How to Melt Chocolate Chips

Co-authored by Mathew Rice

Last Updated: February 3, 2024 Approved

Melted chocolate chips are one useful way to get melted chocolate quickly. The greater surface area of chocolate chips makes it easier and faster to melt, improving your chances of getting the melted chocolate off the heat before condensation forms and risks seizing the chocolate. However, the smaller size of chocolate chips necessitates careful attention to avoid burning or drying out of the chips.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Double Boiler

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1
Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) of water. You can use an actual double boiler, or improvise your own with a saucepan and a heat-safe bowl. Do not place the second saucepan or bowl on top just yet, however.
- If you are using a bowl, make sure that it fits comfortably over the saucepan and that there are no gaps where heat can escape.
- Double boilers are great if you need the chocolate to stay melted for a long time (ie: when you are making chocolate dipped strawberries with a decorative drizzle).
2
Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. While the water is coming to a boil, you can start measuring out the chocolate.
- If you can't find any chocolate chips, you can use whole chocolate bars instead. You will need to cut them into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) wide chunks first, however.^{[1]
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Set it down onto a heat-safe surface to protect your counter. It might be a good idea to keep it near the stove, however, just in case your chocolate starts to harden too quickly.
4
Put the chocolate into your second saucepan. If you are using a makeshift double boiler, then put the chocolate into your heat-safe bowl instead. Whichever one you end up using, make sure that it is perfectly dry. Any moisture will cause your chocolate to "seize" or harden.
- If you are working with large amounts of chocolate, consider putting only two-thirds of it in first. This will help it melt faster.
- It is possible to fix seized chocolate by adding cream to it, but this will affect your recipe.
Make sure that the bottom of your saucepan or bowl does not touch the surface of the water. If it does, pour some of the water out. Make sure that the fit is tight, and that no steam can escape.

EXPERT TIP

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer
Mathew Rice has worked in restaurant pastry kitchens across the country since the late 1990's, and currently owns Pink Door Cookies in Nashville. His creations have been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Weddings. In 2016, Eater named Mathew one of the top 18 chefs to follow on Instagram. In 2018, he appeared in season 18 of the Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay and won his episode.

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer

Why do you use a double boiler?
Mathew Rice, pastry chef, explains: "Basically, with chocolate, you never want to get it very hot. That’s, I think, the biggest problem that people have at home is they get the chocolate too hot, and when it gets too hot it seizes or it totally breaks down."
6
Wait for the chocolate to melt most of the way, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Once again, make sure that the spatula is perfectly dry, or the chocolate will seize. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl often.
- If you are working with large amounts of chocolate, you can add in the remaining third a little bit at a time.
You can pour the water out of the bottom saucepan out at this time, although it might be a good idea to keep it filled until you are completely done baking—just in case your chocolate starts to harden too soon.

EXPERT TIP

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer
Mathew Rice has worked in restaurant pastry kitchens across the country since the late 1990's, and currently owns Pink Door Cookies in Nashville. His creations have been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Weddings. In 2016, Eater named Mathew one of the top 18 chefs to follow on Instagram. In 2018, he appeared in season 18 of the Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay and won his episode.

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer

Mathew Rice, pastry chef, adds: "Once it’s halfway melted, I’ll usually take it off the boiler. There’s enough residual heat in there that it'll all melt. Then, I whisk it with a spatula. Some of the chocolate is still melting, but it's also cooling at the same time, so you’re able to get this nice, varied consistency."
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Continue to stir the chocolate until the mixture is smooth and there are no chunks of chocolate left. Once the chocolate is melted, you can add in other ingredients to it, such as shortening or paraffin.^{[2]
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- If your recipe calls for paraffin as well, you must melt the paraffin separately first.^{[3]
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If it is too hot, let it cool for about 10 minutes, give it a stir, then use it.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Microwave

