27 Healthy Cacao Recipes for Everyday

With these easy everyday cacao recipes you can enjoy delicious chocolate recipes a little healthier. Add cacao to no-bake desserts, snacks and smoothies, as well as healthy bakes and more. Scroll down to check out all my healthy cacao powder recipes I’ve included in this collection.

Collage of 12 cacao recipes including muffins, energy balls, porridge, overnight oats, cake and mousse.

This collection of healthy cacao recipes includes no-bake desserts, snacks and other recipes using raw cacao. It also contains easy bakes, such as muffins, as well as cakes and other healthy desserts. Pick your favourite and enjoy!

What’s the difference between cacao and cocoa

The difference lies in the way they are produced.

Both are products of the same cacao bean. But while cacao powder is produced by cold-pressing raw cacao beans cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures.

As a result cocoa powder has a little lower nutritional value than cacao (which is higher in anti-oxidant properties).

This is not to say that cacao is good for us and cocoa isn’t. Both powders contain iron, magnesium and potassium as well as other minerals. Cacao, however, tends to contain a little less fat and more protein.

What can I use cacao for

Both cocoa and cacao powders look the same (or almost, as cacao tends to have a lighter colour than cocoa) and most of the time you can use them interchangeably. Cocoa powder is a tiny bit finer than cacao, which doesn't make a difference in baking but you may (or may not) notice it in raw recipes (the difference is very subtle though).

So swapping cocoa for cacao powder will let you enjoy chocolate recipes a little healthier!

27 easy, healthy cacao recipes

Healthy breakfast recipes with cacao

Mocha Overnight Oats (Chocolate & Coffee)

These mocha overnight oats contain two essential breakfast ingredients – coffee and oats. With this easy recipe you can enjoy a delicious, healthy breakfast no matter how hectic your mornings are.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Total Time: 5 minutes

Mocha overnight oats topped with crushed hazelnuts in coffee cup on top of saucer with half banana in background.

Cherry Overnight Oats with Almonds & Cacao

This healthy cherry overnight oats recipe is a delicious way to start your day. It comes with the added flavour and goodness of almonds and cacao. The cherries are briefly cooked to release more flavour and sweetness and combined with the oats just before serving.

Prep Time: 2 minutes, Cook Time: 4 minutes, Total Time: 6 minutes

Cherry overnight oats with fresh cherries, almond flakes and spoon on dark brown surface.

Chocolate French Toast Casserole

This fluffy, delicious healthy chocolate french toast casserole with cacao and pecans is full of flavour, crunch and goodness. Great for everyday or special occasion breakfast/brunch.

Prep Time: 8 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 38 minutes

Chocolate french toast casserole with chocolate chips and pecans in white oval dish.

Quinoa Chocolate Breakfast Porridge with Banana

This naturally gluten free quinoa breakfast porridge is a delicious alternative to traditional oatmeal. It is satisfying yet light, full of goodness and low in sugar.

Prep Time: 3 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 18 minutes

Quinoa chocolate porridge with slices of banana and spoon in light green bowl, with green cloth, banana and blueberries in small dish in background.

How to Make Flavoured Yogurt 3 Ways (Mocha, Raspberry, Prune)

How to make flavoured yogurtin 3 easy delicious flavour combinations: mocha, raspberry, prune. Perfect as a low carb breakfast or healthy snack anytime. Making flavored yogurt is easier than you think!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 4 minutes, Total Time: 14 minutes

Mocha, raspberry and prune yogurts in separate bowl with spoons, nuts and fruit on top and blue-and-white cloth in background.

Chocolate Granola Recipe with Coconut (Low Sugar)

This chocolate granola recipe with coconut is a super easy to make, low sugar, healthy breakfast option. Sprinkle over yogurt, fruit or enjoy with a splash of your favourite milk!

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 23 minutes, Total Time: 28 minutes

Top down view of chocolate granola in open jar with spoon to right and sea salt on top of dark shiny surface.

Chocolate Raspberry Sauce (Low Carb)

This easy, low carb chocolate raspberry sauce is the perfect accompaniment for pancakes, ice cream, yogurt and desserts. It is gluten free and flexible enough to suit dairy free/vegan diets.

Prep Time: 4 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 14 minutes

Chocolate sauce with raspberries in white bowl with spoon, with partial view of white plate with pancakes on dark surface.

Healthy muffins with cacao

Beetroot Chocolate Muffins with Chocolate Chips

These beetroot chocolate muffins make a delicious breakfast or healthy snack. They are moist, full of fibre and veggie goodness, low in sugar and super easy to make.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 23 minutes, Total Time: 33 minutes

Side view of halved chocolate muffin on top of small white plate, with more muffins behind and inside ceramic muffin pan, with knife, in background.

Healthy Chocolate Muffins (Low Sugar)

These healthy chocolate muffins are sweetened with a combination of dates, maple syrup and chocolate chips. Light and fluffy, they make a delicious breakfast or snack.

Prep Time: 12 minutes, Cook Time: 23 minutes, Total Time: 35 minutes

Side view of healthy chocolate muffins in red cases on top of rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins with Buttermilk

These pumpkin chocolate muffins with a hint of spice are a delicious autumnal treat. Full of flavour and veggie goodness these muffins are made using buttermilk as well as cacao and chocolate chips for an extra chocolatey finish. Light and fluffy, ready in just over 30 minutes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 35 minutes

Pumpkin chocolate muffins in paper liners on top of grey board.

