Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was founded by Italian chocolatier Domenico Ghirardelli in San Francisco, in 1852. For almost 170 years, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has been providing consumers with rich, indulgent chocolate creations.
Many Ghirardelli Chocolate products are considered gluten-free. This includes the 60%, 72%, 86%, and 92% Cacao bars and squares, as well as Ghirardelli’s milk chocolate and semisweet baking chips, and baking bars. The best gluten-free alternatives to Ghirardelli include Hu Cashew Butter + Raspberry Dark Chocolate, Lily’s Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate, and ChocZero Hazelnut Keto Bark.
One of the neat facts about how Ghirardelli produces their chocolate happens when a mass of chocolate is hung up in a warm room. When this happens, the cocoa butter drips out of the bag and this residue can be made into a ground chocolate. This is then added back to the chocolate creations, resulting in a more intense chocolate flavor. Let’s take a look at some of these flavors.
Contents
Ghirardelli Chocolate Nutritional Information
Intense Dark Chocolate, 72% cacao
luxurious taste of the finest cacao beans and subtle yet irresistible flavors of mocha, ripe blackberry and succulent cherry; fruit-forward wines, sparkling rose, berry-infused teas, or deeply fruited coffees. The perfect sophisticated after-dinner treat, offer it alongside Spanish Manchego or a piquant Dry Jack.
Ingredients:
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Soy Lecithin
Nutrition Facts (for 4.1 oz serving):
- 200 – Calories
- 17g – Total Fat
- 10 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 0 mg – Sodium
- 17 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 4 g – Dietary Fiber
- 10 g – Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 15% DV – Iron
Milk Chocolate
roast the heart of the cacao bean, and refine the sweetened chocolate to ensure a creamy, velvety, and slow-melting finish; kosher
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Whole Milk Powder
- Cocoa Butter
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Soy Lecithin
- Vanilla Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 32 gram serving):
- 170 – Calories
- 10 g – Total Fat
- 6 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5 mg – Cholesterol
- 25 mg – Sodium
- 19 g – Total Carbohydrate
- <1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 18 g – Total Sugars
- Includes 15 g Added Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 4% DV – Calcium
- 2% DV – Potassium
Milk Chocolate Caramel
Super Creamy, slow-melting milk chocolate. Luscious, buttery caramel filling, sustainably sourced cocoa beans
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Whole Milk Powder
- Cocoa Butter
- Corn Syrup
- Sweetened Condensed Milk (Pasteurized Milk, Sugar)
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Palm Oil
- Water
- Butter (Cream, Salt)
- Natural and Artificial Flavor
- Disodium Phosphate
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin – an Emulsifier
- Sorbitol
- Potassium Sorbate
- Vanilla
- Citric Acid
- TBHQ
Nutrition Facts (for 38 gram serving):
- 190 – Calories
- 10 g – Total Fat
- 6 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 10 mg – Cholesterol
- 55 mg – Sodium
- 23 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 21 g – Total Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Vitamin A
- 6% DV – Calcium
- 2% DV – Iron
Peppermint Bark Square
With a layer of milk chocolate and peppermint, this chocolate is ideal for stocking stuffers! Some of the ingredients, however, make this delectable chocolate treat less than healthy.
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Whole Milk Powder
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Nonfat Dry Milk
- Soy Lecithin – an emulsifier
- Flaked Corn
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Natural Peppermint Flavor
- Palm Oil
- Vanilla
- Corn Syrup Solids
- Corn Starch
- Red #40
Nutrition Facts (for 38 gram serving):
- 210 – Calories
- 15 g – Total Fat
- 9 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5 mg – Cholesterol
- 20 mg – Sodium
- 21 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g – Dietary Fiber
- 19 g – Total Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 6% DV – Calcium
- 2% DV – Iron
Raspberry Radiance Bar
Raspberry bits infused with dark chocolate make the perfect pair. This rich, indulgent dark chocolate bar is lower in calories, fat, sodium, and carbs than many of the other chocolate offerings from Ghirardelli. It’s a a delicious treat to enjoy with friends–or better yet, keep it all for yourself.