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1
Put the chocolate chips into a wide, shallow microwave-safe bowl.^{[5]
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Research source} It is important that the container you use remains cool or very slightly warm after several minutes of microwaving, otherwise, the container itself will overheat the chocolate. The container must also be perfectly dry, as any moisture will cause the chocolate to harden and become grainy.
- If you can’t comfortably handle the container after several minutes of microwaving, then it isn’t a suitable container for melting chocolate.
- If you can't find any chocolate chips, cut a chocolate bar into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) wide chunks instead.
- If you are planning on melting large amounts of chocolate, consider working in smaller batches instead.
2
Microwave the chocolate on medium power for 1 minute, then give it a stir. You can stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula or a spoon, but make sure that whatever you use is dry. Also, keep in mind that every microwave oven is different, so your chocolate may not be melted completely after this. That is perfectly fine; you can always continue heating the chocolate in short bursts.
- Chocolate doesn't lose its shape when you microwave it, so stirring it will help make it smooth and more liquid-y.
EXPERT TIP

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer
Mathew Rice has worked in restaurant pastry kitchens across the country since the late 1990's, and currently owns Pink Door Cookies in Nashville. His creations have been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Weddings. In 2016, Eater named Mathew one of the top 18 chefs to follow on Instagram. In 2018, he appeared in season 18 of the Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay and won his episode.

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer

Mathew Rice, pastry chef, adds: "If you have a microwave where you can adjust the power setting, you never want to go above half power. You can heat the chocolate in thirty second intervals and stir as you go until you get the melted consistency."
3
Continue heating the chocolate at 10 to 15-second intervals, stirring between each one, until it is almost melted. Milk chocolate and white chocolate tend to overheat quicker than dark chocolate. It would be best to stir them every 10 seconds.^{[6]
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Research source} This may sound tedious, but it will reduce the chances of any scorching. Remember, chocolate will keep its shape when heated in the microwave, so stirring it up will help it "melt."
- How long you end up cooking the chocolate also depends on how much you are working with. For example:
  - 1 ounce (30 grams) will take 1 minute total.
  - 8 ounces (225 grams) will take 3 minutes total.
  - 1 pound (450 grams) may take up to 6 minutes.
Once the chocolate is mostly melted, take the bowl out of the microwave, and set it down onto a heat-safe surface. Continue stirring the chocolate, scrapping the bottom and sides of the bowl often, until it is smooth and no chunks remain.
At this point, you can also add in any other extra ingredients that the recipe calls for, such as shortening or paraffin.

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Question

Can I use a Wilton Chocolate melting pot instead of melting in a double boiler?

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Yes, you can use your Wilton Chocolate melting pot or the microwave to melt the chocolate.

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Would this be good for pouring over the top of a cheesecake?

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If you want to spread over a cake, it's best to make a ganache. Heat 1 part cream until it starts to steam - don't boil it - and add 2 parts chocolate chips. Stir until combined, then pour that over the cake.

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How long will the melted chocolate be good for?

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The melted chocolate will start melted until it hardens. It will take about an hour for it to harden at room temperature, 10 to 20 minutes in the fridge, and 5 to 10 minutes in the freezer. After that, you have to melt it again.

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Milk chocolate and white chocolate tend to melt faster than dark chocolate, so be sure to keep an eye on them.^{[7]
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If you are going to add shortening or paraffin, you must add it after the chocolate has melted. The paraffin must also be melted separately.^{[8]
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If you have accidentally overheated your chocolate, immediately pour it into a cool bowl and add chunks of unmelted chocolate. Stir it continuously to keep it from seizing.

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Warnings

Unless your recipe calls for melting chocolate with another liquid, avoid using any water at all when melting chocolate. Water can make the chocolate seize, making it unworkable. For the same reason, don’t add cold liquids to melted chocolate (heat other required liquids first, but don’t boil them.)

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Be careful when taking out the chocolate chips. This may get you a burn.

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Whether or not you melt chocolate chips in a microwave or on top of the stove, the temperature for melting milk chocolate or white chocolate must not exceed 115°F (46°C) or 120°F (49°C ) when melting dark chocolate. Higher temperatures will scorch and burn the chocolate.

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Do not use a wooden spoon to stir your chocolate. Wooden spoons retain flavors and odors, which may affect your chocolate.

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