How to Make Blue Chocolate Without Food Coloring

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White chocolate melting wafers, white candy melts, or white confectionery coating melt down smooth and glossy, and blue spirulina powder turns them into the kind of deep ocean blue you usually only get from gel or food coloring. The color sets up clean as it cools, the coating stays workable long enough to dip pretzel rods or drizzle a sheet of cookies, and there is no harsh food-coloring flavor.

Dip pretzel rods, drizzle cookies, fill candy molds, or pour into a piping bag for cookie decorating.

So why would you choose blue spirulina instead of food coloring? Blue spirulina is a 100% plant-based, natural pigment (specifically, a protein complex called phycocyanin). It contains no artificial additives, chemicals, or preservatives. It also doesn’t dilute; you get pure blue color without making the chocolate runny like some liquid colorants do.

While a 1-oz packet of spirulina is fairly pricey, it does go a long way.

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Steps + Photos to make this recipe for blue chocolate

Step 1: Place white chocolate melting wafers, white candy melts, or white confectionery coating in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Make sure the bowl and spatula are completely dry.

Step 2: Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir.

Step 3: Continue microwaving in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring between each, until about 75% of the wafers are melted.

Step 4: Stop microwaving. Stir until the residual heat melts the rest. The chocolate should be smooth and glossy. If after stirring gently, there are large portions that are unmelted, microwave for an additional 10 seconds.

Step 5: Add 1 teaspoon food-grade blue spirulina powder. Stir until the color is even with no streaks. For a deeper blue hue, add another 1/4 teaspoon at a time, up to 2 teaspoons total. Different brands vary in strength, so stop when you like the color. Past 2 teaspoons, the coating may start to taste “off.” Use a clean spoon to taste a little at a time as you add more spirulina.

Step 6: It is fairly thick at this stage. It should spread easily, and you should be able to dip OREOs or pretzels. For dipping more delicate foods like potato chips, you may need to add a spoonful of vegetable or coconut oil and stir, about a teaspoon at a time, until it’s a drizzly consistency.

Tools and Equipment

• Microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl
• Silicone or rubber spatula
• Teaspoon for stirring
• Measuring spoons (1 tsp and 1/4 tsp)
• Parchment paper or silicone mat (if you’re letting foods set/harden before serving)

Tips for Success

Use melting wafers (my favorite is the bags of Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers, found at most Walmarts), candy melts, or confectionery coating (like their Coating Wafers that I found on Amazon). They are already tempered, made to melt smoothly and set up well for dipping and drizzling. If you want true white chocolate, check the label for cocoa butter.

I struggled a bit getting the Ghirardelli White chocolate chips to melt and my first batch seized up entirely in the microwave. (I’m still not sure why, but it could have been a drop of water on my spoon or the chips got a hot spot that I didn’t notice). Chocolate chips are made to hold their shape in cookies, so you’ll usually need to add a teaspoon of coconut oil or vegetable shortening per cup of chips to get a smooth, dippable consistency. (See our full guide on how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave for the chip-specific method.)

Why blue spirulina works better than liquid or gel food coloring. Liquid food coloring can add moisture to melted chocolate or candy coating, which may make it seize or turn grainy. Blue spirulina is a dry powder, so it adds color without adding liquid water. Use food-grade blue spirulina powder or spirulina extract intended for food coloring.

Start with 1/2 teaspoon for 1 cup of wafers, then build from there. Different brands of blue spirulina vary in color strength, but here’s a good shade map for 1 cup of melting wafers:

• 1/4 teaspoon = ice blue
• 1/2 teaspoon = light bright blue
• 1 teaspoon = medium ocean blue
• 1 1/2 teaspoons = deep blue
• 2 teaspoons = saturated, denim blue (the shade you see on the pretzel rods in the photos)

Past 2 teaspoons, the coating can start to look muddy and taste slightly vegetal (weird for a sweet coating, right?) If you are really wanting something very dark blue, taste test as you add 1/4 t at a time.

