We’ve all tried making rich and moist brownies with Nestle’s Choco Bake, and the results were simply unmatched. Yet, sadly, this zero-sugar variety of baking chocolate was discontinued in 2014 to the dismay of chocolate-loving bakers in the United States!
So, what is a suitable substitute for Choco Bake to use in your chocolate-based desserts? Well, as it turns out, there are more than nine alternatives you can go for to mimic Choco Bake’s taste.
Let’s take a closer look at our tasty candidates, shall we?
Suggestion 1: Cocoa Powder with Shortening or Oil
A lot of seasoned bakers have been experimenting with mixtures of cocoa powder and vegetable oil or shortening to come up with a ratio that mimics the flavor of Choco Bake.
After consistent trial and error, they finally managed to create one of the best substitutes for Choco Bake!
Simply, you’ll have to mix three tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder with one tablespoon of vegetable shortening or oil. This is probably the easiest way to create an alternative to Choco Bake since most households already have these two ingredients in their pantries.
Even better, you have many brands of unsweetened cocoa powder to choose from based on your preference, such as Hershey’s Unsweetened 100% Cocoa. Not only is it natural and gluten-free but it’s also incredibly rich in flavor and straight-out delicious!
You could try Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Cocoa Powder or Anthony’s Organic Cocoa Powder, too.
Just remember, if you’ll be using shortening instead of oil, you’ll have to melt it in the microwave for a few seconds (but make sure it isn’t too hot!). Then, add the aforementioned amount of cocoa powder to the melted shortening until it completely dissolves.
This portion equates to an ounce of Choco Bake in a recipe.
Suggestion 2: Hershey’s Chocolate Bars
You can always use chocolate bars instead of Choco Bake to make the tastiest brownies or chocolate fudge.
Still, you’ll have to be careful; choose unsweetened varieties that are specifically made for baking. But, if you can’t find those at your local stores, you may use mildly sweetened ones.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with Hershey’s Dark Chocolate, which is the closest you can get to Choco Bake’s flavor with a Hershey product, second to the cocoa method. Remember that it has some sugar, so you’ll have to slightly reduce the sugar in your recipe.
In addition, you’ll need to melt this chocolate to use it, which is a bit of a hassle compared to incorporating a cocoa-based mixture.
Or, if you’re unable to find this chocolate bar, you may always pick the milk chocolate option instead. It’ll have a more creamy, less rich taste, but it should do the job!
Suggestion 3: Alter Eco Truffles
One of the best things about using truffles by the Swiss brand Alter Eco is that they’re a great candidate in case you’re not a fan of dark chocolate. They still pack a delightfully intense taste without the bitterness that many people associate with dark chocolate.
Even better, bakers who tried using Alter Eco chocolate truffles instead of Choco Bake swore by how similar they were in terms of flavor.
As if that isn’t enough, the brand has a multitude of flavored truffles if you want to add a touch of caramel, mint, and other subtle taste profiles.
Suggestion 4: Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
This can be a convenient Choco Bake replacement if you already have bittersweet baking chocolate at home and you’d like to take it a step in the direction of good old semi-sweet Choco Bake!
All you’ll have to do here is take an equal measure of baking chocolate to the amount that the recipe requires of semi-sweet Choco Bake. Then, simply enough, add some sugar to it after melting until you get the desired result.
The coolest thing about this Choco Bake alternative is that you won’t have to use any butter, oil, or shortening. Not only is that somewhat time-saving, but it also saves on other ingredients that you may not have much of yet you need for the rest of your recipe!
Suggestion 5: Chocolove
If you want to infuse some delicious Belgian chocolate taste into your Choco Bake substitute, look no further than the range of sugar-free chocolate bars by Chocolove. Or, you could use the sweetened variety for a mildly sweeter dessert.
Using Chocolove can be a great idea for people who’d prefer a lighter texture to their cookies, chocolate cake, or brownies than what they’d otherwise get with Choco Bake.
Better still, you could take your recipes up a few notches by melting chocolate bars with salted caramel, cherries, elderberries and blueberries, mint, and more.
