Short answer: yes, dark chocolate has caffeine, because cacao itself contains it. USDA FoodData Central lists 80 mg of caffeine per 100 g of 70–85% dark chocolate, about 23 mg in a 1 oz (28 g) piece; 60–69% dark chocolate averages about 24 mg per ounce and 45–59% about 12 mg. Milk chocolate has about 6 mg per ounce, and USDA lists none in white chocolate. Cacao's main methylxanthine, the family of compounds caffeine belongs to, is not caffeine but theobromine: USDA lists ten times more theobromine than caffeine in 70–85% dark chocolate.
This article is for general information only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or a registered dietitian about your own situation, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have diabetes, allergies or a medical condition.
How much caffeine is in dark chocolate, by type
An ounce of dark chocolate has roughly 12 to 24 mg of caffeine on USDA's averages, depending on its cacao content; cocoa powder carries the most per gram.
| Chocolate or cacao product | Caffeine per 100 g | Caffeine per 1 oz (28 g)* | USDA samples (range per 100 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark chocolate, 70–85% cacao | 80 mg | about 23 mg | 2 (80–80 mg) |
| Dark chocolate, 60–69% cacao | 86 mg | about 24 mg | 3 (70–100 mg) |
| Dark chocolate, 45–59% cacao | 43 mg | about 12 mg | 3 (40–50 mg) |
| Unsweetened baking chocolate (100% cocoa mass) | 80 mg | about 23 mg | 3 (80–80 mg) |
| Cocoa powder, unsweetened | 230 mg | about 65 mg | 1 |
| Milk chocolate | 20 mg | about 6 mg | 9 (20–20 mg) |
| White chocolate | 0 mg | 0 mg | — |
*Calculated by us from USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g (1 oz = 28.35 g).
Health Canada's table of caffeine in foods gives similar orders of magnitude per 1 oz (28 g): 7 mg for milk chocolate candy, 19 mg for sweet chocolate candy and 25–58 mg for unsweetened baking chocolate.
"Unsweetened baking chocolate" is the same product chocolatiers call cocoa mass or cocoa liquor: under the U.S. standard of identity, chocolate liquor is made by finely grinding cacao nibs and may be labelled "baking chocolate" or "unsweetened chocolate". Read more in our article what is chocolate liquor?
Does darker chocolate always have more caffeine?
Broadly yes, because the caffeine comes with the cacao, but not strictly: USDA's 60–69% average (86 mg per 100 g) is slightly above its 70–85% average (80 mg).
The pattern across USDA's entries follows the cacao: none in white chocolate, 20 mg per 100 g in milk chocolate, 43–86 mg in dark chocolate and 230 mg in cocoa powder. Within dark chocolate the averages overlap, and research shows that the beans themselves vary:
- Cacao genotype and processing. A study of fermented and unfermented beans from 18 cacao genotypes grown in the Brazilian Amazon identified theobromine and caffeine among the major compounds, and found that the concentrations of these bioactive compounds varied significantly between genotypes, both before and after fermentation (Lima et al., Food Research International, 2025).
- Origin and harvest year. A Colombian study of raw beans found genotype to be the main factor in their chemistry, with geographic origin, harvest conditions and harvest year also contributing to differences; samples from one region stood out for their higher methylxanthine content (Agudelo et al., Molecules, 2022).
- Sample size. USDA's dark chocolate averages rest on two or three samples each, so a particular bar can sit above or below them.
Treat the table as a guide, not the value of a specific bar.
Theobromine: the other methylxanthine in dark chocolate
Cacao's main methylxanthine is theobromine: USDA lists 802 mg of theobromine per 100 g of 70–85% dark chocolate, against 80 mg of caffeine.
| Per 100 g (USDA) | Caffeine | Theobromine |
|---|---|---|
| Dark chocolate, 70–85% | 80 mg | 802 mg |
| Dark chocolate, 60–69% | 86 mg | 632 mg |
| Dark chocolate, 45–59% | 43 mg | 493 mg |
| Milk chocolate | 20 mg | 205 mg |
| Cocoa powder, unsweetened | 230 mg | 2,060 mg |
The two compounds are related but behave differently in the body. In a study of six healthy men who took each compound by mouth, the half-life of theobromine was 7.2 hours, against 4.1 hours for caffeine (Lelo et al., British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1986).
Dark chocolate vs coffee and tea
An ounce of dark chocolate has far less caffeine than a cup of coffee: Health Canada lists 135 mg for an 8 oz (237 ml) cup of brewed coffee and 30–50 mg for a cup of brewed black or green tea, against about 12–24 mg for an ounce of dark chocolate on USDA's averages.
For the full side-by-side, including espresso and how much chocolate equals one cup, read caffeine in dark chocolate vs coffee. If chocolate and coffee are combined, their caffeine adds up: see how much caffeine is in chocolate-covered coffee beans.
Chocolate desserts and drinks contain caffeine too
Yes: Health Canada's table lists caffeine in finished chocolate desserts and drinks, not only in chocolate bars.
| Food or drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate cake | 2.8 oz (80 g) | 36 mg |
| Chocolate mousse | 3.2 oz (90 g) | 15 mg |
| Chocolate brownies | 1.5 oz (42 g) | 10 mg |
| Chocolate pudding | 5.1 oz (145 g) | 9 mg |
| Chocolate milk | 8 oz (237 ml) | 8 mg |
| Hot cocoa, 1 envelope of mix | 8 oz (237 ml) | 5 mg |
The amount in a dessert depends on the recipe: how much chocolate or cocoa it contains, and at what cacao percentage.
