Cacao vs. Cocoa — What's the Difference?

Raw chocolate in its purest form, often found as nibs or powder.

Powdered chocolate made from roasted, ground cacao beans.

The unprocessed form of the beans used to make chocolate, retaining more nutrients.

The processed form of cacao used in baking and sweets.

The seed from which chocolate is made.

A brown color resembling that of cocoa powder.

The tropical tree (Theobroma cacao) that produces cacao seeds.

A warm beverage made from cocoa powder and milk or water.

Seeds from a small tropical American evergreen tree, from which cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate are made.

A shorthand for cocoa butter or powder, products derived from cacao beans.

The tree that bears cacao seeds, which are contained in large, oval pods that grow on the trunk. It is now cultivated mainly in West Africa.

A powder made from cacao seeds after they have been fermented, roasted, shelled, ground, and freed of most of their fat.

An evergreen tropical American tree (Theobroma cacao) having leathery, ellipsoid, ten-ribbed fruits borne on the trunks and older branches. Also called chocolate tree.

See hot chocolate.

The seed of this plant, used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter. Also called cacao bean, cocoa bean.

A moderate brown to reddish brown.

A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.

The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made.

This tree's seed, the cocoa bean.

An unsweetened brown powder made from roasted, ground cocoa beans, used in making chocolate, and in cooking.

A small evergreen tree (Theobroma Cacao) of South America and the West Indies. Its fruit contains an edible pulp, inclosing seeds about the size of an almond, from which cocoa, chocolate, and broma are prepared.

(uncountable) A hot drink made with milk, cocoa powder, and sugar.

Tropical American tree producing cacao beans

(countable) A serving of this drink.

A term for the culture and products of the chocolate industry before processing.

A light to medium brown colour.

Alternative spelling of coco.

Of a light to medium brown colour, like that of cocoa powder.

A tall palm tree producing the cocoanut (Cocos nucifera) as its fruit. It grows in nearly all tropical countries, attaining a height of sixty or eighty feet. The trunk is without branches, and has a tuft of leaves at the top, each being fifteen or twenty feet in length, and at the base of these the nuts hang in clusters; the cocoanut tree. It is widely planted throughout the tropics, and in some locations as an ornamental tree.

A preparation made from the seeds of the chocolate tree, and used in making, a beverage; also the beverage made from cocoa or cocoa shells.

A beverage made from cocoa powder and milk and sugar; usually drunk hot

Powder of ground roasted cocao beans with most of the fat removed

No, cacao is less processed and retains more nutrients, while cocoa refers to products that have been processed and often sweetened.

Cacao refers to the seeds from Theobroma cacao tree and the minimally processed products made from them.

Yes, but as cocoa is sweeter and less bitter, you may need to adjust the sugar and fat content in the recipe accordingly.

Cacao typically retains more healthful nutrients since it undergoes minimal processing compared to cocoa.

Cacao is more bitter and rich in flavor, while cocoa tends to be milder and smoother.

Cocoa is a term for the roasted and processed products made from cacao beans, including cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

Both should be stored in a cool, dark place, but cacao may require refrigeration if it's in a raw, butter form.

Yes, though cacao will give a more bitter taste compared to the milder, sweeter flavor of cocoa.

Organic cacao is grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, which some prefer for health and environmental reasons.

Yes, there are different varieties based on the region of growth and species of Theobroma cacao tree.

Cacao nibs can be used as a topping for desserts, in smoothies, or eaten as a snack for a rich, chocolatey flavor.

Yes, all chocolate originates from cacao beans, but the type and processing determine the final flavor.

It is cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkaline solution to neutralize its acidity and give it a milder taste.

Yes, cocoa contains small amounts of caffeine and theobromine, a related stimulant.

Yes, by roasting and grinding cacao beans, then mixing with sugar, you can create a homemade cocoa powder.