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Raspberry Bits (sugar, raspberry powder, fructose, natural flavour)
- Milk Fat
- Natural Flavour
- Soy Lecithin
- Vanilla Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 38 gram serving):
- 120 – Calories
- 8 g – Total Fat
- 5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 0 mg – Sodium
- 15 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 12 g – Total Sugars
- Includes 12 g Added Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 4% DV – Iron
- 2% DV – Potassium
While Ghirardelli Chocolate is by far my favorite widely-produced commercial brand of chocolate, it does not come without its disadvantages. High in fat, sugars, and carbs, this brand of chocolate is not very healthy for you. Also, with added ingredients such as palm oil, TBHQ as a preservative, and artificial colors, red flags are being waved for dietary-restrictive lifestyles.
Let’s take a look at some of the healthier alternative brands in quality and indulgent chocolate.
Healthier Alternatives to Ghirardelli Chocolate
HU Chocolate
HU, as in HUman is a company which chooses to use simple, clean and sustainable ingredients in the food they make. Their business practices are ethical, and they put more importance on humanity and what goes into the human body, than on their own profits.
HU Simple Dark Chocolate
Certified organic and paleo, and using only organic unrefined coconut sugar, this gluten-free dark chocolate bar is a sure winner for those who prefer their chocolate bitter and their pairing of wine sweet.
Ingredients:
- Organic cacao
- Unrefined organic coconut sugar
- Organic fair-trade cocoa butter
Nutrition Facts (for 30 gram serving):
- 180 – Calories
- 13 g – Total Fat
- 8 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 15 mg – Sodium
- 13 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 9 g – Total Sugars
- Includes 8 g Added Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 6% DV – Vitamin D
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 20% DV – Iron
- 6% DV – Potassium
HU Crunchy Mint Dark Chocolate
Looking for a bright little kick to your dark chocolate? The Crunchy Mint bar from HU Chocolate is vegan, soy-free, palm oil-free, and dairy-free. You’ll enjoy this minty chocolate treat so much, it will be hard to not eat the whole bar in one sitting.
Ingredients:
- Organic cacao
- Unrefined organic coconut sugar
- Organic fair-trade cocoa butter
- Organic fair-trade cocoa nibs
- Organic peppermint oil
Nutrition Facts (for 30 gram serving):
- 180 – Calories
- 13 g – Total Fat
- 8 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 10 mg – Sodium
- 14 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 8 g – Total Sugars
- Includes 8 g Added Sugars
- 3 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 6% DV – Vitamin D
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 20% DV – Iron
- 6% DV – Potassium
HU Cashew Butter + Raspberry Dark Chocolate
The Cashew Butter + Raspberry dark chocolate bar presents a flavor combination I’ve not seen before. The processing of the organic cacao beans keeps this dark chocolate from being anything but bitter, and leaves it with a rich cocoa flavor. Adding to this the salty taste of cashews, and the sweetness of raspberry, and you could honestly make a brownie out of this chocolate bar. Actually, the HU Company calls this their “grown-up version” of PB&J. Classic.
Ingredients:
- Organic cacao
- Unrefined organic coconut sugar
- Cashew
- Organic fair-trade cocoa butter
- Organic raspberry
Nutrition Facts (for 30 gram serving):
- 180 – Calories
- 13 g – Total Fat
- 7 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 15 mg – Sodium
- 14 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 9 g – Total Sugars
- Includes 8 g Added Sugars
- 3 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 6% DV – Vitamin D
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 15% DV – Iron
- 6% DV – Potassium
Lily’s Sweets
On a mission to give up sugar, but not chocolate, Cynthia Tice decided to make a no-sugar added chocolate, and Lily’s Sweets was born in 2010. Non-GMO and gluten-free, Lily’s products are certified as fair trade, and all foods are sweetened without refined or processed sugars.
Original Dark Chocolate
With no added sugars, a high fiber content of 10 grams per serving, and zero grams of sodium, this pleasantly bitter chocolate is one of Lily’s Sweets original offerings.
Ingredients:
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Chicory Root Fiber
- Dextrin
- Erythritol
- Cocoa Butter
- Milk Fat (rBST Free)
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Stevia Extract
- Vanilla Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 30 gram serving):
- 130 – Calories
- 10 g – Total Fat
- 6 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- <5 mg – Cholesterol
- 0 mg – Sodium
- 17 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 10 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Total Sugars
- 4 g – Erythritol
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 10% DV – Iron
- 4% DV – Potassium
Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate
Sweet and buttery, and with a touch of salt, the smoothness of this Salted Caramel milk chocolate bar from Lily’s Sweets will indulge your sweet tooth. Free from any genetically-engineered milk ingredients, this is a healthier alternative chocolate for you to enjoy.