Our final reason why you should consider using Chocolove is that it prides itself in being non-GMO, organic, and Rainforest-Alliance-Certified. It’s also gluten- and dairy-free, making it perfect for people with wheat allergies or those who are lactose intolerant.
Suggestion 6: Valrhona
Next up, we’ve got Valrhona, which is a world-famous maker of premium-grade baking chocolate. Its chocolate bars are known for being rich in flavor and incredibly decadent, ranging from 35% cocoa to an impressive 70% to suit every type of chocolate lover out there!
In addition, there’s Valrhona cocoa powder, too, if you want to take the route of mixing cocoa powder with vegetable oil or shortening. That should get you closer to the consistency of Choco Bake while allowing you to use gourmet chocolate at the same time.
However, the only drawback of using Valrhona as a substitute for Choco Bake is that it’s much more expensive than your typical brand of baking chocolate. Still, it won’t break the bank to give it a try when making dessert for a special occasion or something!
Suggestion 7: Green & Black’s
Another awesome substitute for Choco Bake is Green & Black’s, a chocolate brand that’s a favorite of many bakers across the U.S. Not only does its melted chocolate taste heavenly in any recipe you add it to, but it’s also organic and ethically sourced from Trinitario.
Plus, you’ll like that there’s a wide range of flavored chocolate bars to pick from so that your cake or cookies will have a more complex taste profile. Whether you go for varieties with nuts, toffee, caramel, or ginger, you’re in for an indulgent treat!
Finally, we’re fans of the different concentrations of cocoa that you may choose from according to how strong you want the chocolate taste to be. There are also milk chocolate and white chocolate bars if you’d like to do some creative experimenting with this Choco Bake substitute.
Suggestion 8: Endangered Species Dark Chocolate
Endangered Species is a manufacturer of chocolate based in Indianapolis. Its chocolate bars taste wonderful enough to act as the perfect alternative to Choco Bake, but that’s not all to admire about this brand.
First off, you’ll be thrilled to know that the company donates 10% of its revenue to help preserve the natural habitat of many endangered animals around the world. Better yet, the chocolate bars are vegan-approved and gluten-free, making them ideal for a vegan brownies recipe.
Second of all, Endangered Species has different types of chocolate flavors we’re sure you’ll enjoy. From tart raspberries to a mixture of cranberries and almonds, there’s a huge range of varieties to try until you find your sweet spot!
Suggestion 9: Theo Chocolate
Last but not least, no one denies that Theo chocolate is one of the best Choco Bake alternatives you can place a safe bet on. This American chocolate manufacturer grows its cocoa beans on small lot farms with specific requirements to ensure the high quality of Theo chocolate bars.
While you can either go for 85% cocoa or 75%, we suggest you shoot for the 75% variety because it offers a smoother and less intense flavor. Still, if you don’t mind an overpowering taste, you may always go for the higher percentage.
Other factors that make Theo chocolate special include being vegan, free of gluten, and available in various flavors. In addition to that, you’ll like that this chocolate has sweetened options if you and dark chocolate don’t mix!
Lastly, don’t forget to try Theo’s pure 45% milk chocolate if you like to keep your chocolate-based recipes light. Just remember to adjust the amount of sugar you’ll be adding later so as not to end up with overly sweet desserts.
The Bottom Line
While it may be challenging to find an easy-to-use and tasty substitute for Choco Bake, we hope that our list of nine alternatives has given you a few ideas.
Some of our favorite Choco Bake replacements include a mix of cocoa powder and vegetable oil or shortening or melting different kinds of baking chocolate. Otherwise, you can always try melting chocolate bars from various brands like Endangered Species, Hershey’s, Chocolove, and more.
The next time you make brownies, chocolate cake, or cookies, these Choco Bake alternatives can add something unique to your recipe!
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Please give the amount of oil. To unsweetened cocoa to equalChocobake
Hi Barbara, I would go for three tablespoons, however you can experiment with a little bit more or less to get it to a consistency that you prefer.