I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but when the kids ask for a dessert, I want to make sure it’s a healthy version. Dark chocolate fondue is simple to make and it’s fun to dip fresh fruit and even homemade marshmallows in. Because it’s fast to pull together, we can have a delicious treat in about 10 minutes!

What is Fondue?

Fondue comes from the French word fondre, which means to melt. Traditionally it’s made with a variety of melted cheeses to make a cheese fondue. More recently the recipe has been adapted to use melted chocolate for a delicious dessert option. It’s often made with milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, or even white chocolate and is thinned with heavy cream.

This version is lower sugar and dairy optional since it uses dark chocolate and coconut oil. And you can add a little peanut butter, or peppermint extract instead of the vanilla if preferred.

How to Make Chocolate Fondue

First, you want to start with quality chocolate to make your chocolate fondue. High-quality chocolate bars taste so much better than the cheap stuff, and they’re often healthier. The best chocolate will be something that’s at least 72% cocoa and organic. If you can’t find dark chocolate you could mix some bittersweet chocolate with a sweeter one.

It’s also important to heat the chocolate slowly, or it will start to seize and burn. If you have an electric fondue pot that works great, but it can be hard to find a non-toxic one. Some of them are stainless steel, but they still have a non-stick coating on the inside.

I transferred the hot chocolate fondue to my small crockpot and kept it on warm for dipping. You can also use a serving bowl and reheat as needed.