Melting chocolate can be tricky but I’m going to show you a few simple steps for how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave without all the hassle of a double boiler!
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If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years of developing my cooking skills, it’s that chocolate can be a temperamental little beast. Sure it’s one thing to grab a chocolate bar and eat it. It’s quite another trying to melt it. Raise your hand if you’ve had that moment where you try to have perfectly smooth, melted chocolate, only to end up with and tacky, clay-like consistency- raises both hands furiously in the air!
Here’s the thing about chocolate. When you add heat to try and melt it, you have to do it just right so that it stays within a certain temperature to get that smooth and glossy melted chocolate finish. You have to add the heat very slowly to get that melty texture. This is a method referred to as how to temper chocolate.
Conversely, when it get’s that clay-like consistency, it means your chocolate has seized and will not get that lovely melted texture you’re shooting for (it can usually still be blended into a batter for baking but you won’t be able to pour it onto anything or use it in a way that it will be outwardly visible).
There are a variety of ways to temper chocolate, most commonly involving a double boiler and often a thermometer. But I think you’re all here because, much like me, you enjoy a more no-frills, keep-it-simple style of cooking. None of us have the room or time for such hassle and equipment.
So I’m going to show you how how to melt chocolate in the microwave, or if we’re being specific to this case, how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave (because that’s what I’m most commonly working with). Keep in mind, you can also use chopped up chocolate, I just prefer to use chocolate chips because, ain’t nobody got time for that!
Now I know many sources out there will tell you that melting chocolate chips in the microwave is a bad idea. And from a logical standpoint that makes sense, right? I mean, I just you told earlier in this post how the temperature needs to be closely monitored and controlled.
But there is a way to melt chocolate in the microwave that is a bit more controlled and and will get you the same, perfectly melted results as if you had used a double boiler for melting chocolate. So I’m going to show you how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave the easy way.
Here are the tools you’ll need for this tutorial of how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave:
- Microwave-safe bowl
– I encourage you to go with a bowl that’s a bit bigger than you think you need because then you’ll be able to stir the chocolate without having to worry about the bowl any of the chocolate coming out of the bowl.
- Spatula– I like to use a mini silicone spatula (unless I’m melting a large amount of chocolate, then I use a larger spatula
). The reason I chose a spatula over a spoon or whisk is that it allows you to scrape the sides and get every chocolate chip integrated.
– I encourage you to go with a bowl that’s a bit bigger than you think you need because then you’ll be able to stir the chocolate without having to worry about the bowl any of the chocolate coming out of the bowl.
). The reason I chose a spatula over a spoon or whisk is that it allows you to scrape the sides and get every chocolate chip integrated.
Melting chocolate can be tricky but I’m going to show you a few simple steps for how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave without all the hassle of a double boiler!
- Chocolate chips
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Silicone spatula
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Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.
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Put the bowl of chocolate chips into the microwave and nuke them for 30 second on high power.
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Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the chocolate.
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Place the bowl back into the microwave and nuke it for another 30 seconds on high power.
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Remove the bowl again and stir the chocolate again.
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After this, keep microwaving the chocolate chips on high power for 10 second increments, stirring in between every time until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted.
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Enjoy!
The amount of 10 second increments you'll need to fully melt the chocolate will vary based on how much chocolate you're using. Keep a close eye on it and give it a good stir each time.
