How To Use Cacao Powder - 10 Ways You Hadn't Thought Of

Wildly Organic's Cacao Powder is not only delicious but also contains many antioxidants and is beneficial for your health. (Learn about the eight amazing health benefits of cacao!) Since it's healthy as well as tasty, why not use it daily? Sounds like a plan to me! But we don't want to eat brownies every day. So let’s discover how to use cacao powder in other interesting ways.

We know cacao powder is wonderful in smoothies, baked goods, and homemade chocolates. But cacao powder uses go beyond desserts and drinks. The powder works well in many savory dishes and is also a great addition to natural skin care products. Cacao powder is useful and very versatile! Here are ten cacao powder recipes and uses that you hadn’t thought of!

1. Add it to Chili

Yes, you can add cacao powder to chili! Here’s how to use cacao powder in chili food. Add a few tablespoons of cacao powder to your chili recipes while simmering. This adds a lovely depth of flavor. Try it in your favorite chili recipe, or try our Vegan Game Day Chili with cacao powder, sweet potatoes, and black beans!

2. Chocolate Oatmeal, Anyone?

Learn how to use cacao powder for making quick chocolate oatmeal. Simmer 1/2 cup of oats and 1 tablespoon of cacao powder in 3/4 cup of milk. Finally, sweeten with Wildly Organic Coconut Syrup or Coconut Sugar to taste.

3. Rub it on Your Meat!

Among the many cacao powder uses, it can also be applied as a savory seasoning to add more flavor to meat. Cacao and coffee blend beautifully to create a delicious rub for steak and roasts! This rub is so quick and easy! Here’s a cacao powder recipe for making meat rubs:

• 1 tablespoon finely ground coffee
• 1/2 tablespoon Wildly Organic Cacao Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon Wildly Organic Himalayan Pink Salt

Here’s how to use cacao powder on meat. Rub this recipe over steak or roast along with a small amount of olive oil. Grill or cook as desired.

4. Dust Pans Before Baking

Use a little cacao powder to dust the bottom of pans when making brownies or cakes instead of flour. Don't use it to dust the sides, as it seems to burn there.

5. Take Hot Beverages Up A Notch

We all know cacao makes a great hot chocolate, but don't forget to add a teaspoon or two to coffee (along with some sweetener) for a yummy, mocha-like drink. Or, go all out and make a Peppermint Mocha to really satisfy your sweet tooth! 

Of course, many of us know how to use cacao powder in food. But what about using it on ourselves? Due to its high amount of antioxidants, cacao powder is an excellent addition to homemade skincare products, too! In fact, it may help neutralize free radicals and repair skin cells.

6. Slather it on Your Face

Cacao powder uses include its anti-aging benefits for the skin. Here’s a simple cacao powder recipe for nourishing your skin: Mix 1 teaspoon cacao powder and 2 teaspoons honey. Spread it over your clean face and leave for 10 minutes. Wash off with warm water and a washcloth. Follow with olive oil as a moisturizer.

7. Homemade Eye Shadow

Discover how to use cacao powder to create makeup! Much like this homemade eyeshadow with spirulina powder, mix cacao powder with arrowroot powder to create light brown eyeshadow. To make a darker shadow, use cacao powder without adding arrowroot. Create an even darker shade by mixing in a small amount of activated charcoal. Add the tiniest bit of mica powder for shimmer!

8. Foundation Powder

Making foundation powder is much like making eyeshadow, just mix cocoa powder with arrowroot until you reach the desired shade.

9. Go Longer Between Washes

Among the many cacao powder uses include its benefits for degreasing and volumizing your hair. Cacao powder works well as a DIY dry shampoo for dark hair. Here is how to use cacao powder to make dry shampoo. Mix 2 to 6 tablespoons of cacao powder with 1/8 cup arrowroot powder. The amount of cacao powder you use depends on the shade you are trying to create. Start with 2 tablespoons and increase as needed.

10. Add it to A Body Scrub

Use this cacao powder recipe to create a delicious chocolatey body scrub. Simply add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cacao powder to a basic brown sugar body scrub (1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup oil). If you'd like an extra chocolatey scrub, try this Raw Chocolate Body Scrub!

Delicious & Nourishing Cacao Powder Recipes

• Dark Chocolate Nut Butter Cups
• Grain-Free Chocolate Cake
• Grain-Free Coconut Chocolate Cupcakes
• Homemade Almond Joy Bars

Now you know how to use cacao powder in ten different ways you hadn’t thought of. As you can see, cacao powder’s uses are many. It has plenty of wonderful and interesting uses — way beyond making chocolate treats!

Buy Premium Cacao Powder From Wildly Organic

After discovering how to use cacao powder to make food, makeup, and natural skincare treatments, you’re probably thinking of buying some to keep in your pantry. There is no better place to buy cocoa powder than from Wildly Organic. 

We offer the largest selection of USDA-Certified Organic cocoa powder products in the country. From raw to roasted and fermented to non-fermented, we stock diverse products to satisfy different tastes. Shop now for premium quality cocoa powder products and get free US shipping over $49.