We’re going to go over the best keto chocolate options you can buy at the store, as well as show you a homemade chocolate bar recipe!
Going on a keto diet doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself, especially when it comes to chocolate. There are plenty of keto chocolate options you can find available online, at the grocery store, or make in your own kitchen. We’ll show you the best store bought chocolate options, homemade recipe, and give you some of our favorite recipes for decadent chocolate desserts.
Can I Eat Chocolate on Keto?
Yes, believe it or not chocolate is 100% okay on keto. The most important thing to note is that it cannot be high in added sugar. 100% cocoa or Baker’s Chocolate contain little to no carbs, but most of your typical candy bars are filled with sugar.
Chocolate bars you see in the candy aisle are loaded with sugar and are not the best options for someone on a low-carb diet. To maintain a state of fat-burning ketosis, a person must consume around 20g of carbs per day. Here are some of the typical store bought candy bars, and their alarming carb counts (*Numbers based on their serving size which is usually not the full package):
- Caramilk – 31g carbs
- Coffee Crisp – 33g carbs
- Kit Kat – 27g carbs
- Mars Bar – 36g carbs
- Oh Henry! – 34g carbs
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – 23g carbs
- Snickers – 35g carbs
- Twix – 28g carbs
That doesn’t even cover the fact that most of the chocolate bar’s carbs are coming from pure sugar. Most of these bars have on average 25 total carbs and anywhere from 16-30g of sugar a piece! That means there is around 6tsp of sugar a bar (aka 2 WHOLE TABLESPOONS!). Now that’s a recipe for type 2 diabetes!
What Sweeteners can I Have on Keto?
If you like making low carb recipes on your keto diet it makes sense to figure out what sweeteners are actually keto friendly. Before we dive into chocolate it’s important to know what sweeteners have the green light to use on keto so you aren’t consuming something made with a sweetener that knocks you out of ketosis. Here are some of the best sweeteners to have on a keto diet:
- Stevia- Stevia is a zero calorie sweetener that can come in a powdered or liquid form. We recommend the liquid because it isn’t bound to any carb base like maltodextrin. We use stevia many recipes like this Keto Coconut Cake. A fluffy cake recipe with creamy coconut frosting that will just melt in your mouth.
- Erythritol– Erythritol is by far one of the most common sweeteners you’ll see in our baked goods. We love it because it’s very close to sugar taste wise, has a very minimal blood glucose impact, and makes delicious desserts. Erythritol can also be found in many grocery stores and online easily. Try our Almond Flour Keto Scones that use butter, almond flour, and erythritol, the holy trinity of keto.
- Allulose- This sweetener is still pretty new and not as commonly seen in store-bought keto products. It is one of the sweeteners that would be on the top if it were a little less expensive.
These are some of our favorite sweeteners to have, and definitely ones we recommend in low carb chocolates. They’ll maintain the rich chocolate flavor while providing a light sweetness. If you’re interested in seeing an in depth breakdown of sweeteners that are made to be sugar free, check out our post all about the Best Sugar Substitute for Keto. We even tested our blood glucose and ketones to see which sweetener would have the lowest impact on a keto diet.
Is Sugar Free Chocolate Keto friendly?
Unfortunately, not all sugar-free chocolate is keto-friendly. Always read the nutrition label and ingredients list to know for sure if your chocolate is low-carb. In particular, avoid sugar-free chocolate/ dark chocolate sweetened with maltitol as cheap sugar alcohols like this actually spike your blood sugar the same way regular sugar does. (Learn more about Maltitol on Keto)
Avoid Sugar Free Chocolates from brands like Russell Stover and Atkins as they use maltitol as their sweetener. The nutrition facts may say that it’s low carb, but when you look at the effect of cheap sugar alcohols on the body it isn’t truly the best keto option.
What Chocolate Can I Eat on Keto?
You can eat dark chocolate on a keto diet, but it’s still important to track the carbs and monitor your intake. In dark chocolate the higher the cocoa percentage, the lower the carb content will be, so stick to 80% or higher. And for reference anything that is below 55% is actually classified as milk chocolate because there is too much sugar and cocoa butter. Here are a few dark chocolate brands you can try!