Keep moisture out after melting. Ganache and glazes work because cream or other liquids are added in the right proportion and stirred into an emulsion. A small splash of water in melted chocolate or candy coating is different: it can make the mixture seize or turn grainy. Use dry tools, leave the bowl uncovered, and don’t cover it with plastic wrap while warm because condensation can drip back in.

If your chocolate seizes anyway, save it. Stir in a teaspoon of warm vegetable oil or melted coconut oil. It won’t be perfect, but you can usually salvage it for drizzling.

Sift the spirulina first for an even color. It clumps in storage. A quick pass through a fine mesh strainer keeps the color from going streaky.

Reheat in 15-second bursts at 50% power if it firms up before you finish.

FAQ

Where do I buy blue spirulina powder?

Most health food stores carry it, and Amazon has plenty of options. Look for food-grade blue spirulina powder; I ordered the organic kind, but there are several to choose from. They will all be different hues, so you may need to adjust measurements. Keep tasting so that you don’t end up with the perfect blue color but an “off” flavor.

Is blue spirulina the same as regular green spirulina?

No. Blue spirulina is the phycocyanin extract pulled out of green spirulina algae. Green spirulina has a stronger, more earthy taste and would turn your white chocolate coating green instead of blue. Blue spirulina is much milder.

Will it taste like spirulina?

At 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of coating, the flavor is usually mild and easy to cover with the sweetness of the coating. Past 2 teaspoons, it can turn a little vegetal or bitter, so don’t dump the whole bottle in hoping for the darkest blue.

Can I use white chocolate chips instead of melting wafers?

You can, but chips have stabilizers that fight melting smoothly and can overheat. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil or vegetable shortening per cup of chips and microwave at 50% power. The result is more forgiving than fighting plain chips alone. That said, I’m a big believer in using what you have on hand. Check out our lengthy guide for how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave here. The trick is always half-power for just a few seconds at a time and stirring often.

Can I use Wilton Candy Melts or candy coating?

Yes. Candy melts or “almond bark” aren’t technically white chocolate because they usually do not contain cocoa butter, but they melt smoothly and take blue spirulina powder well. Use the same ratio.

Does blue spirulina stain?

Mildly. It can turn your tongue light blue if you eat a lot at once. It washes off skin and counters easily with soap and water.

How long does blue chocolate stay liquid?

About 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Since it’s a candy coating, as it cools, it hardens. Reheat in 15-second bursts at 50% power if it firms up. I had to reheat the chocolate often as I dipped my treats.

Can I make this dairy-free or vegan?

Yes. Use a dairy-free white chocolate or vegan candy melts. The spirulina ratio stays the same.

Will the color fade?

Once it sets and hardens on the food, the color holds well for normal serving. Store finished treats away from direct sunlight because natural blue pigments can fade with light and heat.

Try This Blue Chocolate With:

• Pretzel rods. Dip the top half, sprinkle with sanding sugar, nonpareils, or jimmies, and set on parchment to harden.
• Strawberries. Dip and let drip, then drizzle with white chocolate over the top.
• Sugar cookies. Drizzle from a piping bag for a Frozen, mermaid, ocean, or boy baby shower theme.
• Bark. Pour onto parchment, top with sprinkles or freeze-dried fruit, chill until set, then break into pieces.
• Cake pops and cake balls. Check out our White Chocolate Cake Balls and Snowman Cake Pops — also uses Ghirardelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers (can you tell I’m a fan?)
• Chocolate-coated OREOs. Dunk and decorate with FANCY sugar or patriotic holiday sprinkles
• Marshmallow pops, donuts, popcorn drizzle, gender reveals (pair with genuine, rare ruby chocolate for a natural pink).

The bottom line

Blue chocolate coating looks like a specialty ingredient and only takes a bag of white melting wafers, candy melts, or white “almond bark” coating, plus a small amount of blue spirulina powder. Two ingredients, one bowl, four minutes start to finish, and the color is bright enough to anchor a Frozen birthday, a mermaid baby shower, a 4th of July dessert tray, or any party theme that needs blue. Once you make it once, you’ll keep going back because it is one of the easiest ways to make a vivid, naturally blue coating from the microwave with no gel food coloring in sight.