How much caffeine is too much? What Health Canada says
Health Canada recommends a maximum of 400 mg of caffeine a day for adults, 300 mg for people who are planning to become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding, and 2.5 mg per kg of body weight for children and adolescents.
These limits cover caffeine from all sources: coffee, tea, cola and chocolate. If you have been told to limit caffeine, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor or pharmacist how chocolate fits in; our article on chocolate during pregnancy covers that question separately.
For producers: caffeine by ingredient
The caffeine in what you make comes from the cacao ingredients in your recipe, so it follows how much cocoa powder, cocoa mass and couverture you use and at what percentage.
When a customer asks how much caffeine is in a bonbon, a brownie or a cup of hot chocolate, the USDA values above are a reasonable starting point for an estimate, as long as you call it an estimate; for a figure you publish, use a lab analysis or your supplier's data. Choosing the ingredient is how you shape the product:
| What you make | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Baked goods, ice cream and drinks with cocoa powder | Dutched 20/22 cacao powder, Peru, 25 kg | $710.00 |
| 100% cocoa mass to dose cacao with no added sugar | Natural Cocoa Liquor Wafers, 100% Peruvian, 1 kg | $29.99 |
| Ganache, bonbons, tablets and chocolate drinks | Bassan Sur del Lago 71%, 5 kg | $273.00 |
| Cookies, brownies and cakes | Organic dark chocolate chips 70%, 1 kg | $45.95 |
| Croissants and brioches | FCH 55% Venezuelan blend sticks, 2.27 kg | $62.50 |
| Your own bean-to-bar chocolate | Sur del Lago cocoa beans, Venezuela, 1.5 kg | $80.00 |
- Dutched 20/22 cacao powder: 100% Peruvian cocoa, alkalized with potassium carbonate, for bakeries, breweries, energy bars, ice creams and drinks.
- Natural Cocoa Liquor Wafers: 100% natural cocoa mass from Peruvian fine cocoa, no added fat or sugar.
- Bassan Sur del Lago 71%: made in Canada from Venezuelan Trinitario cacao with ancestral Criollo lineage, with notes of fruit, wood and nuts; for ganaches, moulded bonbons, tablets, entremets and chocolate beverages.
- Organic dark chocolate chips 70%: organic cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter and natural cocoa powder, from Peru.
- Sur del Lago beans: Trinitario cacao with 10–30% ancestral Criollo lineage from the southern basin of Lake Maracaibo.
View dark chocolate couverture →
How AI can help your production
Give an AI assistant your recipe in grams and the caffeine and theobromine values you have for each cacao ingredient, from your supplier's data or, failing that, USDA's reference values. Ask it to estimate caffeine per piece, per slice or per cup, and to show how the number changes if you swap a 55% for a 71% couverture or add cocoa powder to a cake. Keep the result labelled as an estimate unless it comes from a lab analysis.
AI organises the information; tasting and the final decision stay with your chef.
Cacao and chocolate at Zucchero Canada
We stock cocoa powder, cocoa mass, couverture, cacao nibs and cacao beans for chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakeries and bean-to-bar makers across Canada. Bassan's Sur del Lago 71% is made in Canada from Venezuelan cacao, and our Venezuelan beans come through Canada Cacao Co. We are the exclusive distributor of KKO Real Venezuelan cocoa in Canada. Food products ship within Canada only.
- Highest cacao dose per gram: cocoa powder and 100% cocoa mass.
- Ganache, bonbons and drinks: Bassan Sur del Lago 71%.
- Baking: 70% organic chips; 55% sticks for viennoiserie.
- Bean-to-bar: raw cocoa beans from Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador.
Buying for a café, bakery or production kitchen? Contact us for volume orders, write to sales@zuccherocanada.ca or call 587-774-8873 (toll free 877-741-8251).
Cocoa powder | Dark couverture | Raw cocoa beans | Caffeine: dark chocolate vs coffee | Sugar in dark chocolate
This article is for information only. Every business is different: draw your own conclusions based on your own expectations, budget and goals, and talk to qualified experts before you decide or invest.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central, entries "Chocolate, dark, 45–59% cacao solids" (FDC 170271), "60–69%" (170272), "70–85%" (170273), "Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares" (167568), "Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened" (169593), "Candies, milk chocolate" (167587) and "Candies, white chocolate" (167571); Health Canada, "Caffeine in foods" (modified 2025-04-02); U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 163.111 "Chocolate liquor"; Lima GVS et al., "Targeted metabolomics for quantitative assessment of polyphenols and methylxanthines in fermented and unfermented cocoa beans from 18 genotypes of the Brazilian Amazon", Food Research International 211:116394, 2025; Agudelo C et al., "Chemometric classification of Colombian cacao crops", Molecules 27(7):2068, 2022; Lelo A, Birkett DJ, Robson RA, Miners JO, British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 22(2):177–182, 1986; Zucchero Canada product data.
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