7 Types of Chocolate, Explained (Because Who Knows the Difference Between Bittersweet and Semisweet Anyway?)

Creamy and sweet, milk chocolate contains a minimum of 10 percent chocolate liquor and 12 percent milk, which gives it its name and its soft, melty texture. It’s typically sweeter and less bitter than dark chocolate because it contains that extra dairy and sugar.

Best for: Because it melts easily, milk chocolate is ideal for eating on its own. You can use it in baking, but it can take already sugary desserts to a cloying level of sweetness, so try mixing it with dark, as with these chocolate-stuffed brownie bites.

Per the FDA, dark chocolate must contain a minimum of 35 percent chocolate liquor. But here’s where it gets tricky: In the United States, you’ll often find dark chocolate labeled “semisweet” or “bittersweet,” but there’s actually no technical difference between the two. Sometimes semisweet chocolate has more added sugar—the key being sometimes. It’s better to go by percentages. Dark chocolate in the 65 to 70 percent range will be pleasantly bitter and slightly creamy, while anything reaching into 80 percent and beyond will be too brittle and bitter to enjoy on its own (unless that’s your taste).

Best for: Depending on its percentage, dark chocolate is ideal for eating on its own or for a range of baking projects, like chocolate chip cookies and homemade chocolate truffles.

Maybe you’ve seen unsweetened chocolate (sometimes labeled bakers’ chocolate) at the store. What is it, exactly? Basically, it’s chocolate liquor—cocoa solids and cocoa butter—without any added sugar or dairy. Because of this, it’s very bitter and best left for baking projects that require a deep chocolate flavor.

Best for: This type of chocolate is ideal for baking, particularly recipes that already contain a generous amount of sugar (like brownies or this chocolate dump cake).

Food snobs might tell you white chocolate isn’t chocolate. After all, it doesn’t contain any cocoa solids. But it does contain plenty of cocoa butter—at least 20 percent, according to the FDA—along with at least 14 percent milk, milk solids or cream. What it lacks in chocolatey bitterness, it makes up for in creaminess. Higher quality white chocolates will often contain vanilla, but it’s not a requirement.

Best for: Since it’s so sweet and creamy, we love pairing white chocolate with tart fruit flavors for contrast, like this raspberry white chocolate bûche de noël or key lime pie with coconut and white chocolate.

Also known as toasted white chocolate or blond chocolate, caramelized white chocolate is basically white chocolate that’s been roasted until it caramelizes. The result is a caramel-like flavor that’s less saccharine than traditional white chocolate but retains its creamy texture. (Sure, it’s technically not a new “type” of chocolate, but it’s too delicious to omit.) You can buy blond chocolate through gourmet manufacturers like Valrhona, or you can make it at home by baking white chocolate in a low-heat oven and stirring frequently minutes until it’s deeply golden brown.

Best for: TBH, you can use caramelized white chocolate in the same way you would use the regular stuff. The caramelization tempers some of the sweetness and the toasty flavor notes pair nicely with other types of chocolate (like dark).

Ruby chocolate is kind of like white chocolate’s hip younger cousin: It’s only been around since cocoa company Barry Callebaut introduced it 2017 and it’s a very trendy millennial pink. Surprisingly, its hue is natural and comes from the “ruby cocoa beans” used to make it. The flavor is slightly sweet and sour, like berries in chocolate form.

Best for: Ruby chocolate isn’t the easiest type of chocolate to find in stores, so when you happen upon a bar, we suggest enjoying it by itself. (Otherwise, try it as an accent in cookie or candy recipes.)

Raw chocolate is made from unroasted cocoa beans, which manufacturers claim leaves the nutrients and antioxidants intact. But research is still in its early stages, and chocolate connoisseurs suggest focusing on the quality of the cacao over whether it’s “raw.”