How to melt chocolate chips in the microwave: tips for success.
Melting chocolate in the microwave is quick and easy but you can run into problems if you don't follow a few simple tips. Find out the foolproof tips.
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Is there anything more delightful than the aroma of melted chocolate? I think not.
Plus you can do so many things with melted chocolate.
Drizzle it over cookies, dip berries or dates or pretzels. The possibilities are endless.
You can use these tips I’m going to share with you to melt white chocolate chips in the microwave or peanut butter chips or even dark chocolate.
Note–melting chocolate chips is not the same as tempering chocolate–that’s a discussion for a different day.
Also, keep in mind that chocolate chips or morsels were manufactured to hold their shape. The morsels contain less cocoa butter so they are harder to work with when melted compared with chocolate disks or blocks.
In fact, I suggest melting chocolate chips in the microwave only If you need a relatively small amount of chocolate–under say two cups of chocolate chips.
Nestle, which makes our favorite yellow bag of morsels, says the same thing on the packaging.
What to do with melted chocolate? How about making Chocolate Pecans (Easy DIY Gift) or Chocolate Dates or Date Snickers? Or you could dip an Oreo cookie in chocolate or make Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats.
Ingredients
- Chocolate chips (one cup or six ounces or 160 grams) semi-sweet or milk or dark or white). You can melt up to two cups in the microwave. More than that you're better off using a double boiler.
- ½ teaspoon of canola oil or coconut oil (optional–if you need a thinner consistently to use for drizzling chocolate)
Tools
- Microwave (duh)
- Microwave safe bowl (I really like to use a sturdy glass bowl like a Pyrex. I use this one a lot)
- Spoon or spatula to really scrape the sides of the bowl
- Measuring cup or kitchen scale
- ¼ teaspoon or ½ teaspoon (if you need to measure oil to add to thin your batch of chocolate)
Melting Chocolate Chips Step by Step
- Measure chocolate chips using a measuring cup or kitchen scale.
- Pour into a clean, microwave safe bowl.
- Heat first for 30 seconds. Stop the microwave if you begin to smell burning or scorching. This shouldn't happen with a 30-second interval but you never know.
- Remove bowl from microwave and stir thoroughly, being sure to scape the bottom and sides of the bowl to avoid getting any hot or scorched spots.
- Heat for another 15 to 30 seconds if needed to melt chips.
- Stop heating before all of the morsels have completely melted. Just as cookies continue to bake after you remove them from the oven, chips will continue to melt after being removed from the microwave.
Tips for Melting Chocolate
- Make sure your bowl, spoon or spatula and any measuring tools you use have been thoroughly scrubbed in hot, soapy water. Do this even if they look clean and they've been sitting in your kitchen cabinet. You don't want even a speck of dirt in your bowl.
- Microwave times and power vary. Start by microwaving the chocolate for 30 seconds. Then remove the bowl and stir thoroughly, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. This way you can spread any hot spots in the chocolate throughout the bowl and hopefully avoid burning the chocolate. Stir after every heating session.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave while it looks like you still have chocolate in chip form. Chocolate melts quickly and overheats easily. A stir of the chocolate at this stage will most likely result in a perfectly melted bowl of chocolate.
Common Chocolate Chip Melting Problems
- Chocolate can seize up
If even a drop of water gets in your bowl, chocolate chips can seize up. Seized chocolate turns grainy and thick and unmanageable. If chocolate seizes it needs to be thrown out.
- Melting chocolate in a bowl that isn’t scrupulously clean and dry.
A speck of dirt or grease can also make chocolate chips seize before they’re melted.
- Chocolate can overheat quickly.
Don’t walk away when you’re melting chocolate–whether in a microwave or a double boiler.
Chocolate can develop hot spots, which can ruin it. Overheated chocolate can turn thick and lumpy.
Milk chocolate and white chocolate, both of which contain dairy, are especially susceptible to burning.
Make sure that you’re heating chocolate slowly and stirring the bowl thoroughly after each microwave heating interval.
Stir constantly if you're melting chocolate in a double boiler.
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Recipe
How to Melt Chocolate Chips in Microwave
Melting chocolate chips in the microwave, whether milke, dark or white, are simple as long as you follow a few essential tips. Find out what they are.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 cups chocolate chips
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon neutral oil like canola if you want a thinner chocolate
Instructions
- Measure chocolate chips and pour into a clean glass or microwave safe bowl.
- Heat 30 seconds at a time, stirring thoroughly after each session.
- unless your micorwave is really weak, this only take one minute.
- Stir thorougly after each heating session so you don't get any hotspots or burned areas in your chocolate.
Notes
What Can Go Wrong When Melting Chocolate Chips?
Chocolate can seize up
If even a drop of water gets in your bowl, chocolate chips can seize up. Seized chocolate turns grainy and thick and unmanageable. If chocolate seizes it needs to be thrown out.
Melting chocolate in a bowl that isn’t scrupulously clean and dry.
A speck of dirt or grease can also make chocolate chips seize before they’re melted.
Chocolate can overheat quickly.
Don’t walk away when you’re melting chocolate–whether in a microwave or a double boiler.
Chocolate can develop hot spots, which can ruin it. Overheated chocolate can turn thick and lumpy.
Milk chocolate and white chocolate, both of which contain dairy, are especially susceptible to burning.
Make sure that you’re heating chocolate slowly and stirring the bowl thoroughly after each microwave heating interval.
Stir constantly if you’re heating chocolate chips or chocolate wafers in a double boiler as well.
Chocolate melts very quickly.
More chocolate:
White Chocolate Guide
What is Ruby Chocolate?
Try making a holiday bark.
Recommended Products
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Nestlé Chocolate Morsels - 72 Oz. Bag -
DI ORO Silicone Spatula - 600°F Heat-Resistant Rubber Kitchen Spatula for Baking, Scraping, & Mixing - BPA Free Nonstick Cookware Safe Flexible Utensil for Cooking - Dishwasher Safe (Lavender)
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Pyrex Smart Essentials 3-Piece Prepware Mixing Bowl Set, 1-Qt, 1.5-Qt ,and 2.5-Qt Glass Mixing Bowls, Dishwasher, Microwave and Freezer Safe
You might need to melt chocolate for Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats or to dip one end of Italian Christmas Cookies.
Melting chocolate is also useful for dipping chocolate covered pecans or making Date Snickers.
You'll also want to melt chocolate if you're making a peppermint bark or Halloween Bark or Christmas Bark.
Sara
Great tip about using a dry bowl! I had no idea that water could cause your chocolate to seize. Thanks!
Connie
Great tips! I have had chocolate overheat so agree it is so important to use short intervals and stir often.
Jenny J
I had no idea that water would make chocolate seize like that when melting it. These tips will be handy for the holiday season baking!
Gracie
Awesome tips! Had perfect melted chocolate for our fondue with this recipe. Thanks!
Kathy
Happy to have found this article after ruining my first batch. Your tips helped me get the second batch right. You saved me from having to run out to the store to buy chocolate if this didn’t work out. Thank you so much.
Carol
This worked perfectly! Microwaving chocolate in short bursts made it easy to melt smoothly without any issues.