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How to Make Chocolate Extract at Home!

8.29.16

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How to make your own chocolate extract at home! This is so easy and can be used in numerous recipes! Chocolate extract recipe on chemistrycachet.com

Today on Chemistry Cachet, we are talking about how to make chocolate extract at home!

Chocolate extract?

Yes! It is definitely a thing and couldn’t be easier. Extracts are one of my favorite chemist inventions to use around the kitchen. It packs so much flavor into a tiny amount with altering anything when it’s baking.

Extract is a chemical method to remove the flavor from something. You extract a flavor into another solution to be used for something else.

Vanilla extracts are from vanilla beans and added to alcohol for baking. I have made my own (here are the instructions). Using homemade vanilla extract saves money and the flavor is amazing!

Chocolate is a little trickier to extract since most chocolates have already been processed and will break down too easily. So, I thought about the most natural forms of chocolate aside from cocoa powder. Cacao Nibs! And they did great sitting in the alcohol solution for 3 months. Minimal decay!

PIN THIS!

How to make your own chocolate extract at home! This is so easy and can be used in nurmerous recipes! Chocolate extract recipe on chemistrycachet.com

Chocolate Extract Recipe
2016-08-25 10:36:09
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup cacao nibs
  2. 4 oz of clear vodka***
Instructions
  1. Add the cacao nibs to an airtight container, then pour over the vodka.
  2. Steep for at least 3 months to extract all the flavor for the cacao nibs.
  3. Pour into another container and strain out the cacao nibs. You can then place this in the freezer (make sure it is a good jar that can freeze) for 6 hours or so. If any fat was extracted from the cacao nibs it will rise to the top and you can strain that off too.
Notes
  1. ***You can also use another liquor like bourbon, but vodka is my favorite method.
  2. You can easily double or triple this recipe
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How to make your own chocolate extract at home! This is so easy and can be used in nurmerous recipes! Chocolate extract recipe on chemistrycachet.com

CHEMIST TIPS

Make sure you use this type of cacao nib! It will need to be in this form to fully extract. Cacao nibs, as I mentioned in this post, are about as natural as it gets for chocolate. And they are really good for you!

I have add many people ask me if there is an alternative to using alcohol for extracts. Most extracts purchased that the store are derived from alcohols just like this. It is one of the most efficient ways to extract a flavor. Remember when using this to bake, there will be no alcohol content left. It will evaporate. Also, remember this is a very small portion used in recipes.

If you absolutely don’t want to use alcohol, there is a glycerin method. Instead of alcohol, use vegetable glycerin. It will create something similar. I don’t like this personally because glycerin is derived from soy.
How to make your own chocolate extract at home! This is so easy and can be used in nurmerous recipes! Chocolate extract recipe on chemistrycachet.com
[Tweet “Make your own chocolate extract! #chocolate @chemistrycachet”]

These make really neat gifts for Christmas too! Come back tomorrow and I will show you one of my favorite ways to use this extract!!

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Alexis

Alexis is an investigative chemist sharing her expertise in cleaning, skincare, gardening, and home hacks. She personally tests out products like the best skincare products or home products then shares not only the science behind how it works, but also her personal results. She is the mom of two living in Texas with her husband. Find her on Instagram for fantastic videos, tips, and behind the scenes.

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Filed Under: Chemist Solutions, Chocolate, Sweet Treats Tagged With: Chocolate, extract

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Comments

  1. Biana says

    August 29, 2016 at 7:33 am

    This is definitely something fun to try!! Sounds tasty! xo, Biana – BlovedBoston

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 29, 2016 at 7:46 am

      It is really fun and so easy! I love how fun it is to add to almost anything! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Pamela says

    August 29, 2016 at 8:19 am

    You seriously make some of the most amazing things! This sounds super yummy and I’d never thought to try to make extract at home. <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 29, 2016 at 11:02 am

      Thanks girl! It is so fun and easy to make!

      Reply
  3. sheryl wells says

    August 29, 2016 at 10:33 am

    Alernative to vodka? Would perfer not to use alcohol. Thanks sweetie love mom.

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 29, 2016 at 11:04 am

      I mention an alternative in the chemist tip section, but there really isn’t a great alternative to alcohol when making homemade extracts. The vegetable glycerin will come close….The stuff you use from the store is made from alcohol too 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kate @ Green Fashionista says

    August 29, 2016 at 11:02 am

    YUM! I’ve never heard of chocolate extract, total game changer! <3
    Green Fashionista

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 29, 2016 at 11:05 am

      It really is a game changer! You will LOVE the recipe I use it in tomorrow 🙂

      Reply
      • Eric says

        July 22, 2019 at 5:02 pm

        It really is yummy in a chocolate banana smoothie !