Ingredients:
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Erythritol
- Chicory Root Fiber
- Dextrin
- Whole Milk Powder (rBST Free)
- Milk Fat (rBST Free)
- Natural Flavor
- Sea Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Stevia Extract
- Vanilla Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 30 gram serving):
- 130 – Calories
- 11 g – Total Fat
- 6 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5 mg – Cholesterol
- 75 mg – Sodium
- 17 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 10 g – Dietary Fiber
- <1 g – Total Sugars
- 5 g – Erythritol
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 6% DV – Iron
- 2% DV – Potassium
ChocZero
Keto-friendly and gluten-free, the ChocZero brand of chocolate is all about creating a chocolate you intensely crave and cannot wait to take a bite of. With flavors like pumpkin spice, dark chocolate hazelnut, and milk chocolate coconut, what’s not to crave?
Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Squares (limited edition)
White chocolate is so sweet, pairing it with pumpkin is a phenomenal idea, in order to provide a velvet balance between these two flavors. With no added sugar, or sugar alcohols, this is a healthy alternative to commercially manufactured chocolates.
Ingredients:
- Non-GMO Resistant Dextrin
- Cocoa Butter
- Whole Milk Powder
- Skim Milk Powder
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Clove
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Vegetable Oils and Fats
- Pumpkin Flavor
- Natural Color
- Monk Fruit Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 10 gram serving):
- 50 – Calories
- 4 g – Total Fat
- 2 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 10 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 4 g – Dietary Fiber
- 1 g – Total Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Keto Bark
This flavor had me at hazelnut. Dark chocolate combined with hazelnuts is one of the smartest flavors created. Using all natural ingredients, and lightly sweetening the chocolate bark with monk fruit makes this a perfect treat for dark chocolate lovers.
Ingredients:
- Dark Chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter)
- Soluble Corn Fiber (Non-GMO Resistant Dextrin)
- Hazelnuts
- Sea Salt,
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Monk Fruit Extract
- Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
Nutrition Facts (for 28 gram serving):
- 120 – Calories
- 10 g – Total Fat
- 5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 90 mg – Sodium
- 15 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 13 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Total Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 6% DV – Iron
- 2% DV – Potassium
Milk Chocolate Coconut Keto Bark
Feel like a getaway to a tropical locale? If you can’t get away, this Milk Chocolate with Coconut chocolate bark from Choczero can take you, at least in your tastebuds. Low carb and zero glycemic, enjoy this little treat any season of the year.
Ingredients:
- Milk Chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, and cream solids)
- Soluble Corn Fiber (Non-GMO Resistant Dextrin)
- Coconut
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Monk Fruit Extract
- Natural Caramel Flavor
- Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
Nutrition Facts (for 28 gram serving):
- 140 – Calories
- 11 g – Total Fat
- 7 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5 mg – Cholesterol
- 35 mg – Sodium
- 13 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 10 g – Dietary Fiber
- 1 g – Total Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 6% DV – Iron
Final Thoughts
While Ghirardelli produces some amazing chocolate flavors, and they are gluten-free, their use of some questionable ingredients makes them an unhealthier choice for your chocolate fix. Opt instead for some of the alternative brands listed in this article. When you need your next treat of chocolate, reach for one of the lower (or no) sugar, lower carb, and more natural ingredients chocolate brands. You’ll feel better eating a healthier snack.
Related Questions
Is Ghirardelli Chocolate vegan?
Some of the Ghirardelli chocolates are vegan-friendly. These include their Twilight Delight (72% cacao) bar, and the Intense Dark Chocolate (72% cacao) squares. All other chocolates contain animal by-product ingredients.
What is the caffeine content in Ghirardelli Chocolate?
A regular 8-ounce cup of caffeinated coffee has on average about 95 mg of caffeine. The caffeine content in one ounce of dark chocolate is about 20 milligrams, milk chocolate has about 6 milligrams, and white chocolate has no caffeine.
Is Ghirardelli Chocolate fair trade?
The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is making significant strides to source all their cocoa products sustainably within the next 4 years. Currently, all of their cocoa beans sources are traceable and certified by an independent third party to be sustainable.