Where to Find Cacao Butter for Baking in Grocery Store

Cacao butter (cocoa butter) is a great ingredient for various applications, including baking. However, it can sometimes be a challenge to find. Cacao butter for baking can be found in the organic section, natural foods section, baking aisle, or aisle with specialty oils.

Hi, there! My name is Michelle, and I have been baking for years. I have experience with various ingredients, from common flours and sugars to less common items such as cacao butter. With so many different ingredients on hand, I know how to find just about anything.

When your recipe calls for a unique ingredient like cacao butter, there’s no need to panic. While it may take a little extra exploitation in the grocery store, you can find cacao butter with ease.

Let’s talk about cacao butter!

What is Cacao Butter?

First things first – let’s discuss what cacao butter even is. Cacao butter (cocoa butter) is simply fat that is extracted from cocoa beans. It has a strong cocoa scent and flavor, which is why it’s used in some baking applications. 

This pale-colored fat is entirely edible and is a vegan product, despite having the word “butter” in the name. With a melting point of 93 to 101F, it’s the ideal ingredient for keeping certain items such as chocolate solid at room temperature. 

What is Cocoa Butter Used for in Baking?

Cocoa butter is a very popular ingredient in lotions and tanning sprays. In fact, that’s likely where most people first heard about the ingredient. But did you know it’s a viable baking ingredient for certain recipes, too?

One of the biggest advantages of using cocoa butter in recipes is that it produces a decadent smoothness that is unmatched. With a subtle chocolate flavor, it adds just the right amount of chocolatey flavoring for various baked treats like peppermint bark and chocolate cake.

Since cocoa butter has a low melting point, it’s the ideal ingredient for chocolate bars. That’s because the cocoa butter will remain solid but melt once it hits your mouth. (And now I’m drooling).

Lastly, cacao butter is vegan, making it a great replacement for non-vegan ingredients such as regular butter. Of course, you don’t have to use as much of this edible fat compared to others, considering it has such a high-fat content. This lowers calories (always a good thing, right?).

Where to Buy Cacao Butter

There are many places you may be able to score cacao butter. Here are your options:

• Grocery store. Certain grocery stores, like Vons, Kroger, or Publix, may have cacao butter on hand. Small “mom and pop” local stores might not, though, considering this is not an incredibly common baking ingredient.
• Big box store. Stores that have it all, like Walmart, will likely carry cacao butter.
• Health food store. Due to the overwhelming health benefits of cocoa butter, it’s no wonder why cocoa butter is easily found in local health food stores.
• Ethnic markets. Plenty of nearby ethnic markets should sell cacao butter (and some other interesting ingredients you’re going to want to try!).
• Amazon. If all else fails, you can always fall back on Amazon for cacao butter. There are plenty of different types, brands, and sizes to choose from, making it a great go-to if you can’t find it anywhere else. 

Where to Find Cacao Butter in Grocery Stores

If you don’t want to wait for Amazon to ship your order, then head on over to the grocery store. You should be able to find cacao butter in your nearby grocery store, as long as it’s not a super small store that doesn’t carry much variety.

Now, there are a few different places to look for cacao butter in the grocery store.

• Organic section/natural section. Does your grocery store have an organic or natural foods section? Cacao butter is likely to be found here, considering it is an entirely organic product. 
• Baking aisle. No luck on this aisle or simply don’t have a secluded area for organic and natural products? Then hop over to the baking aisle. Since cacao butter is found in some baking recipes, it isn’t unheard of to find the ingredient in the baking section.
• Aisle with specialty oils. Some stores also have a special section for specialty oils, such as cacao butter and coconut oil. It doesn’t hurt to check out this location, too.
• Supplement aisle. Some people consider cacao butter a superfood. With that in mind, cacao butter can sometimes be housed with other popular superfoods, including acai powder.

Just keep in mind that when you’re shopping for cacao butter, make sure you’re buying the ingredient for baking. Since cacao butter is so commonly found in lotions and tanning sprays, and other products for the body (not consumption), you don’t want to buy the wrong thing.

FAQs

So you want to be a cacao butter locating expert, eh? I’ve got you covered. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about this topic. You’re going to want to know the answers! Let’s dive in.

Does Walmart have cacao butter?

Walmart does, in fact, carry cacao butter. You can buy it online or find it in-store. The location will be the same as listed above – in the organic/natural section, baking aisle, aisle with specialty oils, or supplement aisle.

Is cacao butter the same as cocoa butter?

Yes, cacao butter is the same as cocoa butter, and the names are used interchangeably. That said, don’t panic when you don’t see the “actual” name that’s listed on your recipe. You can buy cocoa butter and use it in a recipe that calls for “cacao” butter.

How much does cacao butter cost?

It really depends on how much cacao butter you’re buying. A three-pound bag might cost you $30, while an 8-ounce bag is less than $10. It also depends on where you’re shopping and the brand you’re buying. Ultimately, cacao butter isn’t super expensive, but certainly not cheap.

Does Whole Foods sell cacao butter?

Considering Whole Foods is a store designed to sell “healthier” options, it’s no wonder why you can find cacao butter at Whole Foods. Just follow the same ideas listed above for where this great ingredient might be found.

Can I use butter instead of cocoa butter to make chocolate?

You can, but keep in mind that it won’t have the same crispiness or glossy appearance as if you had used cacao butter. However, two great alternatives for cocoa butter when making chocolate include coconut oil or coconut butter.

Which is better shea butter or cocoa butter?

Cacao butter is best for certain recipes because it has a slightly chocolatey flavor that enhances a chocolate dessert. On the other hand, Shea butter has a slightly nutty flavor that is best served for only certain recipes.

Final Words

Cocoa butter is great for baking. It’s vegan-friendly and produces a melt-in-your-mouth fantasy when eating things like chocolate. It can be found in stores such as Whole Foods and Walmart. It can be in the organic/natural section, baking aisle, specialty oils, or supplement section.

Do you bake using cocoa butter? What is your favorite cacao butter recipe? Where did you find your cacao butter? Share with us below!

I have been a lover of sweets since day one. This led me on a self-taught baking journey starting at the age of 13. It's been over 10 years since the start of my baking adventures, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Now, people rave about my delectable treats, whether it’s a chocolate cake or a strawberry crepe.