Chocolate chips are a great addition to baking and beverages. But are they vegan-friendly? The answer varies because some brands are, while others aren’t.
The difference lies in the ingredients used to make the chocolate chips. Therefore, when looking for the best vegan chocolate chips, vegans must read the ingredient list to know which ones to avoid.
Here’s a guide for choosing delicious and guilt-free vegan chocolate chips:
Deliciously Dairy-Free: The Best Vegan Chocolate Chips
When looking for deliciously dairy-free chocolate chips, the best indicator is to check for the vegan certification logo usually found on the packet. However, if you live somewhere where the logo differs or there’s no certification on the packet, you must rely on the ingredient list for the information. It just happens that sometimes a product might not be labeled vegan because the company has not registered for certification. At other times, products are accidentally vegan.
You want to look for the ingredients, taking the sugar and oil used into consideration based on your preferences. You will also want to check if the chocolate chips contain flavors and if these are natural or artificial.
Here are two of the best vegan chocolate chips. They do not contain animal products but do not have a vegan logo on their packages. If you have an allergy, remember these products may contain trace elements.
Equal Exchange
Equal Exchange has made a name for its fair trade products, including chocolate, coffee, and tea. The company is known for supporting small farmer co-ops to empower local economies. Look for their bestselling Organic Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, which you can buy in 55% and 70% Cacao. These chocolate chips are perfect for vegans and kosher diets. They are organic and free of major allergens since their facility does not process eggs, nuts, peanuts, soy, or wheat.
Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
If you use chocolate chips often and want them reasonably priced, you may prefer the Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips from Trader Joe’s. Besides their affordable price, they are tasty and available year-round. You can find their list of ingredients online, and they contain no animal products.
See this article from World of Vegan to find more options for vegan chocolate chips from brands that don’t label them as such.
Plant-Based Indulgence: Discover the Top Vegan Chocolate Chips
It would help to remember several things when looking for vegan chocolate chips. The first is that brands change their ingredients over time, meaning you should always check when buying to ensure they maintain certification. Don’t hesitate to contact them if you need additional information.
Enjoy Life
Even though Enjoy Life has not renewed its vegan certification, the company confirms that all its chocolate chips are vegan. These include the Semi-Sweet, Dark, Ricemilk, and White Chocolate Chips. They use brown sugar, cane sugar, and dried rice syrup in their various products as sweeteners, but they confirm that their sugars and all other products are cruelty-free.
Artisan Kettle
The company is known for its chocolate chips, but only some are vegan. These include the Organic No Sugar Added, Organic Extra Dark, and Organic Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks and Chocolate Chips. The chunks or chips using sugar contain organic cane sugar, and the sugar-free ones contain erythritol.
Irresistibly Vegan: Our Favorite Chocolate Chips Without Dairy
Even though companies manufacture vegan chocolate chips, that does not mean all of their products are also vegan. Check their labels first; if you are still unsure, contact them for more information.
In this quest for the best vegan chocolate chips, it’s evident that you are spoilt for choice since several brands exist. Here are some more irresistibly vegan chocolate chips without dairy that make it on the list of our favorites:
Just Date Organic Dark Chocolate Chips
If you have already tried their organic date syrup, you will be happy to know that Just Date makes chocolate chips with three delicious ingredients. They use fair trade cocoa and cocoa butter and add upcycled dates to sweeten them—a deliciously irresistible idea for chocolate chips you can eat as a snack, bake with, or garnish.
Pascha
Pascha carries a vegan certificate and uses fair trade, single origin, rainforest alliance-certified cocoa beans. Look out for their impressive chocolate chip varieties for every type of dessert you could want to create. These include the dark and decadent 100% Cacao Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Baking Chips. Other chocolate chips include 85% Cacao Bitter Sweet, 70% Keto Sugar-Free Bitter Sweet, 55% Cacao Semi-Sweet, Vegan No Milk, and Vegan White Chocolate. The company uses organic cane sugar. The sugar-free varieties contain organic stevia or erythritol.
Cruelty-Free Confections: The Best Vegan Chocolate Chips
Fairtrade and organic certifications are essential for most vegans, ensuring they purchase a cruelty-free and ethical product.
Lily’s
Lily’s chocolate chips may not have a vegan certification, but they are certified Fairtrade and Organic, and some are free from animal products. These include the 55% Dark Chocolate and 55% Dark Chocolate Keto Baking Chips. They also have a vegan baking chocolate bar, the 58% Dark Chocolate. Lily’s only uses erythritol and stevia extract as sweeteners.
Evolved
Evolved offers two vegan chocolate chips: semi-sweet and dark chocolate. Its ingredients include organic cocoa, cocoa butter, and cashews, which are sweetened with coconut sugar. Evolved has Organic and Rainforest Alliance certifications for those who want their confections to be wholly cruelty-free and environmentally friendly. However, these are not ideal for those with nut allergies since they contain cashews and may contain traces of other nuts.
Taste the Goodness: Vegan Chocolate Chips Worth Trying
For those with an issue with cross-contamination, it’s crucial to check the cross-contamination statements on the packages. Most companies also have cross-contamination statements on their websites, but you can contact them directly if you need more clarity.
Here are some of the best vegan chocolate chips worth trying for their taste goodness:
Hu
Hu uses organic dates as a sweetener and carries vegan, Fairtrade, and organic certifications. The Dark Chocolate Chips are keto and contain Organic Fairtrade cacao, organic date, organic Fairtrade cocoa butter, and organic Fairtrade vanilla bean.
