[[{“value”:”Whether you’re making pudding, cookies, cake or hot chocolate, the cocoa powder you use can make a noticeable difference in the finished recipe. Different varieties can vary in flavor, richness, sweetness, and intensity, so choosing the right one can help bring out the best in your baked goods. To find the best options, Eat This, Not That! asked several bakers to share the cocoa powders they reach for most. From everyday baking staples to options with a deeper chocolate flavor, these are the seven brands they recommend.
Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Ghirardelli is a familiar name in chocolate, and its unsweetened cocoa powder is an easy option for recipes that call for straightforward chocolate flavor. It can be used across a range of classic baked goods, making it a practical pantry must-have. This is the cocoa powder I reach for again and again,” says Daniel P. Craig, cooking and baking expert and founder of Kitchendeets.com. “It has a strong, deep chocolate taste, but it’s not too bitter. It works great in brownies, cakes, and cookies, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good results.”
Hershey Cocoa Powder
Hershey’s is widely available and has long been a popular choice for home bakers. Its unsweetened cocoa powder offers an accessible option for recipes where you want chocolate flavor without investing in a premium-priced product. “The flavor of this cocoa powder is very consistent and bakes perfectly, and it does not break the bank,” says Kristina Lavallee, Founder and CEO of The Cake Girl. “I have tried several others over the years and Hershey’s is a great budget-friendly option to give a very good result. It does have a little less fat compared to higher-end brands, but in my experience it works well for a variety of cakes, brownies and icings. ”
Valrhona Cocoa Powder
Valrhona is known for its professional-quality chocolate products, and its cocoa powder is geared toward bakers who want a more refined ingredient. It’s particularly well suited to recipes where cocoa plays a central role in the finished dessert. “This is among my favorite products to work with, a premium cocoa powder with a sophisticated, intense chocolate flavor and excellent color,” says Burhan Demirci, the baker at Red Beard Coffee & Bakery in NYC. “It is especially nice for pastry applications where the cocoa is one of the main flavors rather than just a supporting ingredient.”
Navitas Organics: Organic Cocoa Powder
For shoppers who pay close attention to sourcing and ingredients, Navitas Organics offers a cocoa powder with certifications and a relatively simple ingredient profile. Its versatility also makes it useful beyond traditional baking applications. “This is the kind of cacao/cocoa powder I keep in my own kitchen and use for all of my personal baking and smoothies,” shares Odette D’Aniello, Founder and CEO of Dragonfly Cakes. “There are no fillers, minimal ingredients, and it’s all organic and fair trade and regeneratively farming certified.” She adds, “It’s a one-to-one swap for conventional cocoa powder, and I absolutely love the taste, love that it’s ethically sourced, and it works well in all the different applications in my house.”
Cacao Barry Extra Brute
Cacao Barry’s Extra Brute is designed for professional pastry work, making it a particularly interesting choice for bakers who use cocoa powder in larger quantities. Its characteristics can be especially useful in recipes where cocoa needs to perform alongside rich ingredients. “At the bakery, since we’re using very large quantities of cocoa powder each day, we prefer the Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder,” D’Aniello says. “It has a very high fat content, which makes it perform really well in fat-heavy items like buttercream, plus it has just an amazing color and flavor, which makes it the best of all the options we’ve tried in our 25+ years in business.”
Guittard Cocoa Powder
Guittard offers several cocoa powder varieties, giving home bakers more options than a standard unsweetened cocoa powder. Its products can be used in both desserts and drinks, making the brand worth considering for chocolate lovers who want versatility. “Guittard cocoa powder, like their chocolate, is high quality and they offer many different options that aren’t just the bog-standard Dutch-processed cocoa,” explains Olivia Colt, CEO and founder of Salt and Honey Catering. “It’s never chalky and has an intense cocoa flavor. I use it for both baking and hot chocolate in the winter. I love that they offer many decadent variations.”
King Arthur
King Arthur‘s cocoa offerings include specialty options such as black cocoa, giving bakers a way to achieve a particularly dark and intense chocolate profile. That makes the brand useful for recipes where you want cocoa to have a pronounced presence. It’s another brand Colt highly recommends. “I like King Arthur for several reasons, but mostly because I can also source black cocoa powder through them,” she says. This cocoa powder is so deeply chocolatey and provides an intense flavor rarely achieved with cocoa alone.” Colt adds, “Lastly, their products retain a creaminess that ensures your cakes, cupcakes and cookies never end up super dry and tough to eat.”
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