Is Vegan White Chocolate a Thing? Yes! (and Here's Where to Buy It)

Chocolate has been with us for centuries. But it wasn’t until the 1930s, when Nestlé debuted the Milkybar, that white chocolate first hit the shelves. The original version of the creamy, ultra-sweet, pale treat was made with cow’s milk, and so are many of the variations it has inspired since.

But lately, more brands have been offering their own vegan versions of white chocolate. If you’re a fan, find out where you can grab vegan white chocolate bars, nut butter cups, and more below. But before that, what actually is white chocolate? And is it even technically chocolate?

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What is white chocolate?

There are two key parts to a cocoa bean: butter and nibs. The latter, with their distinctive texture and flavor, help to form the basis of dark and milk chocolate. But the former, a naturally ivory-colored fat, is what you’re eating when you consume white chocolate.

Bars of white chocolate, which are actually usually pale yellow in color, also consist of sugar, milk powder, and vanilla, but no cocoa solids. For that reason, the debate around whether or not white chocolate can actually be called chocolate has been rumbling since Nestlé first created it. But chef and author David Lebovitz believes if it’s made from cocoa, it’s fair to call it chocolate. 

“We still call hamburgers by that name, even though they are not made of ham, and milkshakes actually aren’t shaken these days but blended,” he told Washington Post. “So I think it’s okay to group white chocolate in with the rest of the variety of things made from cacao beans since they all have the same base.”

The FDA agrees that white chocolate can be called chocolate, but it must have a cocoa butter content of more than 20 percent.

Can white chocolate be vegan?

Since 2002, the FDA has also stated that white chocolate must contain at least 14 percent total milk solids and at least 3.5 percent milk fat. The administration was referring to cow’s milk, but in recent years, many brands have demonstrated that white chocolate can also be made with non-dairy milk alternatives, like rice milk and oat milk. It’s just as creamy, just as indulgent, and just as delicious.

RELATED: 9 Dairy-Free Candy Bars That Taste Like Your Childhood

Vegan white chocolate brands

Pascha Chocolate

1 Pascha

Made with fresh, young cocoa beans, which are sustainably and fairly sourced from Peru, all of Pascha’s chocolate bars are totally plant-based and organic. For white chocolate-lovers, the brand makes its Organic Vegan White Bar with rice milk and a hint of vanilla.
FIND IT HERE

No Whey! Foods

2 No Whey! Foods

The clue is in the name: there’s no whey (or anything else derived from cow’s milk, for that matter) in No Whey Foods! products. Its White Polar Dream Milkless Bar is also free of the eight most common allergens.
FIND IT HERE

King David

3 King David

Sure, white chocolate is great on its own, but it’s also delicious when it’s baked into cookies alongside some nuts and raspberries. If you’re looking for vegan white chocolate chips, King David has you covered.
FIND IT HERE

Baker’s Choice

4 Baker’s Choice

If it’s cooking you’re interested in, Baker’s Choice has, well, plenty of choices. Its White Baking Bar is totally vegan and ideal for making delicious truffles, ganache, mousse, or, if you’re planning something a little special, chocolate-covered strawberries.
FIND IT HERE

Navitas

5 Navitas

These bites from Navitas are made from unsweetened organic cacao butter, making them perfect for melting onto strawberries, baked recipes, and drinks such as hot chocolate. If you prefer a less sweet chocolate that’s more on the bitter side, these also make for a great snack.

FIND IT HERE

iChoc

6 iChoc

Being vegan is important to iChoc, but it also ensures that all of its chocolate—which is made with Fairtrade cocoa—is not just animal-free, but it’s also produced as ethically and as sustainably as possible. The brand has three white chocolate options: White Barista Art, White Nougat Crisp, and White Vanilla.
FIND IT HERE

Happi

7 Happi

Happi agrees that white chocolate and raspberry is a match made in heaven. That’s why it offers an oat milk-based White Raspberry bar. But if you prefer to keep fruit away from your candy, it also offers a Plain White option.
FIND IT HERE

Evolved

8 Evolved

Everything from Evolved is dairy-free, Rainforest Alliance-approved, and certified organic too. If you love to keep your chocolate plain, then the brand’s Simply White option is ideal. 
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LoveRaw

9 LoveRaw

LoveRaw has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2013 in a small kitchen in England. The brand’s vegan chocolate formula has soared in popularity, and as well as vegan milk options, it makes a variety of white chocolates too. The White Choc Cream Wafer Bars are not to be missed.
FIND IT HERE

Plamil

10 Plamil

Whether you like caramel, espresso, mint, or orange, Plamil has a vegan chocolate flavor for you. And of course, it also has a delicious white chocolate option, in the form of Vegan White Vanilla.
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Vego

11 Vego

Vego is arguably best known for its vegan milk hazelnut chocolate bars, but that’s not the only tasty chocolate it makes. Try its Almond Bliss bars, which are made with roasted almonds and creamy white chocolate.
FIND IT HERE

Go Max Go

12 Go Max Go

In true vegan style, Go Max Go was named after a puppy called, you guessed it, Max. The idea behind the company is to give everyone the nostalgic taste of the chocolate they grew up with, just without the dairy part. Its Cleo’s White Peanut Butter Cups are smooth, creamy, indulgent, and delicious.
FIND IT HERE

Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.