These are the recipes worth making twice—deep, dark chocolate flavor and that signature jet-black color. We've rounded up 8 standout black cocoa recipes that bring the drama without the fuss.
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Black Cocoa Cake
A stunning, midnight-black layer cake that’s surprisingly not overly sweet. Black cocoa adds smoky, earthy notes to this tender, moist cake, which is frosted with a luscious black cocoa buttercream. The dramatic color and rich chocolate flavor make this cake a showstopper for any occasion when you want a decadent twist on classic chocolate cake.
Buttermilk by Sam -
Triple Chocolate Brownie Brittle
A crispy, crunchy chocolate treat made with black cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and a drizzle of white chocolate. These thin brownie brittle squares pack all the flavor of the best brownie edges into each bite. If you love the crunchy corners of brownies, this easy snackable brittle delivers that texture in every piece – perfect for munching or gifting.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Black Cocoa Cookies
Soft, chewy black cocoa cookies that bake up nearly black in color and are perfect for decorating. Thanks to ultra-alkalized cocoa, they have a delicate chocolate flavor (like an Oreo) without using any food coloring. This recipe includes easy ideas to turn them into spooky Halloween treats, like mummy cookies drizzled with white chocolate or spiderweb designs – fun for kids and adults alike.
Always Eat Dessert -
Oreo Donuts
Moist baked doughnuts that taste just like cookies & cream! The donut batter is made with black cocoa powder to mimic that classic Oreo cookie flavor and color. Each donut is topped with a sweet vanilla glaze and sprinkled with crushed Oreo crumbs. These tender cake donuts are an easy, fun treat – perfect for Oreo lovers and a great way to use black cocoa in your breakfast baking.
Salt and Baker -
Spooky Spider Cupcakes
A super-fun Halloween cupcake sure to wow the crowd. These midnight-black chocolate cupcakes (surprise - thanks to black cocoa powder) are topped with creamy dark chocolate frosting and a creepy-cute edible spider on each cupcake. The “spiders” are made from Oreo cookie truffles with long piped chocolate legs and candy eyes. The result is a spooky treat that’s equally delicious and adorable – perfect for Halloween parties or bake sales.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Black Cocoa Cookies
Rich and decadent chocolate cookies made with black cocoa powder for an extra dark color and robust, non-bitter cocoa flavor. These soft and chewy cookies are studded with dark chocolate chips, delivering an intense Oreo-like taste in every bite. Perfect for Halloween (press candy eyeballs on top to create cute monster cookies) or whenever a chocolate craving strikes.
Savor the Best -
Black Cocoa Brownies
Ultra fudgy brownies that are jet-black in color thanks to black cocoa powder. They boast a deep, bittersweet chocolate flavor and a beautiful crackly top. The intense cocoa gives them an Oreo-like richness, and the super moist, gooey texture makes these brownies a dream served plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Salt and Baker -
Chocolate Strawberry Whoopie Pies
Adorable sandwich cookies made with pillowy soft black cocoa cake rounds and a sweet strawberry buttercream filling. The black cocoa gives the chocolate cakes a beautiful dark color and rich flavor, which pairs perfectly with the fluffy pink strawberry filling. Like mini handheld cakes, these whoopie pies are fun, delicious, and will have you yelling “whoopie!” with each bite.
Modern Mountain Baking Co.
The Scoop on
Our Black Cocoa
One of the darkest cocoas around - perfect for jet-black cookies, dramatically dark brownies, and bakes that look as intense as they taste. Our Fair Trade Certified black cocoa delivers rich chocolate flavor without bitterness, and that signature color with little to no food coloring. Whether you're making homemade sandwich cookies or turning up the contrast in chocolate cakes, this is the cocoa that makes your bakes unmistakably better.
Why Bakers Love Black Cocoa:
Daringly dark color, naturally
Deep, rich flavor
Fair Trade Certified
Free Expedited Shipping on Orders $30+
Dark, fudgy brownies and cookies with serious chocolate flavor. Black cocoa turns ordinary chocolate treats into showstoppers—think homemade Oreos, midnight-black chocolate chip cookies, and brownies so rich they need no introduction. These recipes deliver on both color and taste, whether you're batch-baking for a crowd or treating yourself to something indulgent. Perfect for cookie swaps, gift boxes, or the kind of chocolate craving that won't settle for ordinary.
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5-Ingredient Cookies
Five ingredients, zero dye, and one seriously dark batch of cookies. Made with almond flour and black cocoa, they bake up crisp at the edges and tender in the middle, showing off that rich Oreo-like flavor in every bite. Simple, vegan, and endlessly snackable—the perfect entry point for bakers new to black cocoa.