Gingerbread Muffins with Dried Fruit

These gingerbread muffins are made with dried fruit for extra sweetness, texture and flavour. They are light and fluffy thanks to my (tried and tested) combination of regular flour and ground almonds (almond flour) and can be enjoyed throughout the holiday season for breakfast, snack and dessert.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 28 minutes, Total Time: 38 minutes

Gingerbread muffins with icing on top of rack.

Raw cacao desserts

Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding Recipe

This 5-ingredient chocolate sweet potato pudding is a delicious way to incorporate more veggies into your diet. It is a low carb make ahead healthy treat that’s perfect for entertaining!

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Cooling Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Side view of chocolate pudding in 4 white square dishes topped with blueberries on top of dark surface with 3 spoons, blueberries and blue-and-white cloth at top.

Black Forest Cheesecake Tart

This black forest cheesecake tart is a luxurious no-bake dessert, perfect for any occasion. It has a biscuit base with added cocoa, light and creamy chocolate cheesecake filling and a topping consisting of sweet-and-tangy cherry puree. Simple to make and absolutely delicious!

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 8 minutes, Cooling Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes

Black forest cheesecake tart in round tin.

Chocolate Banana Mousse with Tofu (Vegan)

This 4-ingredient vegan chocolate banana mousse is a delicious and easy to make dessert. It is made using silken tofu, baked bananas, raw cacao and a moderate amount of icing sugar.

Prep Time: 55 minutes, Total Time: 55 minutes

Top down view of chocolate banana mousse in white dishes with spoons, fruit and chocolate shavings on dark table.

5-Ingredient Avocado Chocolate Mousse

This 5-ingredient delicious avocado chocolate mousse is packed full of goodness and comes together in minutes. In addition to the avocado it contains nutritious cacao, cashew nuts for extra natural sweetness and nutty flavour, milk and maple syrup.

Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 7 minutes

Healthy chocolate avocado mousse in 4 round pots, 2 spoons with cocoa, cashew and halved avocado.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles

Peanut Butter Truffles feature creamy peanut butter chocolate balls with specks of sweet and spicy ginger encased in dark chocolate and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Incredibly easy to make, perfect as an edible gift!

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Chilling: 1 hour, Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Top down view of peanut butter truffles in crystal bowl.

Cacao cake recipes

Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake (Baked)

This baked chocolate ricotta cheesecake is low in fat and sugar, light and fluffy and super easy to make. It’s deliciously moist and creamy, full of flavour and great for easy entertaining.

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour, Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Side view of chocolate ricotta cheesecake slice on plate with cheesecake in background.

Healthy Chocolate Banana Loaf Cake

This healthy chocolate banana cake is moist, fluffy and made without granulated sugar or butter. It's an easy way to turn your overripe bananas into something delicious!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 55 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Side view of chocolate banana cake with bananas in background.

Blackberry Tray Bake with Prunes (Healthy)

This Polish inspired easy blackberry tray bake with prunes is low in fat and sugar, perfect as a light, deliciously fruity treat or snack.

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 50 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes.

Side view of coffee cake slices on top of parchment with cup of coffee in background.

Chocolate Coconut Cake (Dairy Free)

This chocolate coconut cake is a simple everyday cake, quick and easy to make and dairy free. It comes with a simple dark chocolate glaze and is absolutely delicious. Preparation takes minutes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 50 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour

Side view of chocolate coconut cake slice with cake in background.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies with Pecans

These deliciously moist sweet potato chocolate brownies are full of fibre, low in sugar and super easy to make. Made using pecans for a bit of crunch and maple syrup instead of sugar.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 28 minutes, Baking the sweet potato: 35 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 18 minutes

Sweet potato brownies on top of paper with pecans and brownies in background on cooling rack.

Beet Brownies with Coconut (Dairy Free)

These rich, low in sugar dairy free beet brownies with coconut can be enjoyed as a healthy dessert or even snack. Packed full of flavour and goodness they are also super easy to make.

Prep Time: 1 hour, Cook Time: 28 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes

Side view of beetroot brownies on top of round marble plate, with raw beets and brownies in background.

Pumpkin Brownies (Dairy Free)

These delicious pumpkin brownies are low in saturated fat, perfect as a healthier dessert or autumnal snack. These brownies are made using pumpkin puree, oil instead of butter, pecans for crunch and chocolate chips for an extra chocolatey finish.

Prep Time: 8 minutes, Cook Time: 45 minutes, Total Time: 53 minutes

Side view of 2 pumpkin brownies on white saucer with brownies in background.

Healthy cacao snacks

Chocolate Mocha Peanut Butter Energy Balls with Quinoa

These chocolate mocha peanut butter energy balls with quinoa are packed full of healthy protein and delicious flavours. They make fantastic, low carb snack perfect for chocolate as well as coffee lovers.

Prep Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes

Chocolate energy balls coated with cocoa and crushed peanuts on top of oven tray with white oval dish.

Healthy Chocolate Cookies with Hazelnuts (Flourless)

These gluten free healthy chocolate hazelnut cookies are dairy free, low in fat and sugar and make a delicious healthy treat. They make a fantastic lunchbox idea too!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 12 minutes, Total Time: 22 minutes

Chocolate hazelnut cookies on white round plate with chocolate chunks and hazelnuts.

Healthy Chocolate Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These flourless healthy chocolate oatmeal cookies make a delicious breakfast on-the-go or snack anytime. Low in sugar, they are packed full of protein and fibre and take minutes to put together.

Prep Time: 6 minutes, Cook Time: 13 minutes, Total Time: 19 minutes

Top down view of chocolate oatmeal cookies stacked inside dish with parchment and coffee in cup.

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