Lindt Dark Chocolate – 7g net carbs
Lindt chocolate comes in a variety of flavors and cocoa percentages, our favorite being about 85% or higher for their low carb count. The chocolate is smooth and dark, but not too bitter. Even their 100% dark chocolate is miles better than baking chocolate as Lindt makes a much smoother dark chocolate that will melt in your mouth.
Green & Black’s Cacao Bar – 11g net carbs
You can feel good about eating this ethically sourced, organic chocolate. The brand works with Cocoa Life, whose vision is that empowered, thriving cocoa farming communities are the essential foundation for sustainable cocoa. They are making dark chocolate that is both delicious AND sustainable which you don’t always see from big companies
Ghiradelli Squares – 10g net carbs
We love taking a few of these dark chocolate Ghiradelli squares to the movies with us! They’re portioned perfectly, individually wrapped, and have a smooth, dark flavor we can’t resist when that sweet tooth hits. Plus having a prepackaged serving size means you’re less likely to overeat the chocolate.
What Chocolate Bars are Keto Friendly?
While dark chocolate is easy to find, if you dig a little deeper online, you will find all kinds of keto-friendly chocolate options. The benefits of a low-carb diet are too hard to resist and companies are stepping up to meet the demands of keto dieters everywhere. While there are tons of bad dark chocolate, these are a few truly delicious options!
1. Lily’s Chocolate Bars – 1g net carb
Lily’s Chocolate is some of the best-tasting low-carb chocolate you will find on the market and now, even in your grocery store! They also sell baking chips, chocolate covered almonds, and peanut butter cups. Try them in our Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough keto recipes.
ARE LILY’S CHOCOLATE BARS KETO FRIENDLY?
Yes, these bars are only 1g of net carbs per serving, making them the best option for keto chocolate on the market. They even use a blend of stevia and erythritol which is a quality sweetener that we have used in some of our best keto recipes.
2. ChocZero – 1g net carb
ChocZero products are sugar alcohol-free and sweetened with monk fruit which is great news for people who are sensitive to sugar alcohol sweeteners. Their chocolate comes in individually wrapped squares, making portion control a breeze. They also sell white chocolate baking chips, sugar-free syrups, and keto bark!
3. SlimFast Keto Fat Bombs – 2g net carbs
Not all of the SlimFast Keto products get the green light from us, but the Fat Bomb Peanut Butter cups are a hit! They’re low-carb, available at Wal-mart, and satisfy that craving for Reese’s. Plus once again they are individually packed making eating only the serving size a breeze.
4. CHOCXO Keto Snaps – 3g net carbs
These low-sugar, perfectly portioned keto chocolate snacks are ideal for road trips and lunch boxes. Throw one in your purse for later or have one as an after-dinner, guilt-free dessert. The rich dark chocolate pairs perfectly with coconut and almonds. The healthier dark chocolate way to get in an almond joy.
5. Kiss My Keto Chocolate – 2g net carbs
These low-carb chocolate bars are sweetened with a blend of erythritol and stevia and contains 12g of fat per serving! These are definitely keto and work great in low carb/ keto recipes.
Looking for more keto options? Read our detailed review of Kiss My Keto.
6. Keto Bars – 5g net carbs
We might have a bias since we created these dark chocolate bars in collaboration with Keto Bars, but they really are one of our favorite low-carb snacks. The strawberry is tart and the dark chocolate is rich, resulting in the perfect flavor combination. Use code KETOCONNECT for 10% off your order!
What Sweets can I eat on Keto?
You can eat sweets and baked goods on a keto diet, as long as they’re made with low-carb sweeteners and other low-carb ingredients. Check out our products we love page for some of our favorite sweet keto treats! You can also try some of our favorite homemade keto sweets:
- Keto Cupcakes with Frosting– These use a rich dark chocolate cocoa powder to make the perfect low carb/keto icing
- Keto Blackberry Cobbler– A fresh and fruity take on a keto dessert
- Low-Carb Cinnamon Rolls– Warm cinnamon buns fresh out of the oven remind us of the holidays so we knew it was time for a keto version
- Keto Fudgy Brownies– The fudgest keto brownies you’ll ever eat. Again we came back with the delicious dark chocolate cocoa powder. Plus you have the option to sub coconut oil for butter and have a vegan brownie. Coconut oil adds a lovely nutty flavor when mixed with cocoa powder in these brownies.