My Quiet Kitchen -
Oreo Meringue Brownies
These are brownies with a dramatic twist—dense black-cocoa squares topped with a billowy swirl of toasted meringue and crushed Oreos for crunch. The base delivers deep, dark chocolate flavor without bitterness, while the topping adds lightness and contrast. Each bite hits fudge, crisp, and fluff in perfect balance, proving black cocoa can make a brownie as striking as it is rich.
Buttermilk by Sam -
Black Cocoa Sugar Cookies
Soft-chewy black-cocoa sugar cookies rolled in sugar and filled with tangy cream cheese buttercream. They strike a balance between rich and refreshing, with inky black edges and a hint of salt. Picture a bakery-perfect Oreo, made from scratch and polished enough for any dessert table.
Cloudy Kitchen -
Chewy Black Cocoa Cookies
Shiny, soft-chewy cookies loaded with chocolate chips and natural black cocoa for that deep, dark color—no dye needed. A quick-mix dough and short chill time make them weeknight-friendly, while their fudgy centers and crisp edges keep them bakery-worthy.
Sweetly Cakes -
Black Cocoa Brownies
These ultra-fudgy brownies let black cocoa take center stage—think inky color and rich, Oreo-style flavor without any food coloring. Melted butter and a low flour ratio give a moist, dense texture with the hallmark crackly top. Perfect warm with vanilla ice cream or decorated for Halloween, this recipe shows how black cocoa transforms a classic brownie into something dramatic and delicious.
Salt & Baker -
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Rich, chewy, and impossibly chocolatey, these cookies use our Modern Mountain Black Cocoa Powder for that signature dark-as-night color and deep flavor. Each warm cookie hides a gooey marshmallow center that bakes into a soft, melty pocket of sweetness. Think campfire nostalgia meets bakery finesse—proof that black cocoa and marshmallows are a match made in cookie heaven.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Black Cocoa Sandwich Cookies
Homemade Oreos, but better. These crisp black-cocoa wafers sandwich silky vanilla buttercream for a nostalgic yet elevated treat. The dough’s light texture and deep flavor come from using egg whites and extra-dark cocoa, creating that signature snap and bold chocolate finish.
Buttermilk by Sam -
Midnight Black Brownies
Dark, dramatic and deeply chocolate-forward, these brownies rely on black cocoa for that show-stopper “midnight” look and bold flavor. Packed with chocolate chips and baked just until the center still jiggles, they deliver the fudgy texture lovers crave. Whether for a party, weeknight treat or Halloween bake-off, they’re proof that black cocoa is dessert magic in powder form.
Lifestyle of a Foodie -
Rich and Gooey Brownies
From Baran Bakery comes a deeply rich, dark-chocolate brownie built around black cocoa powder. This version balances gooey centers with chewy edges and a shiny, crackled top—exactly what brownie aficionados chase. The post explains how black cocoa (a super-alkalized cocoa) gives the color and flavor, and includes pro tips for chilling, slicing, and storing. A keeper for black-cocoa believers.
Baran Bakery -
Homemade Oreo Cookies
Everything you love about the classic cookie, made better at home. Crisp black-cocoa wafers deliver that authentic Oreo flavor and color, while a smooth vanilla cream filling hits the perfect sweet-to-dark ratio. Using Modern Mountain Black Cocoa Powder, these bake up evenly, stack neatly, and snap cleanly—retro comfort with a gourmet edge.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Black Cocoa Brownies
Zero food coloring, maximum impact. These brownies are baked with black cocoa powder so your finished squares are nearly pitch-black and intensely chocolatey. Topped with vanilla icing spider-webs, they make a fun Halloween bake—or a bold everyday treat. The recipe emphasizes not over-baking to maintain a soft, fudgy core while hitting that deep color you can’t ignore.
My Happy Bakes -
Black Cocoa Brownies
These brownies are everything a chocolate lover wants—gooey centers, crisp edges, and a flavor that leans dark and sophisticated thanks to black cocoa. Butter and brown sugar keep them soft, while melted chocolate builds an ultra-rich base. Finished with a glossy top and deep cocoa color, they’re the kind of fudgy, no-fuss dessert that instantly wins over a crowd.
Sense and Edibility
Got Cocoa Questions?
We've Got Answers
It depends on your leavening. If your recipe uses baking powder, you can swap black cocoa 1:1 without issues. But if it relies on baking soda, black cocoa won't activate it the same way natural cocoa does (it's too alkaline). For baking soda recipes, replace up to 50% of the cocoa with black cocoa, or switch to baking powder and go all-in on that dramatic dark color.
Black cocoa gets darkest when baked—heat intensifies the color. For frostings and no-bake applications, let them sit for a few hours (or overnight) to deepen. Our black cocoa delivers deep, dark brown to black color without over-alkalizing, which keeps the flavor smooth and balanced. If you need true jet-black, use more black cocoa or add a small amount of black gel food coloring for that final push.
