Can You Put Cacao in Coffee? How to Do It Without Clumps
Yes, you can put cacao in coffee. Break off about 13–20 g of 100% cacao (a fifth of a 100 g bar or a little less), drop it into hot coffee, and stir or froth for 30 seconds. Whole cacao melts in because it's nearly half cacao butter. Cocoa powder doesn't, which is why it clumps.
That's the whole thing. Below: how much to use, the three ways we make it, what to do with iced coffee, and how to fix a gritty cup.
I'm Austin, founder of New Incan Empire. Our cacao comes from the La Convención valley in Cusco, Peru, where my wife's family is from, and this is how we drink it most mornings. If you want to try it, here's our 100% cacao for coffee.
Why cacao melts and cocoa powder clumps
Cacao beans are naturally full of fat: cacao butter. To make cocoa powder, most of that butter is pressed out. What's left is a dry powder that doesn't want to mix with liquid, so it clumps and floats.
100% cacao (also called cacao paste, cacao mass or ceremonial cacao) is the whole bean, ground with its butter still in it. On our latest lab test, our cacao measured 47.7% cacao butter, nearly half its weight. That fat is what lets it melt into a hot cup instead of sitting on top.
| 100% cacao (paste or bar) | Cocoa powder | Cacao nibs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Whole ground bean, butter included | Bean with most of the butter pressed out | Crushed roasted bean pieces |
| In hot coffee | Melts in 30 seconds with stirring | Clumps unless you make a paste first | Doesn't dissolve; needs to be brewed or blended |
| Texture | Rich, full body | Thinner | Gritty |
| Best for | Stirring into coffee, mochas, cacao drinks | Baking | Toppings, brewing |
One thing to know before your first sip: 100% cacao has no sugar in it. It's rich and dark, closer to very dark chocolate than to hot chocolate. Taste it before you decide whether to sweeten it.
How much cacao to put in coffee
| Cup | Cacao | Coffee |
|---|---|---|
| Your first cup | 10–13 g | 6–8 oz |
| Everyday cup | 13–20 g (about a fifth of a 100 g bar) | 8–10 oz |
| Thick, mocha-style cup | 20–25 g | 6–8 oz |
Our cacao is strong, so start smaller than you think. It's easier to add more tomorrow than to finish a cup that's too intense.
Three ways to make it
1. Straight into the coffee (30 seconds)
- Break off a piece. Smaller pieces melt faster; a knife works too.
- Drop it into hot coffee. Hot, not boiling.
- Stir for a real 30 seconds. It takes longer than sugar does. A small milk frother makes it smooth in about 10 seconds.
No equipment needed, and it works in any mug.
2. Melt it first, then add coffee (about 2 minutes)
- Put the piece in a small pan with a splash of water.
- Warm it for a minute or two, stirring, until completely smooth.
- Pour in your coffee. We use about half cacao, half coffee.
This is the smoothest cup and what we make most mornings. If method 1 ever leaves you with a gritty cup, use this one.
3. As a mocha with milk
Melt the cacao into a shot of espresso or a little strong coffee, then add steamed or frothed milk. Full recipe: cacao mocha made with real cacao.
Can you put cacao in iced coffee or cold brew?
Yes, but melt it first. Cacao butter firms up in cold liquid, so if you drop a piece straight into iced coffee it won't dissolve.
- Melt the cacao into 2–3 tablespoons of hot water or hot coffee until smooth.
- Pour that over ice.
- Add your cold brew or iced coffee and milk, and stir or shake.
How to sweeten it (or not)
Sweetening is optional. I add a couple of small spoons of brown sugar, or honey when we have it. Panela, maple syrup and coconut sugar all work. A tiny pinch of salt is worth trying even if you don't sweeten; it rounds the flavor out.
Taste it plain first. A lot of people are surprised how much it softens the sharp edge of black coffee on its own.
If your cup isn't smooth
- Stir longer. Most gritty cups were stirred for five seconds, not thirty.
- Use smaller pieces, or shave the cacao with a knife.
- Make sure the coffee is hot. Lukewarm coffee won't melt it.
- Use a frother or the small-pan method. Both are much more forgiving.
- A little oil on top? That's cacao butter. Stir or froth and it blends back in.
A little fine sediment at the bottom of the cup is normal. It's ground cacao, not a fault.
Questions people ask
Does cacao have caffeine?
Cacao naturally contains some caffeine, less than a typical cup of coffee. Added to coffee, most of the caffeine in your cup still comes from the coffee.
Can I use cacao powder instead?
You can, but it behaves differently. Because most of the butter is pressed out, powder clumps and floats, and the cup is thinner. Mix it into a paste with a little hot water first. Whole cacao melts straight in and gives the cup more body.
Is ceremonial cacao the same thing?
"Ceremonial cacao" usually means 100% cacao paste, the same kind of product as our bars. The word isn't regulated, so check the label. Here's what "ceremonial grade" really means and what to check instead.
Will it make my coffee sweet?
No. 100% cacao has no sugar. It adds richness and a dark chocolate flavor.
Can I put cacao in my coffee maker?
Don't put cacao paste in the machine; the cacao butter can clog filters. Brew your coffee as usual and add the cacao to the cup.
How long does a bar last?
At 13–20 g a cup, a 100 g bar makes about five to seven cups. A four-bar Starter Pack makes about 20 to 30 cups, depending on how strong you like it.
How should I store it?
Somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sun, ideally 15–20°C (59–68°F). No need to refrigerate. If it gets warm and shows pale streaks after it firms up again, that's cacao butter coming to the surface. It's cosmetic.
Try it in your coffee
Our bars are 100% Chuncho cacao, the native cacao of the La Convención valley in Cusco, Peru. One ingredient, never alkalized, lab tested (see our lab results), and labeled by hand before it ships from California.
The Starter Pack has four 100 g bars, about 20 to 30 cups, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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