Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Soap Bars

If you are planning to make soap for the holiday season, this gorgeous and deliciously scented recipe should definitely be on your list. Our resident soap maker, Kelly Owens of Sunnypatch Soapworks, whipped up the incredible bars when we asked for something inspired by the scents and colors of November and December.

While most pumpkin soaps leave us craving an ever-popular latté drink, these bars remind us another pumpkin treat – pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! The combination of dark chocolate, sweet cinnamon, and rich pumpkin brings out all those warm fuzzy feelings that we love about this time of year. Hot cocoa! Wooly blankets! Spicy sweets!

Gimme gimme gimme.

I got a little carried away there for a second. Back to the soap.

Our Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Soap Recipe uses a moisturizing combination of Babassu Oil, Olive Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Mango Butter to make up the soap’s main components. A tiny bit of Castor Oil ensures a rich lather, while Organic Virgin Pumpkin Seed Oil adds a touch of nourishing moisture to the blend. These bars are creamy, bubbly, and so very pretty.

Cocoa Powder and Gold Mica are used to color our Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Soaps. The combination of rich chocolate brown and golden custard yellow makes this recipe look good enough to eat.

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Soap Bars
Makes approximately five 5 ounce bars

Ingredients

• Organic Babassu Oil 5.5 ounces
• Organic Olive Oil 8 ounces
• Mango Butter 2 ounces
• Castor Oil 1.5 ounces
• Cocoa Butter, Pure Prime Pressed 1.5 ounces
• Organic Virgin Pumpkin Seed Oil 2 ounces
• Organic Cocoa Powder 1 tablespoon
• Dark Chocolate Supreme FO .0.3 ounces
• Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin FO .0.3 ounces
• Pumpkin Pie FO 0.3 ounces
• Gold Karat Sparkle Mica 1 teaspoon (save a little for dusting on top)
• Pumpkin Puree 2 ounces
• 5 Cinnamon Sticks
• Lye 2.8 ounces
• Distilled Water 4.3 ounces

(Note: This recipe uses a 6% Lye Discount)

Directions

1. Prepare 2-pound loaf soap mold and line with wax paper, as needed.
2. Measure the distilled water and place in stainless steel pot or large plastic pitcher with​ ​very thick walls.
3. Measure and add lye to water. Stir for about a minute or two until completely dissolved. Let mixture cool down to about 100​ F (38 C).​
4. ​Measure babassu oil, cocoa butter, and mango butter. Heat in double-boiler​ ​until fully melted.
5. Measure olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, and castor oil and add to melted oils and butters.
6. Combine lye water and fats, then stir or stick blend until mixture reaches thin trace.
7. Add the pumpkin puree, making sure to blend well.
8. Separate approximately 1/3 of the mixture and set remainder aside.
9. Add the cocoa powder, mica, and Dark Chocolate Supreme Fragrance Oil to smaller portion of mixture. Blend well and set about a 1/4 of this mixture aside for the top of the soap.
10. Add the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin and Pumpkin Pie Fragrance Oils to the remaining mixture, and blend well.
11. Starting with the pumpkin scented mixture, alternate pouring the two soap batters into your mold.This will help to create a swirl as they are poured.
12. Using a spoon, top one side of the soap with the remaining portion of cocoa-colored soap batter.
13. Add the cinnamon sticks to the top of loaf. Space them evenly in anticipation of how they will be cut.
14. Dust the top of the soap with the remaining mica.
15. Allow soap to cure overnight. Slice into bars, then cure for 6 weeks before use.

Shelf Life & Stability: Please note that the formulations featured here on The Natural Beauty Workshop have not been challenge tested for stability or shelf life, and may not be suitable for commercial use as-is. For more information on shelf life, stability, and working with preservatives, check out the following article from our Information Library.