Rich chocolate flavor without bitterness—think Oreo cookies. Black cocoa is Dutch-processed to smooth out harsh edges, so you get deep chocolate taste that's mellow, not sharp. It won't overpower your other flavors, which makes it perfect for balanced chocolate desserts.
Both are Dutch-processed (alkalized), but black cocoa is processed longer for that signature jet-black color. Dutch-process cocoa has higher fat content (22-24%) and a richer chocolate flavor, while black cocoa delivers maximum color with smooth, mellow taste. Many bakers mix the two for the best of both worlds.
While we can't speak to all black cocoas, when it comes to our black cocoa, yes! Our black cocoa is tested and verified gluten-free to <20ppm per FDA standards. It is processed in a facility that also handles wheat products, but we maintain strict protocols and testing to ensure it stays well below gluten-free requirements.
Yes, but the color develops best with heat. No-bake recipes like truffles, energy balls, and icebox cakes will still get good flavor and decent color, but won't be as dramatically dark as baked goods. Let them sit for a few hours to deepen the color.
Absolutely. Black cocoa makes incredibly rich hot chocolate and adds depth to chocolate milk, smoothies, and coffee drinks. Sift it first or mix it with a small amount of hot liquid to prevent clumping, then stir into your drink.
Keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Stored properly, black cocoa stays fresh for up to two years. If it starts to smell stale or loses its deep color, it's time for a fresh bag.
Moist, rich chocolate cakes with dramatic dark color—little to no food coloring needed. Black cocoa brings deep flavor and striking color to layer cakes, sheet cakes, cupcakes, and everything in between. Whether you're going for elegantly dark or unapologetically bold, these recipes deliver cakes that look as good as they taste. From birthday celebrations to weekend baking, these are the chocolate cakes worth making again and again.
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Black Velvet cake (No Dye)
A true black velvet beauty—this cake gets its color naturally from black cocoa powder, no food dye required. Each bite delivers that deep, Oreo-like flavor with a tender crumb and rich chocolate aroma. It’s layered with a smooth chocolate frosting that highlights the contrast between soft texture and bold taste, proving that simple ingredients can create serious showstopper energy.
An Edible Mosaic -
Black Cocoa Cake with Mascarpone
A no‑dye, naturally dark chocolate cake that tastes like Oreos thanks to black cocoa. The cake is ultra‑moist and topped with swoops of mascarpone whipped cream for a lighter finish than buttercream. The post walks through sizes and swaps and keeps the focus on getting that rich color and flavor without food coloring.
Baran Bakery -
New Year's Eve Cupcakes
These fluffy, bakery-style cupcakes are the perfect introduction to black cocoa baking. Their naturally dark color and rich chocolate flavor come from a generous scoop of black cocoa powder—no artificial dye needed. Topped with a swirl of bright white frosting, they strike the perfect contrast on the plate and deliver just the right balance of sweetness and depth in every bite.
Bigger Bolder Baking -
Black Cocoa Layer Cake
A pitch‑black Oreo‑like chocolate cake that gets its color from black cocoa—no food dye required. The layers are soft and moist, and the cake is finished with a silky black‑cocoa buttercream. Cambrea includes a full photo walkthrough, assembly tips, and notes on using buttermilk and a little hot coffee to amplify flavor.
Cambrea Bakes -
Black Cocoa Cupcakes
Deeply black cupcakes flavored with black cocoa and topped with simple vanilla buttercream—no food coloring needed. The author shows how to DIY buttermilk (milk + vinegar) and includes step‑by‑step photos. For extra Halloween flair, make the optional chocolate witch hats with Oreos and melted chocolate to perch on top.
Eats Delightful -
Black Cocoa Blackberry Cake
Moody, dramatic, and absolutely decadent, this black velvet cake layers black cocoa sponge with tangy blackberry compote and silky chocolate buttercream. A glossy ganache drip and delicate chocolate skulls make it a hauntingly elegant centerpiece. Equal parts artistry and indulgence, it’s a recipe that celebrates the beauty of dark chocolate in all its gothic glory.
The Epicurean Mouse -
Cookies and Cream Bundt Cake
A nostalgic favorite, elevated. This cookies-and-cream Bundt cake uses our Modern Mountain Black Cocoa Powder to build that deep, Oreo-style flavor right into the batter. Sour cream keeps it extra moist, while a silky vanilla glaze drips over every ridge, catching a crumble of crushed chocolate cookies on top. It’s a simple mix-and-bake recipe that turns a classic combo into a bakery-worthy centerpiece—no frosting skills required.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Black Cocoa Cake
Three layers of tender black‑cocoa sponge are filled and coated in a chocolate mascarpone frosting, then finished with a glossy dark‑chocolate drip. The post highlights the intense, less‑bitter flavor of black cocoa, uses buttermilk and coffee (or water) in the batter, and offers clear assembly tips for a neat, bakery‑style finish—no food dye required.
