Cocoa butter is widely known and used for cosmetic purposes, but only a few know that this organic, healthy fat, can be used for culinary purposes too.
Imagine using cocoa butter in place of butter in preparing your birthday cakes or cookies.. Or use it like cream in your coffee. It’s not just a healthy vegan-friendly fat to use, but it makes your recipes sumptuous.
Cocoa butter, also known as cacao butter, is a vegetable fat pressed from cocoa beans as a result of extracting cocoa powder. As a vegetable fat, it is free from dairy properties, making it an ideal choice for vegetarians and all alike.
Not only does it contain considerable fatty acids and vitamins for keeping the skin healthy, but it is also edible, with so many benefits for our overall health-being.
Cocoa butter is thus a complete powerhouse that has continued to meet the needs and wants of mankind. But not every cocoa butter is edible.
To use cocoa butter in cooking, you need to get the raw or unrefined type, or food-grade, which is safe for eating. In this review, I share the best raw and pure cocoa for cooking and where you can buy it.
Ready? Okay!
Also Read: Can you Eat Cocoa Butter? Uses, Health Benefits and Side Effects!
Best cocoa butter for cooking list
- Sunfood Superfoods Cacao Butter
- Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Cacao Butter
- Divine Organics Raw Vegan Cacao Butter
- Navitas Organics Cacao Butter
- Nuvia Organics Cocoa Butter
- SAAQIN Raw Cocoa Butter
- Food to Live Organic Cacao Butter
Comparison Table For Best Cocoa Butter For Cooking
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Sunfood Superfoods Organic Cacao Butter. 100% Pure Cacao Bean Oil |
| Check Price |
 | Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Cacao Butter |
| Check Price |
 | Divine Organics Raw Cacao Powder/Raw Cocoa Powder |
| Check Price |
 | Navitas Organics Cacao Butter |
| Check Price |
 | Nuvia Organics Cocoa Butter - 100% USDA Certified Organic |
| Check Price |
 | Cocoa Butter NON-GMO By SaaQin® |
| Check Price |
 | Organic Cacao Butter— Kibbled, Non-GMO, Raw, Pure, Unfiltered, Unrefined, Keto, Vegan Superfood, |
| Check Price |
Best cocoa butter for cooking Reviewed
1. Sunfood Superfoods Cacao Butter
Sunfood Superfoods Cacao Butter is a 100% pure, raw cocoa butter that can make your smoothies or morning coffee a treat to wake up to. It can be used as a substitute for baking, making desserts, and frying eggs.
As a natural butter, it’s also perfect for skin and hair as Sunfood cacao butter is high in healthy fats and antioxidants, including essential omega fatty acids.
Pros
- Non-GMO.
- Gluten-free.
- Contains fatty acids.
- Certified by the CCOF.
- 100% pure cocoa butter.
- Suitable for vegetarians.
- Can be used to moisturise the skin.
Cons
- Strong chocolate aroma may not be favourable for some consumers
2. terrasoul Superfoods Organic Cacao Butter
Terrasoul superfoods organic cocoa butter is 100% pure cocoa butter manufactured from cold-pressed high-quality Peruvian cocoa beans. The vegan butter can be used for cooking, baking, and making creamy coffee.
The butter is USDA-certified organic and is perfect for producing your own skincare lotion. Customers love the natural scent and how gentle it is on their skin and tongue. You’ll enjoy it as well.
Pros
- USDA Certified
- Suitable for vegetarians.
- A good choice for cooking
- Contains pure cocoa butter.
- Gluten-free Non-GMO product
- A 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Suitable for use by Kosher-observing folks.
- Made from fine Peruvian Criollo cocoa beans.
Cons
- It has a hard texture.
3. Divine Organics Raw Vegan Cacao Butter
One of the best raw cocoa butter you can find on the market, Divine Organics raw vegan cocoa butter has no additives or artificial properties. It’s 100% pure cocoa butter derived from cocoa beans that grow in Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The butter rich in fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants ensures balance nutrients in your cooking. It’s not just a perfect substitute for your kitchen oil, but also your bakery butter.
It helps with healthy skin and also together with nutritious recipes.
Pros
- Gluten-free
- It is non-GMO
- It contains minerals.
- This butter is vegan-friendly.
- It is excellent for cooking and baking.
- Applying it to your skin protects you against UV rays..
Cons
- It has a solid texture.
4. Navitas Organics Cacao Butter
A good source of the best food-grade cocoa butter for baking is the Mary Taylor Naturals brand. The company’s organic cocoa butter carries a 100% USDA certification, which means, you are assured of quality butter manufactured free of chemicals.
It’s easy to scoop your desired amount for any recipe as it’s in bits. This product will give you a sweet flavour and texture and leave your dishes smelling and tasting amazing.
