Decadent Paleo Chocolate Dessert Recipes

For those following a paleo diet, satisfying a chocolate craving can seem like a challenge. However, with a few clever ingredient swaps and creative recipes, you can enjoy delicious and guilt-free paleo chocolate desserts. The paleo diet excludes grains, legumes, dairy, and refined sugar, but it embraces natural sweeteners like maple syrup and honey, as well as grain-free flours like almond and cassava flour. This opens up a world of possibilities for creating delectable chocolate treats that align with paleo principles.

Flourless Fudgey Chocolate Cake

This recipe delivers a decadent, low-calorie chocolate cake without any flour. It’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or any time you crave a chocolatey dessert.

Ingredients:

• For the Cake: (Specific quantities not provided, adjust based on desired cake size). All ingredients for the cake batter (except chocolate chips). Chocolate chips (optional).
• For the Frosting: Ingredients for frosting.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom of four spring form cake pans (6 inch pans) with a cut out circle of parchment paper. Lightly grease the edges of the pans with coconut oil.
2. In a food processor (or by hand) combine all ingredients for the cake batter (except chocolate chips) until smooth then stir in chocolate chips (optional).
3. Divide batter equally between the four cake pans and bake on 350°F for 18 minutes, then remove and cool on a cooking rack until room temperature (you can pop them into the freezer to speed up the cooling process).
4. In a double boiler, melt ingredients for frosting over a low simmer until the chocolate has just melted, then remove it from the double boiler; you don't want to overcook the chocolate- remove it as soon as the chocolate melts!
5. Whip the frosting with a spatula until smooth then chill in fridge for 5-10 minutes (stirring every few minutes) until the frosting reaches frosting consistency. Note: If the frosting becomes too thick, you can melt it slightly with a hair dryer and whip it again.
6. Layer the chocolate cake on a cake stand, filling each layer with either: chocolate frosting or coconut oil caramel frosting- that's what I did this time, see notes for the one I used.
7. Frost the outside of the cake with chocolate frosting. Optional: top with shaved chocolate.

Paleo Chocolate Pudding

This creamy, JELL-O style chocolate pudding is a simple and satisfying dessert that even picky eaters will love. The secret is using coconut milk for creaminess and gelatin for that classic pudding texture.

Ingredients:

• Full fat canned coconut milk
• Gelatin
• Honey (or liquid allulose for low-carb/keto)
• Cocoa powder
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Shake the can of coconut milk well, and pour a ¼ cup of it into a measuring cup. Add the gelatin and whisk it into the coconut milk until well incorporated. Set the mixture aside.
2. Next, heat the remaining coconut milk, cocoa powder, honey, and salt over medium heat, stirring frequently, until these ingredients are well mixed. Cook the chocolatey mixture until bubbles appear on the edges of the saucepan. Turn off the heat.
3. Add the reserved gelatin/coconut milk mixture and vanilla extract to the pan. Stir well.
4. Chill the mixture for 30 minutes uncovered and then covered for an additional 1½ hours or until solid. (Pro tip: You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days before serving.)
5. With a hand mixer or whisk, beat the pudding until it’s nice and fluffy and transforms from a stiff JELL-O-like texture to a thick and smooth pudding.
6. Divide the pudding into four bowls or cups. Spoon on a dollop of whipped coconut cream if desired.

The key to the ultra-creamy texture is to whip it with a hand mixer or whisk-and to continue whipping until the gelatinous chunks transform into a smooth and creamy homemade chocolate pudding. You can store the pudding in the refrigerator in a sealed airtight container for up to 4 days and whip it up right before serving.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are a testament to the fact that paleo desserts can be just as satisfying as their traditional counterparts.

Read also: Paleo Granola Recipes

Ingredients:

• Cashew butter
• Maple syrup
• Coconut sugar
• Coconut oil
• Vanilla
• Cassava flour
• Tiger nut flour
• Baking soda
• Sea salt
• Chocolate chunks

Instructions:

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375ºF (190°C). Line a rimless cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth and emulsified.
3. Place a strainer over the bowl and sift in the cassava and tiger nut flours with the baking soda and sea salt. Stir to combine, then stir in the chocolate chunks.
4. Scoop 2-inch diameter balls of dough (3 tablespoons or a #24 spring-loaded ice cream scoop) onto the prepared cookie sheet, spaced 2-3 inches apart. Top each cookie with a chunk or two of chocolate and a pinch of flaky salt.
5. Bake the cookies in the top rack of the oven until golden and puffed, with the edges beginning to set and the centers soft, 8-12 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet at 8 minutes for even baking.
6. Remove the cookies from the oven and slide them, parchment and all, onto a cooling rack. Let them cool as long as you can stand it.

