for snacking, baking, or melting into a hot drink.
If you like a little more going on, our strawberries and dark chocolate bar pairs 70% dark chocolate with crunchy freeze-dried strawberries, while our sour cherry and dark chocolate bar balances deep cocoa with a sharp, fruity bite.
For something different again, our dark chocolate honeycomb perfectly pairs crunchy honeycomb and smooth dark chocolate.
Plant Based Oat Milk Chocolate
If you miss the creaminess of milk chocolate, oat milk chocolate is well worth trying. Oat milk takes the place of dairy, creating a smooth, mellow chocolate with a gentle sweetness that sits much closer to a classic milk chocolate.
Our 43% oat milk chocolate buttons are an easy place to start, whether you enjoy them straight from the packet or use them in your baking. For something more indulgent, our fruit and nut oat milk chocolate bar combines 43% oat milk chocolate with roasted hazelnuts and juicy raisins.
Plant Based Chocolate Gifts
Finding a thoughtful gift for someone who doesn’t consume dairy can be tricky, but luxury plant based chocolates make it easy.
Our plant based truffles and chocolates selection is a hand-chosen box of plant based truffles, with flavours such as mango and passionfruit, hazelnut praline, mixed berry and mint, raspberry and peanut, and pure dark chocolate. It makes a lovely birthday or thank you gift, or simply a treat for someone who deserves one.
For a cosy gift set, pair a couple of our plant based bars with our house blend hot chocolate powder, ready to be made up with their favourite oat, almond or soya milk.
Whatever you choose, our plant based range is made with the same care and thought as the rest of our collection, so nobody has to miss out.