Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid
Whole food · Sweets
Photo: Wikipedia
Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid is a dense, intensely bitter, and aromatic cacao product, often sold as a paste or liquor, with a smooth, velvety texture when melted. It is a powerhouse of rich, deep chocolate flavor without any added sugar, making it a foundational ingredient for serious bakers and chocolatiers. Its nutritional profile is remarkably high in healthy fats and fiber, providing a substantial energy source with minimal sugar impact.
💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its unadulterated, complex chocolate essence that forms the backbone of rich desserts and confections. Its versatility allows it to be the star in everything from decadent flourless cakes to sophisticated sauces, embodying a deep cultural love for pure, intense chocolate.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its extreme bitterness can be off-putting to those unaccustomed to unsweetened chocolate, and its high fat and calorie density (472 kcal per 100g) requires mindful portioning. To counteract the bitterness, pair it with a small amount of sweetener or a creamy fat like butter or cream, and use it as a component in a recipe rather than eating it plain.
Key benefits
- Extremely high in dietary fiber (18.1g per 100g), aiding digestion.
- Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from cacao butter.
- Provides a significant amount of plant-based protein (12.1g per 100g).
- Contains no added sugar, making it suitable for low-sugar diets.
- Packed with antioxidants like flavonoids from cacao.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Unsweetened baking chocolate is essentially pure chocolate liquor, which is the paste made from grinding cacao beans—it's the starting point for all other chocolates, just without sugar or milk added.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 0.90 g |
| Energy | 472 kcal |
| Energy | 1975 kj |
| Protein | 12.1 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 47.7 g |
| Ash | 3.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 36.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 18.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 54.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 4.2 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 265 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 340 mg |
| Potassium, K | 1166 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 12.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 3.7 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 1.9 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 1.6 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 7.9 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.05 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.28 mg |
| Niacin | 2.1 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.15 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.07 mg |
| Folate, total | 19.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 19.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 19.0 ug |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 1.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 12.0 iu |
| Caffeine | 47.0 mg |
| Theobromine | 1597 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 25.3 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.13 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 1.6 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 1.3 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 9.4 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 3.6 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 6.1 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 3.2 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 9.2 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.05 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 9.2 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 10.7 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 10.1 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.60 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.18 g |
| Threonine | 0.48 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.47 g |
| Leucine | 0.74 g |
| Lysine | 0.61 g |
| Methionine | 0.13 g |
| Cystine | 0.15 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.58 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.46 g |
| Valine | 0.73 g |
| Arginine | 0.69 g |
| Histidine | 0.21 g |
| Alanine | 0.56 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.2 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.8 g |
| Glycine | 0.55 g |
| Proline | 0.52 g |
| Serine | 0.53 g |
FAQ
What is the difference between baking chocolate and cocoa powder?
Baking chocolate (unsweetened) is a solid or liquid paste made from ground cacao beans (chocolate liquor) and contains cocoa butter, while cocoa powder is the dry, fibrous residue left after pressing out most of the cocoa butter.
Can I substitute unsweetened baking chocolate with cocoa powder in a recipe?
Not directly, as they have different fat and moisture content. A common substitution is to use 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon of melted butter or oil for every 1 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate.
Is unsweetened baking chocolate gluten-free?
Pure unsweetened baking chocolate is naturally gluten-free, but you should always check the label for potential cross-contamination or added ingredients in commercial products.