How Much Cocoa Liquor Is Actually In A Milk Chocolate Bar?

If you're in the grocery store to pick up a little sweet treat after dinner, there's a good chance you'll find yourself in front of the chocolate bar shelves. But sometimes it feels like you need to make a dozen decisions for even a simple dessert, like whiskey-infused chocolate magic shell for ice cream or matcha milk chocolate truffles. Should you choose dark, milk, or white? 50%, 60%, 70%? Bittersweet, semi-sweet, extra sweet? Perhaps most pressing of all — how much chocolate liquor is actually in that milk chocolate bar?

Per FDA regulations, for chocolate to be considered milk chocolate, it can have no less than 10% by weight of chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor (not to be confused with chocolate liqueur) is made up of pure cocoa mass (aka cacao nibs), which is found in the center of cocoa beans. These nibs are then ground into a liquid and used to make chocolate. The other 90% of the chocolate bar is made up of cocoa butter, sugar, an emulsifying agent like lecithin, and milk solids (among other optional ingredients like spices, flavorings, and salt).

If milk chocolate is your go-to, then you side with the majority of Americans. But what makes it different from dark and white? The answer lies in the blend of milk solids and chocolate liquor. Milk solids are the key ingredient for milk chocolate, as they give it its creamy flavor, and make up at least 12% of its weight (via The FDA). Dark chocolate is made up of the same ingredients but without the milk solids and often less added sugar, creating a more bitter taste. White chocolate, on the other hand, is devoid of any chocolate liquor. Instead, it is made up of at least 20% cocoa butter, 3.5% milkfat, 14% milk solids, as well as sugar, vanilla, and other flavorings.

Besides being eaten as bars, chocolate can also be enjoyed within baked goods, featuring baking chocolate or cocoa powder, two more variations of chocolate. Baking chocolate is pure, 100% chocolate liquor without any added sugar or flavorings. While it would not necessarily make a tasty snack as-is, it can be used for baking recipes that include sweeteners. Cocoa powder (more often used in cooking) is pure, ground chocolate solids made from chocolate liquor, and can be used in Mexican hot chocolate or made into rich chocolate cakes, chocolate flan, or chocolate stout pudding.