Homemade Chocolate Extract - Delicious and Frugal

• Quick, easy, and frugal to make!
• Free printable recipe page
• Free printable Chocolate Extract labels 

Chocolate Extract is delicious in:

• coffee
• homemade ice cream
• chocolate syrup
• and more!

    If there ever was a chocolate addict, it's me.

    I can justify my addiction, because chocolate is supposed to be good for us now, right?

    Since I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes a couple of years ago, I had to change my mindset.

    Sure, dark-dark chocolate is good for us; but the added sugar and carbs is not good for me - and probably most Americans.

    When our family went "mostly sugar free" over 8 months ago, I grieved the thought of giving up sweets.  Thankfully, with Trim Healthy Mama as our lifestyle eating guide, I haven't had to give up sweet treats and desserts.  I've just changed up the way I prepare those kinds of goodies these days, and it mostly leaves me satisfied.  I still crave Peanut Buster Parfaits from DQ from time to time - being honest here. 
 ☺

This page may contain affiliate links.

    One of the key ingredients in some of the recipes I enjoy, especially a Reese's Peanut Butter-ish shake, and my Low-Carb Mocha Ice Cream, is chocolate extract.

    Have you priced that stuff recently?  Ouch!  I couldn't find chocolate extract in my local grocery stores.  It's probably there somewhere, but I didn't find it.  Online, I found the highly recommended Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract, but it isn't cheap. 

    It is delicious, however.  Yummm!

    My mocha ice cream recipe calls for 2 tsp. of chocolate extract, so it didn't take long for me to figure that we'd be going through the extract faster than I wanted to pay for it.

    I decided it was time to figure out how to make my own Chocolate Extract, and I thought I'd share my DIY version with you in case some of you would like to try this for yourself! 

    Be aware that this isn't an overnight project.  While it's quick and easy to put together, it will need to sit in a dark cupboard for 6-12 weeks...and possibly even longer, depending on how strong you'd like it.  Some folks let it sit for as long as 10 months! 

    Measure 1-1/2 cups vodka into a measuring cup.  Now's the time to decide if you want to double or triple your batch...or not.

    Something I've learned from making homemade vanilla:  if you want the end result to be gluten-free, you'll want to look for alcohol made from potato mash.  See the phrase on the bottle, above? 

      "TRIPLE DISTILLED FROM POTATOES"

    That's what will make this recipe "gluten-free".  If the vodka or alcohol is made from a grain mash, it won't be gluten-free.

    I decided to use potato mash alcohols in all of my extract recipes so that when friends and relatives come over for a meal, I'm able to offer a completely gluten-free recipe.  Just being neighborly!

What you'll need:

• 1-1/2 cups vodka (if needing gluten-free, please use potato mash vodka)
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (higher quality; the darker, the better)
• 2-4 cup glass jar with tight-sealing lid
• patience!
  

    Pour the vodka into a 2-cup glass mason jar.  You may use either a wide-mouth or narrow-mouth jar; it doesn't matter.

    Measure 3/4ths of a cup of cocoa powder and smell that chocolatey yumminess!  Just don't inhale it.  I don't want to be sued for a collapsed lung, folks. 

    The darker the cocoa powder, the better.  You may enjoy using Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder or spring for something of even higher quality (and more expensive).  The choice is up to you.

    Gently stir the cocoa powder into the vodka.

 




   Now, how hard was that?  See?  I told you this would be easy.  ☺ 



    Now place a tight-fitting lid onto your jar.

    Add one of my free printable labels that you may download and print off, if you'd like - or design your own.

    Place jar of cocoa extract mixture into a dark cupboard...but not so far back that you never see it.  You don't want to forget about it entirely!

    Two to three times each week, gently shake the extract and place it back into the dark recesses of your kitchen cupboards.

    After six weeks, you may start checking the extract to see how it smells and tastes.  The goal is to not just taste vodka, but to definitely taste a stronger concentrated chocolate flavor.  Depending on how you like chocolate extract, you may want to store it for as long as 10 months before using it.  That's up to you!

DIY Homemade Chocolate Extract

Ingredients and Supplies:

• 1-1/2 cups vodka (if needing gluten-free, please use potato mash vodka)
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (higher quality; the darker, the better)
• 2-4 cup glass jar with tight-sealing lid
• patience!

    Be aware that this isn't an overnight project.  While it's quick and easy to put together, it will need to sit in a dark cupboard for 6-12 weeks...and possibly even longer, depending on how strong you'd like it.  Some folks let it sit for as long as 10 months! 

    Pour 1-1/2 cups vodka into a 2-cup glass mason jar.  Gently stir in 3/4th cup cocoa powder.

    Place tight-fitting lid onto jar.  Store jar in dark cupboard, shaking gently every 3-4 days. 

    Allow to sit for 6-8 weeks, or up to 10 months, before using chocolate extract. 

    Chocolate extract doesn't need to be refrigerated, and can be stored indefinitely for your baking and cooking uses.  EnJOY!

Do you have a recipe binder?  Print off this recipe for yourself!

Here's a free printable sheet of labels you may use to decorate your jars!

    Chocolate Extract may be used with any type of recipe you'd like!  However, if you're using the Trim Healthy Mama way of cooking, you may enjoy taking a look at my Trim Healthy Mama style Visual Shopping Guide...a virtual shopping list of ideas when you are grocery shopping.

Try chocolate extract in my Indulgent Low Carb Chocolate Ice Cream!

   In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission...without it costing you a penny more.   I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!

---