Pros
- Chocolate fragrance
- It’s suitable for vegans.
- It has a natural sweet flavour.
- 100% sourced pure cocoa butter.
- It’s easy to scoop from the package.
Cons
- It’s texture is solid.
5. Nuvia Organics Cocoa Butter
Nuvia Organics made sure they got all the necessary green lights from the USDA, so you can rest assured that this cocoa butter is safe for consumption.
You can use them conveniently in cooking.
If you’re wondering about the taste, it’s got a sweet chocolate fragrance, so this can be a perfect basis for some other sweet recipes. Of course, this product is completely free of any artificial additives or preservatives, so rest assured that you’ll only be eating 100% natural cocoa butter with this product. It’s completely vegan, too.
Pros
- Pressurized into round wafers for easy use.
- Has a sweet, chocolaty aroma.
- Organic cocoa butter.
- Money-back guarantee
- 100% USDA certified.
Cons
- May be soft in summer.
6. SAAQIN Raw Cocoa Butter
SAAQIN Raw Cocoa Butter is 100% natural, vegan, and organic. SAAQIN’s cacao butter is delivered in little discs rather than a difficult-to-measure bulk. This butter is a natural moisturizer that can be incorporated into homemade creams, lotions, shampoos, and other skincare products.
It is, among its numerous benefits, a better choice for making nutritious desserts, ice creams, coffee, and body butter. Incorporate it into your cooking recipes for healthy well-being.
Pros
- Vegan-friendly.
- Excellent for cooking.
- 100% pure cocoa butter.
- Has a natural fragrance.
- Easy to use for all recipes
- Better moisturizer for skin
Cons
- The texture is very hard.
7. Food to Live Organic Cacao Butter
Cacao butter is ideal for cooking, particularly when making homemade chocolate. Cacao butter can be used in all-natural cosmetic products like moisturizers and hair conditioners. Food to Live cacao butter is high in fatty acids, vitamins, and trace minerals.
Food to Live organic cocoa butter is natural, non-GMO, contaminant-free, vegan-friendly, and USDA-certified organic.
Pros
- Suitable for making homemade chocolate
- Suitable for vegetarians
- It contains fatty acids.
- Contains minerals
Cons
- Has a strong cocoa smell
What to Consider When Looking for the Best Cocoa Butter for Cooking
1. Look for raw or unrefined cocoa butter
High-quality cocoa butter is 100% pure and unrefined. So be sure to look out for that description on any cocoa butter you buy, especially if you’re looking for edible or food grade.
Also Read: 5 Best Organic Cocoa Butter: Pure and Unadulterated!
2. Chocolate smell
One of the features that differentiate raw cocoa butter from refined is the chocolate aroma. Pure cocoa butter has a strong chocolate smell. This may be satisfactory to some consumers or inconvenient to those sensitive to smell. Be sure to check out the smell to be sure you’re buying raw cocoa butter for cooking.
Also Read: 11 Best Hot Chocolate Makers for Chocoholics
3. Natural antioxidants
Using cocoa butter for cooking is an excellent idea, especially if you’re using it as a cooking ingredient. This fat contains natural antioxidants and is suitable for use in food preparation. The best place to find these raw cocoa butter products are on certified online stores like Amazon
4. Life span
Raw cocoa butter has a life span of between two and five years. These should be specified on the label or packaging. Any packaging with a shorter life span is not raw cocoa butter but mixed with chemicals or artificial preservatives.
5. Gluten-Free Ingredients
If you’re buying cocoa butter to use in your cooking, or as an additive to your coffee, then cocoa butter is for you. It is vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
6. USDA-Approval
Be sure your cocoa butter has undergone the USDA’s strict rites of passage before you choose it.
If a cocoa butter manufacturer manages to get one of these licenses, it’s a pretty good sign that their product is of high quality. After all, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be able to detect flaws in a product that resides in an agricultural domain, so to speak.
However, this does not automatically mean that the products without the USDA’s designation are inferior. That said, if you want to be on the safe side, make sure to buy a product that has USDA approval.
7. Warranty
Many manufacturers of cocoa butter offer warranties on their products, despite the odds.
Even though you aren’t likely to see a warranty offered on food or skin-care products very often, some cocoa-based food and skin-care product manufacturers are so confident in their goods, that they’re willing to go the extra mile to make good on their promises.
It may be wiser to choose a cocoa butter product with a warranty over one without, especially if you’re buying a cocoa-based product for the first time.
How to Cook With Cocoa Butter
Sweet and savoury recipes can benefit from cocoa butter, which adds a bit of creaminess to beverages and desserts.
In vegan or dairy-free recipes, you can substitute it for coconut butter or oil. As cocoa butter has a high smoke point, it is ideal for cooking at high temperatures since it will not burn easily; it also does not need to be used as much as other fats. Cocoa butter is solid, so it must be melted before use.