Hu’s cross-contamination statement warns that the chips may contain dairy, wheat, nuts, and soy because they are produced using equipment that processes other products. However, they do allergen cleans before production.
Endangered Species
Taste the goodness and luxuriousness of Endangered Species Premium Baking Chips. Their three vegan and gluten-free baking chips come in 55%, 60%, and 75% cocoa formulations. 55% and 75% contain oat milk for a creamy flavor. A portion of sales for each product contributes toward awareness of the plight of a specific species and toward positively impacting communities, habitats, and humanity. They warn on their website of the possibility of cross-contamination of their products with dairy and nuts.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Vegan Chocolate Chips for Every Dessert
Chocolate chips are a great addition to desserts because they are easy to melt and mix. Several ways to satisfy your sweet tooth include adding them to waffles, biscuits, muffins, and even to coat fruits and pretzels.
Nestle Toll House
Whether you prefer the semi-sweet or dark chocolate plant-based chocolate morsels from Nestle Toll House depends on you. These contain only three ingredients and are organic, vegan, and gluten-free. These ingredients are 100% chocolate, cocoa butter, and pure cane sugar.
Max Sweets
Max Sweets is known for its yummy vegan marshmallows, but you’ll be happy to know about the plant-based dark chocolate chips. These are ideal for sugar-free diets, keto diets, and gluten-free diets.
Vegan Baking Made Easy: The Finest Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
As you have seen in our quest for the best vegan chocolate chips, there’s no shortage of excellent products. If you want to discover more about some of the finest dairy-free chocolate chips mentioned here or discover other brands, this article from Delightful Adventures is another good source. Here are more vegan chocolate chips for vegan baking made easy:
Ghirardelli
Ghirardelli’s 52% Cacao Non-Dairy Dark Chocolate Chips are a welcome addition to America’s longest-operating chocolatier. The chocolate chips contain chocolate, cane sugar, and cocoa butter, just slightly sweet for delicious treats.
No Whey! Foods
You have probably heard of No Whey! Food if you are looking for the best vegan chocolate collections for special holidays! Foods. Whether you want to buy tasty chocolate candy, some Halloween treats, or Chanukah chocolate, this is where to look. However, you’ll be happy to know that you can also purchase its No Thank You! Choco Chip Snack pack for your baking. The facility making these drops is free of 9 common food allergens, and all their products are gluten, soy, egg, dairy, peanut, tree nut, and dairy-free.
Vegan Delights: Unveiling the Best Chocolate Chips for Plant-Based Treats
As we unveiled the best vegan chocolate chips for creating the greatest plant-based treats, we realized several companies create completely vegan products. Meanwhile, even those who don’t concentrate on vegan products have developed vegan offerings to make it easier for you to create vegan delights. If you cannot find your favorite chocolate chips in your grocery store, remember that you can also find many online.
Here’s an example of one food manufacturer that’s gone entirely vegan:
MiiRo
MiiRo is a plant-based company that makes delicious vegan treats, including Dark Chocolate Baking Chips. These also contain low sugar and carbs, but always infuse a deep chocolate flavor into your baking.
Get your favorite vegan chocolate chips and start baking!
Mastering the Art of Vegan Chocolate Chip Baking: Practical Tips and Tricks
Diving into the world of vegan baking can be as rewarding as it is challenging, especially when finding and using the perfect vegan chocolate chips. Here are some essential tips and tricks to ensure your vegan chocolate delights turn out irresistibly good every time:
- Choosing the Right Chip for the Job: The variety of vegan chocolate chips is astonishing – from semi-sweet to dark and milk-style alternatives. Consider the flavor profile of your dessert before picking your chips. Semi-sweet chips are versatile for general baking, while dark chocolate chips add a rich, deep flavor perfect for more decadent treats.
- Melting Techniques: Due to their unique fat compositions, vegan chocolate chips can be more selective when melting. To avoid burning, gently melt them using a double boiler, stirring until smooth. If you’re in a pinch, a microwave can work, too—use short bursts of 20-30 seconds, stirring in between to ensure even melting.
- Storage Secrets: Keep your vegan chocolate chips in peak condition by storing them in airtight containers away from light and heat. This way, they’ll stay fresh and delicious for your next baking spree. If you live in a warmer climate, storing them in the refrigerator can prevent them from melting together.
- Substitution Guidelines: The recipe need not be adjusted when substituting vegan chocolate chips in traditional recipes. However, if your dough or batter seems too dry, consider adding a tablespoon of plant-based milk to achieve the desired consistency.
- Creative Uses: Think beyond cookies and cakes. Sprinkle vegan chocolate chips into your morning oatmeal, blend them into smoothies for a chocolatey twist, or incorporate them into savory dishes like mole for a surprising depth of flavor.
- DIY Vegan Chocolate Chips: For those who love a DIY challenge, making vegan chocolate chips is simpler than you might think. Melt down your favorite vegan chocolate bar, pour it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and chill until set. Then, break or cut into small chip-sized pieces. This allows you to control the quality and type of chocolate used and gives a personal touch to your baking creations.
You can elevate your vegan baking projects by arming yourself with these practical tips. Whether you’re whipping up a batch of classic chocolate chip cookies or experimenting with chocolate in new and exciting ways, these insights will help ensure your vegan treats are a hit with everyone who tries them.
