What the number counts
Cacao beans are fermented, dried, roasted and ground into a thick paste called chocolate liquor or cocoa mass. It contains no alcohol. The paste is roughly half cocoa butter and half cocoa solids, and makers can also press it to separate the two. The cacao percentage on a label adds up everything that came from the bean: the liquor, any extra cocoa butter, and any cocoa powder.
So a 70% bar is 70% cacao by weight. In a plain dark bar the other 30% is mostly sugar, with perhaps a little vanilla and an emulsifier such as soy or sunflower lecithin. In a milk bar the rest is sugar and milk solids.
Build a bar
Move the slider to see how a plain dark bar splits between cacao and sugar. Each square is 5% of the weight.
Why two 70% bars taste different
The percentage tells you about sugar and strength. It says nothing about the beans or how they were handled. Two bars at the same number can differ in several ways:
- Butter and solids. One maker may add extra cocoa butter, which makes a smoother, milder bar. Another may use more cocoa solids, which tastes stronger and can feel drier.
- Beans and origin. Cacao from different regions and varieties can taste fruity, nutty, earthy or floral.
- Roast and fermentation. A dark roast brings out toasty, bitter notes. A light roast keeps more of the fruit.
- Grinding and conching. Longer refining makes a smoother texture and softens sharp acids.
Rough ranges by type
These are typical ranges. In the United States, federal standards of identity set minimums for some names. For example, milk chocolate must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor, and semisweet or bittersweet chocolate at least 35%. Most bars on the shelf sit well above those floors.
| Label | Typical cacao | How it tastes |
|---|---|---|
| Unsweetened or baking | 100% | Bitter, for recipes that add sugar |
| Extra dark | About 80 to 90% | Intense, dry, only a hint of sweetness |
| Bittersweet | About 60 to 75% | Strong cocoa, lightly sweet |
| Semisweet | About 45 to 60% | Balanced, the classic chip flavor |
| Milk | About 25 to 45% | Sweet and creamy |
| White | About 20 to 35% cocoa butter | Sweet, milky, vanilla-like |
Bittersweet and semisweet overlap. There is no fixed line between them, and one maker's bittersweet can be sweeter than another's semisweet. When a recipe matters, go by the percentage instead of the name.
Choosing a percentage for a recipe
- Use what the recipe names, if it gives a percentage. The sugar in the rest of the recipe was set with that bar in mind.
- If the recipe just says "dark chocolate," something between 55% and 70% is a safe choice.
- Going up by more than about 10 points makes the result less sweet and can make it drier, since there is more cocoa solid to absorb liquid.
- For eating with peanut butter, a sweeter bar balances salty peanuts. A darker bar keeps the pairing from tasting too sugary. Try both.
The percentage does not tell you about allergens. Check the ingredient list and the "contains" line for milk and soy, even on dark bars. The allergen page has more.
Questions
Does a higher percentage mean more caffeine?
Cocoa solids contain small amounts of caffeine and a related compound called theobromine, so darker chocolate generally has more than milk chocolate, and white chocolate has very little. Amounts vary by bar. If you need to limit caffeine, ask your doctor what is sensible for you.
What does "single origin" mean?
It means the beans came from one country or region, and sometimes one farm. It describes where the beans came from and says nothing about quality or cacao percentage.