7 Super Easy Chocolate Recipes That You Can Make at Home

Oh, chocolate, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. I'll take chocolate in just about any form, but it's incredibly special when it comes straight from my own kitchen. Whether you consider yourself a novice or an expert, making chocolate candies is totally doable for you. Candy recipes often have short ingredient lists and simple directions. Get started with these super easy chocolate recipes that you can make at home.

1. Chocolate Bar

   

   A candy bar is the quintessential chocolate treat. Make your own version of this chocolate candy at home so you can customize the size, shape, and flavor. Savvy Homemade's Homemade Block Chocolate Recipe from Scratch is designed to be made in a square cake pan, but you could divide the ingredients between multiple pans if you want a smaller finished product. To get started, all you need is shortening, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, powdered milk, and a bit of salt. Dress up the chocolate bar by adding in nuts, dried fruits, or other goodies.

2. Smooth Truffles

   

   If you love both chocolate and cream, then truffles are the sweet treat for you. These soft balls of chocolate ganache are usually filled or coated with various flavors. Customization options are nearly endless. Simply Recipes has a base recipe that requires just three ingredients: chopped chocolate, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. They suggest a variety of flavor add-ins to try, such as almond extract or amaretto. They also provide coating options, like cocoa powder and chopped nuts. Of course, the options are only as limited as your imagination, so go wild with your favorite flavor combinations.

3. Peanut Butter Bliss

   Image source: shakeology.comPeanut butter cups are a personal favorite of mine for their delicious mixture of rich filling and smooth chocolate coating. Homemade ones are even better than the store-bought variety because you can make them extra-large. The Peanut Butter Cups recipe from Better Homes and Gardens shows you how to make this tasty treat using muffin tins and paper liners. Combining semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate lends depth to the flavor profile, and the layer of chunky peanut butter sandwiched between the chocolate top and bottom serves as an easy filling for these candies.

4. Break-it Bark

   

   If you feel like you're the type of person whose recipes never look as pretty as you think they should, then chocolate bark is the homemade candy for you. Mix the ingredients, spread them on a flat surface, and toss on your choice of toppings. Once the chocolate has solidified, all that's left to do is use your hands to break the slab into free-form pieces. No two pieces will look exactly the same, and that's perfectly alright. Crazy for Crust's basic recipe for 5 Minute Chocolate Bark requires just two ingredients: shortening and a bag of chocolate chips. They suggest topping your bark with small candy-coated chocolate pieces, cocoa nibs, chopped nuts, or crushed cookies.

5. Sticky Chocolate

   

   Homemade caramels are fairly divine on their own, but adding cocoa powder to the recipe takes this treat to a whole new level. Making caramel involves heating the ingredients to a precise temperature, so you have to pay careful attention to the cooking process. Even still, making caramels is pretty easy since it's just mostly just stirring and heating ingredients. The prepared mixture is then poured into a tray until set. Finally, slice and enjoy!

6. Salty and Sweet Bites

   Image source: godiva.comThere's something special about getting a bite of sweet chocolate and salty pretzels in one bite. Peanut-Butter Pretzel Candy from Martha Stewart. With just five ingredients, this is a simple recipe to make, so family members of all ages can help with the process. Have kids crush the pretzels or stir the mixture of peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter. Once the concoction is rolled into balls, a quick dip in melted chocolate ensures that you'll get a mouthful of cocoa flavor with every bite.

7. Nutty Candies

   

   If you are the kind of cook who can't imagine life without a slow cooker, then you must try your hand at making chocolate peanut clusters. Drop two types of chocolate chips in a slow cooker along with peanut butter chips, vanilla candy melts, and two varieties of shelled peanuts, and then you can walk away from the kitchen. A couple of hours on low is all it takes to melt this mixture into chocolaty, peanutty goodness. It's a good idea to stir the concoction a few times during the melting process, but other than that there's nothing to do until the mixture is fully melted. Then, scoop spoonfuls onto parchment paper and leave them alone until they are fully set.

I love that I can make my own chocolate candies to enjoy myself or give as gifts.