*Substitutions: If you’re trying a substitution, I would advise baking off a single test cookie, that way you can adjust the remaining dough if need be (i.e. add more flour if the cookies spread too much, or flatten the dough balls if they don’t spread enough).

Easy Homemade Paleo Chocolate

This recipe is incredibly simple, requiring just a few ingredients and minimal effort. It's a great way to satisfy chocolate cravings without any refined sugars or unhealthy additives.

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil
• Cacao powder
• Honey
• Optional additions (e.g., shredded coconut)

Instructions:

1. Place coconut oil, cacao powder, and honey in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until combined.
2. Use a whisk to make sure all lumps are gone.
3. Remove from heat and stir in any additions.
4. Once smooth, pour into molds or onto a tray and place in the freezer for at least an hour to harden.
5. Remove from molds and store in the freezer.

Make them once and you'll be hooked. They do need to be stored in the fridge or freezer because they melt at room temperature.

No-Bake Paleo Chocolate Torte

This torte is a rich and decadent dessert that requires no baking, making it a convenient option for any occasion. It's easily customizable and can be adapted to suit various dietary needs.

Ingredients:

• Crust: Raw pecans, unsweetened shredded coconut
• Filling: Dark chocolate, coconut cream, almond butter
• Toppings: (Optional, as desired)

Instructions:

1. Line a 6" round springform pan with parchment paper (just on the bottom of the pan).
2. Make the Crust: Process the raw pecans and shredded coconut in a food processor until finely ground. Pour the crust into your lined pan.
3. Make the Filling: Combine the dark chocolate, coconut cream, and almond butter.
4. Pour the filling over the crust.
5. Add desired toppings to decorate the torte.
6. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.

This torte can be kept at room temperature for a few hours, but will melt in the heat. It is best kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to two weeks.

Read also: Paleo Diet Delivered: What You Need to Know

Paleo Chocolate Pudding (Blender Method)

This pudding recipe utilizes a blender for a quick and easy preparation. It's a versatile recipe that can be customized with different nut or seed butters to create unique flavor profiles.

Ingredients:

• Water
• Cacao or cocoa powder
• Tahini (or other nut/seed butter)
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Melted coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Combine the water, cacao or cocoa powder, tahini, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a blender.
2. Blend on medium speed until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the blender once or twice.
3. Add the melted coconut oil and blend until combined, 20 seconds or so. The pudding will be very runny at this point, but it will firm up as it chills.
4. Pour the pudding into individual cups or jars. Chill for at least 3 hours, or until firm.

The puddings tend to get more firm as they hang out in the fridge.

Paleo Brownie Bites

These brownie bites are a simple and satisfying treat made with nut butter and almond flour. They're easy to customize with your favorite add-ins and are perfect for a quick chocolate fix.

Ingredients:

• Nut butter
• Maple syrup
• Almond flour
• Cacao
• Salt
• Chocolate chips or chunks
• Optional: Sea salt flakes

Instructions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, stir together the nut butter, maple syrup + vanilla extract.
2. Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the almond flour, cacao + salt.
3. Mix until everything comes together in one ball of "dough". It can be a bit stiff, but stick with it! Don't add any more liquid, just keep stirring, it'll come together - promise!
4. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.
5. Form into balls + top with sea salt flakes OR eat straight from the bowl with a spoon.

These babies keep in the fridge for a week or so, but ours never last longer than a day or two. IF you can salvage a few to squirrel away for later, they’ll stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This simple flourless chocolate cake requires only 5 ingredients and is ready in just 30 minutes. It's a healthier version of the classic flourless cake, with a fudgey, dense texture.

Read also: Paleo Mayonnaise Recipe

Ingredients:

• Solidified coconut oil, grass-fed butter OR vegan butter
• Dark chocolate chips
• Coconut sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Melt coconut oil (or butter) and dark chocolate chips together.
2. Mix in coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
3. Pour into a baking pan.
4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes.

*Store in airtight container for 5 days. You can also freeze this for 2 months.

Tips and Tricks for Paleo Chocolate Desserts

• Embrace Grain-Free Flours: Almond flour, cassava flour, and tiger nut flour are excellent alternatives to wheat flour in paleo baking.
• Use Natural Sweeteners: Maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar are great options for sweetening paleo desserts.
• Don't Be Afraid to Experiment: Paleo baking can be a bit different than traditional baking, so don't be afraid to try new recipes and techniques.
• Adjust for Sweetness: Taste as you go and adjust the amount of sweetener to your liking.
• Store Properly: Many paleo desserts can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to extend their shelf life.

tags: #paleo #diet #chocolate #desserts #recipes