        Bananas from my back yard… cocoa nibs from my neighbor’s tree, and sugar-shine from the gal down the street to make the extract . Life can’t get any better…

        Reply
        • Alexis says

          July 23, 2019 at 6:58 am

          That sounds great!

          Reply
  5. Laurie S says

    August 29, 2016 at 2:57 pm

    Happy Monday Alexis.. girl, you are driving me to “drink”. You mad chemist, you! LOL. I know, the alcohol/vodka in the extracts bake off and are in minimal amounts. I’ve never heard of choc extract before – can’t wait to see what you use it in tomorrow!

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 29, 2016 at 3:46 pm

      Thanks Laurie! This is so fun to make and it can be used in so many things 🙂 I have some fun recipes coming up using it too 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jo-Anne says

    August 29, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    I had never heard of chocolate extract till now, we live and learn all the time, right up till we are dead just a thought

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 30, 2016 at 6:52 am

      So true! We always keep learning 🙂

      Reply
  7. Dee says

    September 4, 2016 at 3:53 am

    This looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      September 4, 2016 at 7:35 am

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  8. Raia says

    September 7, 2016 at 11:45 am

    I love this idea! Definitely going to be try it! 🙂 I’d love for you to stop by my gluten-free linky party tonight and share it with us! The party goes live at 7pm EST.

    http://raiasrecipes.com/2016/09/perfectly-easy-coconut-flour-brownies.html

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      September 8, 2016 at 6:03 am

      Thanks so much! I would love to stop by your party 🙂

      Reply
  9. Melinda says

    February 20, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    Should it steep in the refrigerator? Or is it okay just to leave it in a Cupboard? And is it really necessary to freeze it afterwards? What does it hurt if there is a little fat in it?

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      February 21, 2018 at 8:34 am

      It doesn’t need to steep in the fridge, it is fine at room temperature. I just put mine in the pantry. The freezing is necessary to get the fat off. The fat can hinder how it works as an extract especially in backing. It can break down and lose the chocolate like flavor with fat particles. If using for other things besides baking it will be fine with a little fat 🙂

      Reply
  10. Cortney says

    December 13, 2018 at 5:30 pm

    Can you make Cocoa Butter using the fat from the extract?

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      December 15, 2018 at 9:13 am

      I’m not sure if there would be even far, but I bet you could try. This is how you make it from actual cocoa beans. You might try a similar method with this: https://www.livestrong.com/article/183980-how-to-make-cocoa-butter-at-home/

      Reply
  11. Mindy says

    January 16, 2019 at 12:09 pm

    I don’t bake much. I made this chocolate extract months ago and now I can’t remember what I was making it for! I’m not sure what other ways I can use it. Do you have suggestions? I’m thinking maybe I wanted to put it in my morning coffee to make it a mocha, but the extract just tastes like alcohol to me so I’m not sure that would work.??

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      January 17, 2019 at 7:43 am

      I’ve added a small amount to coffee. You only need a very small amount because it is very strong. You can also add it to milkshakes or something blended. The best way is definitely in baking. Anything you bake, you can add a small amount of extract for an added chocolate boost 🙂

      Reply
      • Cedars says

        February 22, 2025 at 12:48 pm

        Works fab for soy milk hot chocolate, no more clumping-no matter how much or how little powdered I used, I seemed to always have clumps.

        Reply
        • Alexis says

          February 22, 2025 at 4:37 pm

          That’s great!

          Reply
  12. May says

    April 21, 2019 at 10:35 am

    I’ve seen commercial extracts that have alcohol but also water. Do they just steep in alcohol for longer, then dilute with water?

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      April 22, 2019 at 6:56 am

      They usually just dilute with water to make it stretch further in volume. It saves them money. If you buy a more expensive and pure extract, it doesn’t usually have water in it

      Reply
  13. Maria says

    August 14, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    Can you use sweetened nibs. I bought the same brand as you but noticed they were sweetened nibs.

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      August 16, 2020 at 9:24 am

      Yes you can use the sweetened ones

      Reply
  14. Wrenn says

    October 25, 2020 at 11:36 am

    Is there anything I can use the leftover nibs in?

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      October 26, 2020 at 6:20 am

      They don’t have much substance after infusing, so I just throw mine away

      Reply
  15. Barbara Wicks says

    December 9, 2022 at 8:10 pm

    I made my extract, froze the liquit and skimmed off the fat. What is left is a beautiful brown liquid but it needs stirring to combine. Do I need to run it thru some cheesecloth and strain it or just shake it before use?

    Reply
    • Alexis says

      December 10, 2022 at 6:16 am

      I just shake it before each use 🙂

      Reply

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