Unsweetened cocoa powder vs milk chocolate: which has more caffeine?

Unsweetened cocoa powder has 12.4mg of caffeine per 1 tbsp (5.4g), milk chocolate has 5.7mg per 1 oz (28.35g) bar. Both are small numbers: the 6.7mg between them is a rounding error next to a regular 8 oz cup of coffee at 95mg.

Unsweetened cocoa powder vs milk chocolate: the numbers

Both figures were checked against their source before this page went up: unsweetened cocoa powder against USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 169593 (230mg per 100g) (source) and milk chocolate against USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 167587 (20mg per 100g) (source). Brewed drinks and cocoa foods vary by batch, so published figures are averages rather than guarantees.

Where the caffeine in unsweetened cocoa powder comes from

Cacao contains caffeine and theobromine, and the caffeine rides along into anything made with real cocoa solids. The more cocoa solids in the product, the more caffeine: unsweetened cocoa powder runs 230mg per 100g, dark chocolate at 70 to 85 percent cacao runs 80mg per 100g, and milk chocolate runs 20mg per 100g, all per USDA FoodData Central. Coffee-flavored desserts are a separate case, because the caffeine comes from actual coffee rather than cacao. Serving size does the rest of the work, which is why a mug and a square of chocolate can land in the same range.

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If you want to control how much cacao goes in the mug, and therefore how much caffeine, start with plain powder instead of a pre-sweetened packet: browse unsweetened cocoa powder on Amazon.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

• Unsweetened cocoa powder: the full caffeine breakdown
• Milk chocolate: the full caffeine breakdown
• Does decaf have caffeine? Every decaf drink ranked
• Hidden caffeine: the foods and drinks people forget to count
• The verified caffeine database
• Compare any two drinks side by side

FAQ

Does unsweetened cocoa powder or milk chocolate have more caffeine? Unsweetened cocoa powder, at 12.4mg per 1 tbsp (5.4g) against 5.7mg per 1 oz (28.35g) bar for milk chocolate.

How much caffeine is in unsweetened cocoa powder? 12.4mg per 1 tbsp (5.4g), which works out to about 65.3mg per oz. The figure comes from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 169593 (230mg per 100g).

Is milk chocolate caffeine free? No. Milk chocolate carries 5.7mg per 1 oz (28.35g) bar. It is a small amount, but small is not the same as none.