Also Read: What is Cocoa Butter: Benefits, Uses, Characteristics and Side Effects
Is cocoa butter safe to use in the kitchen?
Cocoa butter is a healthy ingredient used in sweet and savoury recipes to give creaminess to beverages and bakeries. Cocoa butter is good for cooking at high temperatures because of its high smoke point; it won’t burn as quickly as other fats and requires as much.
Cooking with cocoa butter is delicious in both savoury and sweet dishes. However, it should be noted that in many countries where cocoa is a crucial resource, food-grade cocoa butter is mainly used in the kitchen.
Also Read: Cacao Butter vs Cocoa Butter: What the Difference and Uses?
Where to Buy Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter can be found at health food and speciality grocery stores, as well as online. All these products reviewed can be found on Amazon. Cosmetic-grade cocoa butter is available at drug stores and vitamin shops.
Read the label carefully to be sure the product is pure cocoa butter and that it is food grade. If there are additional ingredients or it does not specify food grade, it may not be safe to eat. The food-grade tends to be more expensive than the type used for beauty care.
Also Read: 18 Best Cocoa Butter Lotion for Black Skin: For a Natural and Perfect Skin!
How to store cocoa butter
Because cocoa butter melts at high temperatures but is solid at room temperature, it should be stored away from light and heated in a cool, dry spot.
It can also be kept in the refrigerator. If stored properly, cocoa butter will last between 2 and 5 years.
Also Read: 5 Best Organic Cocoa Butter: Pure and Unadulterated!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Cocoa Butter Good For Cooking?
Yes, cocoa butter is good for cooking. Use it in place of coconut butter or oil and as a substitute for butter in vegan or dairy-free recipes. Because of its high smoke point, cocoa butter is ideal when cooking at high temperatures as it won’t burn easily; it’s also not necessary to use as much as other fats.
Which Cocoa Butter Is Edible?
Raw cocoa butter is also completely edible (with an appealing tropical smell and flavour similar to that of dark chocolate), making it hugely popular for use in lip glosses and balms.
Which Is Better: Refined Or Unrefined Cocoa Butter?
There are generally two grades of cocoa butter for skin care: raw or unrefined, and refined. Raw cocoa butter has not been heated to a high temperature in the production process. Therefore it is believed to retain all of the beneficial fats. It will have a stronger chocolate smell than its refined version.
Is There A Difference Between Cacao Butter And Cocoa Butter?
They’re the same product and used the same way, but they’re processed differently. Generally, cacao butter is raw, and cocoa butter is processed at a high temperature, making it not raw. It’s the same with cocoa powder and cacao powder.
Does Cocoa Butter Clog Arteries?
The naturally occurring cocoa butter is a type of fat that does not clog arteries. So we have a high-fat food that is a good source of antioxidants that lowers our risk of heart disease.
How do you make cocoa butter for cooking?
Melt the butter in a small saucepan on regular heat, without it burning, Put the mixture in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator, stirring it 3-4 times while it cools, Put the cocoa butter in dessert glasses and place them in the refrigerator overnight.
Can All Cocoa Butter Be Eaten?
Pure cocoa butter does not contain any ingredients that are likely to cause problems in most people. People can eat pure cocoa butter but should not ingest cocoa butter products designed for the skin. As with many skin care products, cocoa butter formulations may contain other ingredients that could irritate the skin.
Can I use pure cocoa butter to fry?
When cocoa butter is used in place of frying oil, there is no frying odour or taste. Furthermore, when fried in cocoa butter, they absorb extremely little fat. This is especially true for spongy vegetables like courgette and celery. As a result, frying with cocoa butter is healthier.
Does Heating Cocoa Butter Ruin It?
If necessary, Unrefined Cocoa Butter can be heated in the microwave, but it is important to do so carefully as over-heating the butter can damage its beneficial properties.
Can you use cocoa butter for cooking?
Cocoa butter is a pure, stable fat that is probably best known for its presence in body and face lotions. However, it is also used in cooking, in both sweet and savoury recipes. Cocoa butter, also called cacao butter, has the flavour and aroma of cocoa and is considered vegetable fat.
How Does Pure Cocoa Butter Taste?
Cocoa butter has a mildly sweet taste and aroma that is reminiscent of chocolate; the scent is stronger than the taste. It is never eaten on its own but is only used as an ingredient in recipes. The texture of coconut butter is like coconut oil and coconut butter combined.
Now it’s your turn…
These products reviewed are all unique and best for cooking in the kitchen. Whether you’re sourcing for large cooking or morning coffee or for making chocolate cake, any of them will meet your edible needs.
Raw cocoa butter is beneficial for not just the skin but overall health-being and hair. You can source pure cocoa butter on …
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