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If you’re a chocoholic and avid baker like me, you probably find yourself using cocoa powder often. You’ve probably noticed that cocoa powder labels can be confusing — “natural,” “Dutch process,” “alkalized.”
In my early baking days, I swapped out cocoa powders without thinking. This sometimes led to flat cakes, dry brownies, or even a weird metallic taste. I learned the hard way: cocoa powder chemistry directly affects taste, texture, and structure.
Let’s break it down.
Sprinkle of Science
What is Cocoa Powder?
Cocoa powder is made by fermenting, drying, roasting, and grinding cocoa beans, then removing most of the cocoa powder to yield a fine powder. Cocoa powder offers more chocolate flavor than solid chocolate in baking recipes.
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | Natural Cocoa | Dutch Process |
|---|---|---|
| pH | Acidic (~5.5) | Neutral (~7-8) |
| Color | Light brown | Deep, rich brown |
| Flavor | Fruity, sharp | Smooth, mellow |
| Best with | Baking soda | Baking powder |
| Fat content | Lower (~10%) | Higher (~20-26%) |
What is Natural Cocoa Powder?
Natural cocoa powder is unsweetened, medium brown in color, bitter, sharp, and fruity in flavor. It’s commonly used in American brownie and cake recipes.
Natural Cocoa Powder Quick Facts:
- Acidic (pH ~5.5)
- Activates baking soda
- Produces lighter-colored baked goods that rise taller but can sometimes be drier
How Natural Cocoa Powder Works in Baking
Its acidity helps the proteins in baked goods set more rapidly and create taller cookies and cakes.
What leavener works with natural cocoa powder?
Baking soda. The acidity in the natural cocoa powder will activate the baking soda, allowing proper rise in the oven, as well as neutralizing the acidity of the cocoa powder itself for a more pleasant taste.
Is unsweetened cocoa powder the same as natural cocoa powder?
Yes. The word “natural” may not exist on the label, but it is the more commonly found cocoa powder product on grocery store shelves in the U.S.
Cocoa Fat Content = KEY!
Natural cocoa powder often contains less cocoa butter and more starch, which makes it more drying in baked goods. Most grocery store varieties contain around 10% fat, which can lead to dry or crumbly baked goods or goods that don’t stay moist for long after baking.
For best results:
Choose a cocoa powder that contains at least 20% fat.
How to determine the fat content in cocoa powder?
Check the nutrition label: you want at least 1 gram of fat per 5-gram serving, which equals about 20% cocoa fat.
What is Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder?
Dutch-process cocoa powder has been treated with an alkaline substance, like potassium carbonate or sodium carbonate, to raise the pH to a neutral 7 or alkaline 8.
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder Quick Facts:
- Neutral to alkaline with pH of 7 to 8
- Often paired with baking powder
- Creates deep-colored, denser, and fudgier bakes
How Dutch Cocoa Powder Affects Flavor and Texture
This process creates a smoother, fuller, softer flavor and deepens the color. It also creates baked goods that won’t rise as high but instead will be more dense, fudgy, and moist.
This is due to both its lack of acidity and its tendency to have a higher concentration of cocoa butter compared to most natural cocoa powder products.
How do I tell if a cocoa powder is Dutch-processed?
Look out for the words “Dutched,” “cocoa processed with alkali,” “alkalized,” or “European-style” on the packaging.
What leavener works with Dutch-processed cocoa powder?
Baking powder, since Dutch-process cocoa is no longer acidic. Baking powder does not require acidity to activate, simply liquid and heat. Learn more about Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda here.
Note: Dutch-process cocoa powder won’t activate baking soda. Your batter or dough will need another acidic ingredient, such as brown sugar, lemon, buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt, or you won’t get much leavening effect.
Color does NOT equal flavor or quality!
What’s perhaps most immediately noticeable about Dutch cocoa is its rich, deep, and sometimes reddish color that is a byproduct of Dutching. Contrast that with the lighter tan color of natural cocoa. However, the deeper the color, the less chocolate flavor present (think of Oreo cookies!).
Can You Substitute Natural and Dutch Process Cocoa?
Sometimes, if the recipe allows…
Safe to Substitute (No Leavening Needed):
- Buttercream
- Frosting
- Ice cream
- Pudding
- Tiramisu
- My Chewy Brownie recipe, which doesn’t call for leaveners!
Not Safe (Without Adjustments & Experimenting):
- Cakes
- Cupcakes
- Cookies
- Brownies that use leavening
Setting aside the differences in pH, natural cocoa powder typically has less fat and more starch content, which can also greatly impact textures and structures.
What is Cacao Powder?
In cacao powder, the beans are processed at temperatures low enough that the final powder is considered “raw.” This means it has more nutrients, but is also much more bitter.
Cocoa powder goes through a process of roasting and higher heat exposure, which means it is not raw and loses some of its nutritional value. That’s what helps to make regular cocoa powder less bitter.
I don’t bake with cacao powder. In part because of its bitter taste. But also because most recipes I use cocoa powder in are baked, which would strip the more expensive cacao powder of those raw nutrients.
Storage Tips for Cocoa Powder
Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container and use within 1 year of purchase. Don’t refrigerate or freeze, which promotes moisture and therefore spoilage.
How to Enhance Cocoa Powder’s Chocolate Flavor
“Blooming” cocoa by combining it with a hot liquid, like boiling water or very hot coffee, intensifies its chocolate flavor and helps dissolve the powder for a smoother batter (this is especially helpful with natural cocoa powder, which doesn’t dissolve as readily as Dutch-process). You can see this demonstrated in my Chocolate Cake Recipe.
