This Is The Best Dark Chocolate To Add To Your Next Batch Of Cookies
Meredith Holser is B+C's resident affiliate writer. Meredith enjoys writing about a range of topics, but she's adopted e-commerce writing in all its many facets. Outside of work, you can catch Meredith hiking, trying new recipes, and dreaming about having a yummy little treat.
Chocolate is essential to life, love, and happiness – at least, to me. I love all kinds of chocolate (from milk to white), but dark chocolate is truly *chef's kiss* every single time. Dark chocolate is the premium choice for any baking project I take on, from chewy chocolate chip cookies to fudgy brownies. It simply adds that je ne sais quoi that blends so beautifully with the bouts of flaky salt that typically get piled on top of my little treats. These 3 confections are the absolute best dark chocolate chips + bars I've tried that yield some seriously yummy desserts!
Plus, read on for 7 stellar recipe ideas that you can whip up using my dark chocolate recs! 👩🍳
Is dark chocolate healthy?
Dark chocolate, unlike milk or white chocolate, has been proven to be reasonably healthy. Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants called flavonoids that might protect heart health and even help prevent cancer. Additionally, dark chocolate can boost your mood, brain health, and balance out your blood sugar levels.
What percent of dark chocolate is healthiest?
Experts say the healthiest, best dark chocolate bars are 70% cacao or higher, since they have less added sugar than kinds with lower percentages.
Can I eat dark chocolate every day?
You can eat dark chocolate every day, but it's important to keep your consumption minimal. Around 1 ounce a day is the most optimal amount for not only reaping the benefits of the dark chocolate, but also having something sweet to indulge in on a regular basis to curb those (sometimes) unhealthy cravings.
Endangered Species Chocolate 60% Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
One of the best recipes I've ever made with these chocolate chips was for some kitchen sink cookies, and I've found they've been the best dark chocolate chips for baking ever since. I started with Broma Bakery's recipe for Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies (which use brown butter 🤤) as the base, omitting the espresso powder and instead adding in M&M's, pretzel pieces, crushed Ruffles, chopped pecans, and these iconic chips.
Their 60% cocoa content doesn't make them the healthiest option, but who's really thinking about health when they're whippin' up a chocolate dessert? The percentage allows them to lean on the sweeter side, which, in the case of the kitchen sink cookies, balanced out the saltiness from the pretzels + chips.
I also love that these chocolate chips are generously sized – they're flattened out a bit more than your regular chips, but are still chunky and oh-so chocolatey. Sometimes I'll just eat a handful as a snack and I feel satisfied.
The added bonus of these dark chocolate chips is that the Endangered Species Chocolate brand gives 10% of their net profits to organizations dedicated to the wellbeing of the planet by serving certain species and their habitats!
Chocolove Raspberries in Dark Chocolate Bar
Though plain dark chocolate is great, this 55% cacao, raspberry-infused variety is otherworldly. I'll typically use it in chocolate chip cookies, chopping up the bar into small pieces to emulate chips. You can do this with any chocolate bar, but this berry-fied one can't be beat, IMO.
This Chocolove bar is dotted with freeze-dried raspberries that add a delightful contrast in flavors – when you eat it alone, there's a good amount of tartness that soon gets balanced out by the sweet-ish dark chocolate. This quality carries on into basically anything you bake with it (though cookies are my ride-or-dies)!
This is the best dark chocolate to go with if you're looking for something versatile. Chocolove offers some seamless, elevated branding that you can snag at an approachable price point. Each bar (I also like their Chilies & Cherries and Salted Caramel flavors) is wrapped in gold foil and inside the paper layer, you'll find a classic poem. It really is a nice touch!
Plus, this choc is Rainforest Alliance certified, dairy-free, and gluten-free for maximum enjoyment no matter your diet!
Ghirardelli Non-Dairy Dark Chocolate Chips
Ghirardelli is a household name when it comes to quality chocolate, which is why I reach for their products when I don't necessarily have the Endangered Species Chocolate or Chocolove dark chocolates on-hand. You can easily find this non-dairy variety between the aisles at Target, too, so this kind earns points for convenience in a pinch.
From my experience, these are the best dark chocolate chips that also deliver a non-dairy option. They're creamy as ever, and still very sweet with added cane sugar and cocoa butter. That is the only catch about these chips, though – they're not totally healthy when you consider the other, higher % cacao dark chocolates out there that have less added sugar.
Still, I feel like these dense chips are a great pick. Plus, since they're pretty common, they won't leave you running from grocer to grocer trying to track down a good, dependable dark chocolate for baking!
Feeling Inspired? Craving More? Try Baking These Recipes With The Best Dark Chocolate
Chocolate Sunflower Butter Cups
This recipe takes a stab at your classic Reese's cups, except it offers something a lil' bit healthier. You'll use a high-percentage dark chocolate, sunflower butter (or any nut butter of your choosing), coconut oil, and a few other health-conscious ingredients to craft your very own homemade candy! Sprinkle some flaky salt on top for an elegant finishing touch. (via Brit + Co.)
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
These strawbs soak overnight in pink champagne before getting skewered and absolutely slathered in melted dark chocolate. I'm salivating just lookin' at them! (via Brit + Co.)
Chocolate Banana Bread Mug Cake
Gosh – I love a mug cake. They're so easy-breezy, and will fix my aching sweet tooth in a heartbeat (more literally, a few minutes in the microwave). This banana bread-inspired one takes precisely 5 minutes, and it's only made better with the very best dark chocolate chips you have sitting in the pantry! (via Brit + Co.)
Brownie Cake Pops
These darker-than-dark chocolate brownie pops are the most adorable lunchbox stuffer. They're entirely too decadent with a ganache made with dark chocolate chips, but I will still be eating some. Make these even more holiday-ready with some colorful sprinkles and edible glitter! (via Brit + Co.)
Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
Follow this recipe to take a few pointers from chocolatier Jacques Torres and see for yourself why his bakery sells literal thousands of them every single week! For starters, you'll want chocolate chips with plenty of cocoa butter so they melt beautifully when baked – and don't forget to measure them with your heart! (via Brit + Co.)
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate cake is a must-know baking recipe that's appropriate for just about any kind of celebration, and dark chocolate brings forth some super delish notes. Birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentine's Days will never be the same. (via Brit + Co.)
Vegan Chocolate Pudding
You don't *have* to bake with the best dark chocolate. You can no-bake with it, too. This plant-based pudding is packed with the sweetness, but also has a healthy twist with the addition of banana, orange, and avocado – though you'd never guess it! (via Brit + Co.)
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Meredith Holser is B+C's resident affiliate writer. Meredith enjoys writing about a range of topics, but she's adopted e-commerce writing in all its many facets. Outside of work, you can catch Meredith hiking, trying new recipes, and dreaming about having a yummy little treat.