- Low Carb Pecan Pie– Pumpkin pie who? This pecan pie will knock your socks off! Such an easy keto recipe, possibly even easier than the classic!
More Keto Chocolate Recipes
We’ve got plenty of keto chocolate recipes to choose from on the food blog, perfect for every craving and every occasion. Plus rich dark chocolate and cocoa is high fat so you might as well be eating a keto meal!
1. Easy Chocolate Mug Cake – 5g net carbs
A decadent easy keto chocolate recipe that’s done in minutes! Just a few simple ingredients and the toppings of your choice create a new dark chocolate dessert staple. Next time you make this recipe make sure to add a scoop of low carb ice cream to really bump this recipe to the top.
2. Chocolate Pecan Tart – 4g net carbs
This chocolate recipe has a blend of pecans mixed with smooth dark chocolate all in a flakey ketogenic crust. If you’re looking for an impressive dessert recipe to try, this gluten free keto chocolate recipe will knock your socks off.
3. Low Carb Doughnuts – 3g net carbs
If you want to make doughnuts we’ve got the perfect recipe for you. Unsweetened chocolate/ cocoa powder mixed with sugar free sweetener and protein powder to make a flourless cake style doughnut! These gluten free keto doughnuts are sure to satisfy that sweet tooth all while giving a delicious chocolate flavor
4. Keto Chocolate Milk – 5g Net Carbs
This is a MUST TRY if you’re looking for something refreshing and delicious. We make this all the time as an after dinner snack. Just mix 3 simple ingredients together and in no time you have a sweet treat that you can feel good about having regularly.
What is the lowest carb chocolate bar?
Other than Lily’s Chocolate or Baker’s chocolate which are the lowest carb chocolate bars, we love our homemade Keto Chocolate bar (See Recipe Below!). Thanks to a chocolate bar mold we found on Amazon, we’re able to create our very own chocolate at home using ingredients like cacao butter, stevia, and coconut oil. This recipe is only 2g of carbs for the entire chocolate bar! That’s the best you’re going to find.
In Summary
The next time you’re looking to make a keto dessert use these tips to create the perfect recipe. We hope you can’t wait to try this whole new world of chocolate goodies.
- Avoid traditional chocolate bars on the keto diet as they are packed with sugar and will put you over your daily carb limit.
- Choose dark chocolate, typically 80% cacao content or higher will have the lowest carb content.
- Look for individually wrapped chocolate squares to help with portion control.
- Lily’s, Choc Zero, Slim Fast, and Kiss My Keto offer low-carb chocolate options.
- Make endless chocolate recipes on our food blog. Like the chocolate bar recipe below! Our chocolate is rich and cream, so smooth it will melt in your mouth!
Nutrition per serving (half the bar)
Recipe can be quickly added to MyFitnessPal – Search “KetoConnect – Keto Chocolate Bar”
Homemade Keto Chocolate Bar Recipe
Ingredients:
- 28 grams cacao butter
- 28 grams Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate
- 28 grams coconut oil
- 15 drops Liquid Stevia
- 1 tbsp Low Carb Sugar Substitute
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
Instructions:
- Finely chop up the bakers chocolate and cacao butter and set aside.
- Combine the coconut oil, liquid stevia and erythritol, vanilla extract and salt in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds.
- Add the chopped up chocolate to the hot oil mixture and stir using a spoon until all the chocolate has melted, about 30-60 seconds. You may have to microwave it again for 15-20 seconds to melt the cacao butter down.
- Once combined pour the mixture into your candy bar mold or fat bomb molds (whatever you have at home will work too), and allow to set in the fridge for at least three hours.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Written by
Megha Barot
Megha has always been a passionate cook, but she took this to a new level after starting her keo journey in 2015. She loves creating new recipes and producing educational content for KetoConnect, which she co-founded in 2016 with Matt. Her passion for healthy eating and personal development continues to thrive. She's the proud mom of two awesome kids.