FAQs
Can I add cocoa powder to any recipe to make it chocolate?
No. At least not without significant experimenting and adapting.
The starches in cocoa powder are very drying. In fact, they will absorb more liquid than an equal amount by weight of flour. So if you are attempting to convert a vanilla cake into a chocolate cake recipe, for example, you would need to consider the added cocoa powder like flour. Meaning, you will need to reduce or increase the amount of liquid to rebalance the recipe’s ratios.
The one exception is for American buttercream, which you can usually add cocoa powder to without issue.
What if the recipe doesn’t specify the type of cocoa powder to use?
If a recipe doesn’t specify or offers you the choice between the cocoa powders, note that Dutch-process will create a darker product with a smoother, mellower, and more earthy flavor vs. natural cocoa powder, which will create a lighter colored product with a fruitier and more astringent flavor.
I personally find natural cocoa powder to be more reminiscent of childhood chocolate treats in America so it has a nostalgic feel. But for me, I almost always prefer Dutch-process cocoa powder for its richness and smoothness.
Can I use Dutch-process cocoa if the recipe calls for baking soda?
It depends on the other ingredients in the recipe. Dutch-process cocoa powder won’t activate baking soda since it’s not acidic. Your batter or dough will need another acidic ingredient, such as brown sugar, lemon, buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt, or you won’t get much leavening effect.
Where to buy Dutch-processed cocoa powder?
I sometimes find it at regular stores, but it’s a hit-or-miss. You can more often find it at more gourmet stores such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, Penzey’s, or simply purchase it online from Amazon or King Arthur Baking. I really like Guittard, Bensdorp, and Penzey’s.
What are your favorite brands of cocoa powder?
Dutch-Process: Penzey’s (22%), Guittard Cocoa Rouge (22%), Bensdorp (24-26%)
Natural: Penzey’s High Fat Natural (22%), Ghirardelli (20%)
Is Hershey’s cocoa powder Dutch-processed?
Hershey’s “Special Dark” cocoa powder is indeed Dutched. Their regular “natural unsweetened” is not Dutched.
What is Black Cocoa Powder?
The ever-popular Oreo cookie is made with highly Dutched cocoa powder, sometimes called black cocoa. It imparts that characteristic dark color but very little chocolate flavor or fat, resulting in a more dry or crumbly product.
What is Cacao Powder?
Cacao powder is processed at lower temperatures and considered “raw.” It retains some more nutrients but is more bitter and will behave differently in baking. I don’t bake with cacao powder — most baking recipes apply heat, so those potential extra nutrients will be negated, making it not worth the extra cost.
Can I use hot cocoa mix in place of cocoa powder?
No. That has added sugar and flavorings that will throw off the chemistry of your recipe.
Best Cocoa Powder Recipes:
- Best Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Double Chocolate Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Best Chocolate American Frosting
Sources:
America’s Test Kitchen (Firm. Everything Chocolate : A Decadent Collection of Morning Pastries, Nostalgic Sweets, and Showstopping Desserts. Boston, Ma, America’s Test Kitchen, 2020.
Arthur, King. The King Arthur Baking School: Lessons and Recipes for Every Baker. The Countryman Press, 11 Oct. 2022.
Corriher, Shirley O. BakeWise : The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with over 200 Magnificent Recipes. New York, Ny, Scribner, 2008.
Figoni, Paula. How Baking Works : Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science. 3rd ed., Hoboken, N.J., John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
Guittard, Amy. Amy Guittard on Chocolate. 13 Nov. 2025.
McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York, Scribner, 2004.
Fab…thanks!
Hi Tessa! I was wondering, in a choc chip cookie recipe, giving that the recipe calls for brown sugar and the baking soda can react with this, can I use either natural or dutch cocoa powder? Or is there a reason for which I have to use natural?
Also, if I want to make a recipe darker and want to use black cocoa when normal cocoa is requested, can I do it? Or black cocoa is considered dutch cocoa and therefore cannot always be used as substitute of natural one?
And if I start from a recipe, e.g. choc chip cookie, and want to make it chocolatey, how much flour can I substitute for cocoa powder?
Thank you!!!!!
Hi Chiara! In a chocolate chip cookie recipe that uses brown sugar and baking soda, you can sometimes swap between natural and Dutch-process cocoa powder since the acidic brown sugar can help activate the baking soda. However, the overall balance of acidity and alkalinity may be affected, and the results might vary slightly in terms of spread and texture. If the recipe you’re using specifically calls for natural or Dutch-process cocoa, it’s likely designed with that acidity in mind, so it’s best to stick with the cocoa powder specified.
As for black cocoa, it’s considered a Dutch-process cocoa, meaning it’s been heavily alkalized. It’s great for adding deep color and a more intense, slightly bitter chocolate flavor, but keep in mind that it lacks the acidity needed to react with baking soda, just like Dutch-process cocoa powder.
If you want to add cocoa powder to a cookie recipe that doesn’t originally call for it, a good rule of thumb is to replace about 25% of the flour with cocoa powder. However, since cocoa is drier than flour, you might need to adjust the liquid or fat in the recipe to maintain the right texture. I hope this helps, and I encourage you to try experimenting with different leaveners and cocoa powders in your baking. Testing in the kitchen is the best way to learn! 🙂
Thank you Tessa, This article is a valuable tool in determining which cocoa will yield the best results for each recipe. I have a recipe that calls for Baking Soda (no Baking Powder) so now I know which cocoa powder to use in that recipe.