Sweetly Cakes
What they're Saying aboutOur Black Cocoa Powder
Product: Black Cocoa (1lb)
It is the best cocoa I have ever used. I make no bakes with it and people rave about how good they are.
Barb M.
Oct 16, 2025
Product: Black Cocoa (1lb)
This is by far THE BEST cocoa powder! The flavor is rich and decadent.
Marion T.
Sep 22, 2025
Product: Black Cocoa (8oz)
I cannot rave enough about this black cocoa powder! If you're a chocolate lover or a home baker chasing that deep, nostalgic Oreo flavor, this is your holy grail.
Nicole S.
Jun 24, 2025
Spooky season calls for seriously dark chocolate. Black cocoa delivers that jet-black color and rich flavor Halloween baking demands, from graveyard cupcakes to midnight cookies. Perfect for parties, trick-or-treaters, or anyone who takes their Halloween baking as seriously as their costume.
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Chocolate Ghost Cheescake
A decadent chocolate cheesecake topped with adorable meringue or white chocolate ghosts. This ultra-rich cheesecake uses black cocoa in the batter, yielding an incredibly deep dark color and smooth chocolate taste. It sits on an Oreo cookie crust and is finished with little ghost decorations and sprinkles for a fun Halloween flair. Creamy, spooky, and a chocolate lover’s dream come true.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Black Cocoa Ghost Cookies
A decadent chocolate cheesecake topped with adorable meringue or white chocolate ghosts. This ultra-rich cheesecake uses black cocoa in the batter, yielding an incredibly deep dark color and smooth chocolate taste. It sits on an Oreo cookie crust and is finished with little ghost decorations and sprinkles for a fun Halloween flair. Creamy, spooky, and a chocolate lover’s dream come true.
Eight Forest Lane -
Double Chocolate Monster Cookies
An easy one-bowl recipe for chewy black cocoa cookies loaded with Halloween candy! These crowd-pleasing cookies use black cocoa to achieve their jet-black color and Oreo-like flavor. They’re packed with spooky mix-ins like purple and orange M&M’s and edible googly eyes, which turn simple cookies into festive “monster” cookies. Soft, thick, and studded with chocolate chips and candies, these are always a hit with kids and adults alike.
Handle the Heat -
Halloween Layer Cake
A stunning three-layer black cocoa cake frosted with pitch-black cocoa buttercream. This cake is the ultimate Halloween showstopper: it’s wrapped in sticky marshmallow “spiderwebs” and topped with cute ghost meringues for an eerie effect. Despite its spooky look, the cake is ultra-delicious with moist, deep chocolate layers and silky frosting. It’s the perfect Halloween party centerpiece for those who want a dessert that’s both creepy and gourmet.
Barley & Sage -
Black Cocoa Hot Cocoa
A fun Halloween twist on classic hot chocolate. This cozy drink uses black cocoa powder to achieve a hauntingly dark color and rich chocolate flavor. It’s quick and easy to make on the stovetop with just cocoa, sugar, milk, and vanilla. For an extra spooky touch, rim your mugs with chocolate and Halloween sprinkles and top each cup with a ghost-shaped swirl of frothed milk or whipped cream. Perfect for warming up after trick-or-treating or at a Halloween movie night.
Tara's Multicultural Table -
Bleeding Cupcakes
Deliciously spooky chocolate cupcakes with a surprise inside! These jet-black cupcakes (colored with black cocoa and a bit of gel dye) are filled with a blood-red white chocolate ganache flavored with a hint of rose. Topped with swirls of black chocolate buttercream and red sprinkles, they literally “bleed” sweet red ganache when you bite in. Fun, creepy, and absolutely perfect for a Halloween treat that both looks and tastes amazing.
The Flavor Bender -
Spooky Spider Cupcakes
A super-fun Halloween cupcake sure to wow the crowd. These midnight-black chocolate cupcakes (thanks to black cocoa powder) are topped with creamy dark chocolate frosting and a creepy-cute edible spider on each cupcake. The “spiders” are made from Oreo cookie truffles with long piped chocolate legs and candy eyes. The result is a spooky treat that’s equally delicious and adorable – perfect for Halloween parties or bake sales.
Modern Mountain Baking Co. -
Halloween Sprinkle Cookies
Fudgy chocolate cookies made extra festive with the help of black cocoa and loads of sprinkles. The dough is almost black, giving a striking backdrop for the purple and black Halloween sprinkle mix. These soft-baked cookies stay chewy for days and are naturally dark (no food coloring needed). Press a few candy eyeball sprinkles on top after baking to turn them into simple yet spooky monster cookies.
Sugar & Stirred
