How much caffeine is in baking chocolate?

One cup grated (132 g) of baking chocolate has 106 mg of caffeine.

That's about one cup of brewed coffee, and a quarter of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults.

Source: USDA FoodData Central · checked 10 Nov 2026

When did you have it?

Had at 3 pm, about 37 mg is still in you at an 11 pm bedtime. That should not affect most people’s sleep.

Bedtime

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Per 100 g that is about 80 mg of caffeine.

Latest time to eat it

For an 11 pm bedtime, most people should finish one cup grated (132 g) of baking chocolate by about 5:05 pm. The table works it out for other bedtimes and for how sensitive you are: it is the latest time to start one so that the caffeine left stays under the line all night.

Bedtime	Very sensitive under 25 mg	Average under 50 mg	Not very sensitive under 100 mg
9 pm	10:05 am	3:05 pm	Any time
10 pm	11:05 am	4:05 pm	Any time
11 pm	12:05 pm	5:05 pm	Any time
Midnight	1:05 pm	6:05 pm	Any time
1 am	2:05 pm	7:05 pm	Any time

For one cup grated (132 g) of baking chocolate, average clearance (half-life 5 h), 8 hours of sleep. "Any time" means even one at bedtime stays under the line.

How long it lasts

The caffeine from one cup grated (132 g) of baking chocolate peaks in your blood about 75 minutes after you start it, at roughly 90 mg. Half of it is gone in about 5 hours for an average adult; that ranges from roughly 3 to 7 hours, and longer in pregnancy or with some medicines.

Time after	3 hours	6 hours	9 hours	12 hours
Still in you	74 mg	49 mg	32 mg	21 mg

So one had at 3 pm leaves about 37 mg at 11 pm. How long caffeine lasts explains the curve.

How it compares

Baking chocolate is stronger than 94% of the 37 foods we track, by caffeine per serving.

To reach 400 mg in a day you would need about 4 of these.

Less caffeine

Verb Energy Bar 80 mg, 1 bar
Tiramisu 60 mg, 1 piece
Chocolate Syrup 58 mg, 1 cup

More caffeine

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 198 mg, 1 cup
Chocolate-Covered Coffee Beans 336 mg, 28 pieces, dark chocolate

FAQ

Is baking chocolate high in caffeine?

Yes. One cup grated (132 g) of baking chocolate has 106 mg, which is 1.1 times an 8 fl oz cup of brewed coffee (95 mg).

Can I eat baking chocolate at night?

Not if you want to sleep well. Had at 7 pm, it leaves about 65 mg in an average adult at an 11 pm bedtime, above the 50 mg most people sleep fine with. The latest time for an 11 pm bedtime is about 5:05 pm.

How long does the caffeine in baking chocolate last?

It peaks about 75 minutes after you start it. Of the 106 mg, about 49 mg is still in you 6 hours later and 21 mg after 12 hours, for an average adult with a 5-hour half-life.

Does baking chocolate have more caffeine than a cup of coffee?

Yes. One cup grated (132 g) of baking chocolate has 106 mg; an 8 fl oz cup of coffee has 95 mg.

Method and limits

The caffeine figure comes from USDA FoodData Central; recipes, brewing and batches vary, so a real serving can differ. The curves use a standard one-compartment model with an average 5-hour half-life and a sleep-friendly line of 50 mg; your own body may clear caffeine faster or slower. How it works has the details.

These are estimates for information, not medical advice.