Is Cocoa Butter Vegan? You Never Knew These Facts!

Thinking about “butter” might be misleading for you as a vegan as cocoa butter contains the word “butter”. In reality, cocoa butter has nothing like butter. But is cocoa butter vegan? Let’s find out! 

The short answer to this question is, Yes! Cocoa butter is vegan, but remember, not all brands are vegan. Cocoa butter is vegan in its raw form only. 

What is cocoa butter made of?

First, let’s explore what cocoa butter is made of. Does it contain any dairy products? Well, similar to shea butter and peanut butter, cocoa butter is not butter. It is a kind of fat extracted from cacao beans. These beans are obtained from cocoa trees or Theobroma cacao plant seeds. These cocoa beans are used to make cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and cocoa mass. 

How is Cocoa butter made? 

First, harvesters extract cocoa beans from cocoa seeds, clean, and dry them. After thorough cleaning and drying, it is roasted to remove its shells. Furthermore, it is grounded which turns it into cocoa liquor. The fat from cocoa liquor is separated and it is labelled as cocoa butter. 

After extracting cocoa butter, these beans are dried up to form cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is further used for manufacturing chocolates including dark and white chocolates. 

Is cocoa butter vegan?

Unlike the name suggests, cocoa butter does not contain butter and it is 100% vegan. It just resembles the texture and consistency of butter. Cocoa butter is a plant-derived and vegan-friendly natural product without any animal or dairy products. 

It is important to note that raw cocoa butter is vegan. When we talk about the products that contain cocoa butter, they might not be vegan due to non-vegan ingredients like milk, gelatin, or other animal-derived products. 

Is cocoa powder vegan?

You might wonder if cocoa butter is vegan, what is the deal with cocoa powder, is it vegan? Let’s clarify this query! 

Cocoa powder is extracted and processed from cacao seeds the same way cocoa butter is obtained. The only difference is that cocoa butter is the fat separated from cocoa liquor, but cocoa powder is the remainder that is dried and ground to give a powdery consistency. So, raw cocoa powder is vegan but we can’t say commercial cocoa powder is vegan. Cocoa powder available in the market may contain non-vegan ingredients or it can be mixed with milk powder or chocolate powder. It is better to cross-check “vegan” and “dairy-free” labels. 

Is cocoa mass vegan?

Cocoa mass is pure cocoa in its raw form. It is also known as cocoa liquor. The cocoa mass contains both cocoa butter (fats) and cocoa solids. It is 100% vegan and dairy-free in its raw and natural form. If you prepare it at home, cocoa mass is entirely vegan-friendly. However, products containing cocoa mass like chocolates might not be vegan. Look for labels before buying such products from the market. 

Is cocoa butter vegan in chocolate?

As we discussed raw cocoa butter is vegan, we know the question lingers in your mind whether cocoa butter is vegan in chocolate. Well, the answer is, it really depends on the ingredients of chocolate. 

If other ingredients of chocolate are vegan and it has a “vegan” label on its packaging, you can consume it. Comparatively, if it is mixed with powder or chocolate powder, then cocoa butter is not vegan. Look for ingredients thoroughly before choosing vegan chocolates. 

Related: Is chocolate vegan?

Is cocoa butter gluten-free?

Raw cocoa butter is gluten-free but commercial cocoa butter available in the markets might not be vegan due to its cross-contamination with gluten-based products. When shopping for cocoa butter, look for gluten free labels and check out those brands that contain gluten less than 20 ppm. If you are allergic to gluten, then look for cocoa butter containing less than 10 ppm of gluten or avoid using products containing gluten.

Is cocoa butter dairy-free?

Yeah, raw cocoa butter is entirely dairy-free and vegan. It doesn’t contain milk, butter, or other animal-derived products. However, while purchasing products that contain cocoa butter, you should check the ingredients to make sure it is dairy-free.