One of my favorite recipes that uses melted chocolate chips is this one:
Peanut Butter Brownie Truffles
I also love this recipe using melted chocolate:
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23 Comments
Jay
January 22, 2019 at 6:24 pm Tip: put the steps to melt right at the beginning of the post. People came here looking to read how to melt chocolate right away, not read a 15 paragraph article before getting to the steps.Jessy Freimann
January 23, 2019 at 11:59 am Tip: Use the Jump To Recipe button at the top of the page to get right to the steps. Then you won't have to do any reading that might contain tips and tricks pertaining to the very thing you're trying to accomplish and photos of that very process to help make it all easier 🤦♀️. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery of the finger you used to operate your mouse on my website- I bet those 7 seconds of scrolling were excruciating 🙏.Candace
July 13, 2019 at 4:23 pm Came to refresh my memory on microwaving chocolate chips. Stayed for the savage comebacks! Lol, my husband and I joke sometimes about having to read someone's life story before getting to the recipe, but honestly that is what a blog is, a bit of entertainment to go with your enlightenment. If we don't have time for the stories, we skip to the bottom of the recipe, but more often than not, the bits before the recipe have all the best info! Tips and tricks, ways the poster may have messed up and learned from it, so we can learn from their mistakes! I especially love it when I am trying a new technique or something I am unfamiliar with. I love when the poster mentions substitutions or variations we can use. And I really appriceate the time someone takes to post a recipe with all the info so that my life is easier and my endeavors are more successful!Jessy Freimann
July 19, 2019 at 8:06 pm Candace, you made my day- thank you <3 :) Yeah, that dude caught me on a day where I wasn't having it. That said, I totally understand wanting to skip past the content and get to the recipe, so I try to make sure the jump to recipe button is available (although I do try to share anything I can in the post to make things as easy as possible for everyone). Happy cooking!Jan Gates
July 4, 2020 at 9:56 pm Why will it not let me give you 5 stars, so multiply the 3 by 2? I looked and looked for someone to give me all those details and knowledge. Seriously I needed to know and my recipe just said melt the chocolate. I had already tried just melting and got the dreaded clay sludge that hardened quickly. Now I know moreJessy Freimann
August 8, 2020 at 1:04 pm I'm sorry- I have no idea- I'll look into that, but thank you for your feedback :)Clinton
November 12, 2020 at 8:12 am Perfect comeback. You do you. I really enjoyed reading the whole thing.Jessy Freimann
November 17, 2020 at 7:53 pm Thanks Clinton <3Erica DePenna
December 13, 2020 at 7:01 pm Epic comeback! 5 stars for the recipe and 5 stars for the comeback!Jessy Freimann
December 13, 2020 at 9:10 pm Bahahaha- Thank you Erica! I figured one nonsense comment deserved another :)Mindy
December 22, 2019 at 7:02 pm Thank you! I was about to develop a complex while trying to melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. I am off to the kitchen to find out if these uncooperative chocolate chips have learned anything while I drank my cuppa and enjoyed your webpage. MindyJessy Freimann
December 26, 2019 at 3:22 pm Thanks Mindy- I feel that in my soul! I cannot tell you how many times I've messed up melting chocolate in a double broiler! Have a great day!David
January 30, 2020 at 6:10 pm Thanks for the short read on tips from your experiences to help us. I like Jay am a bit moody at times but thankfully kept my silliness in my own head! Guess some fellows would just love a blah that pulls up a recipe looking straight out of a card catalogue instead of personal blog. But at least he wasn’t in too much rush, comments take longer than that scroll...Jessy Freimann
February 2, 2020 at 2:52 pm You're right, comments do take longer. Although I would love to be able to just post a recipe and some images and call it a day (that would be much less work for me) that's not how blogging works, at least not if you actually want to be able to find my recipes because of how google handles things. Either way, I hope it was helpful!Dee
September 4, 2020 at 1:18 am THANK YOU! It works great. Im a newbie at this. I had no luck with Six Sisters which said to put 2 cuos chicolate chios and 3/4 butter, microwave for 2 min 30 sec, stir and continue til smooth. It did not work out like that :(( So glad I found ur blog cuz ur way works!!Dee
September 4, 2020 at 1:19 am ooops spelling error: 2 cups chocolate chipsJessy Freimann
October 27, 2020 at 11:03 pm So glad to have helped :)Ann
October 10, 2020 at 12:00 pm Keep up the good work.JessyJessy Freimann
October 27, 2020 at 10:50 pm Thanks Ann!Trish
December 17, 2020 at 1:04 am Question. So I see ppl adding things like condensed milk or canola/veg oil to their melted chips... why? Is it necessary? Or is it just for a cosmetic purpose, like to make it look shiney?Jessy Freimann
December 17, 2020 at 9:37 pm Hi Trish- this is a good question! My Grandma always taught me to add a little butter or oil to help make the chocolate shiny (chocolate can be very temperamental when you're melting it and if it doesn't stay within a certain temperature range, it can take on an "undesirable" look and texture. As far as condensed milk, I've never heard of adding that to chocolate, except for when making fudge- it would likely change the texture and flavor. I hope this helps!Elizabeth Moore
March 10, 2021 at 5:44 pm Finally!!!!!!!! The drizzle I've always wanted!!!! Wish I could send you a pic of my Too Much Chocolate Cake with semi-sweet chocolate chip icing. XoJessy Freimann
March 28, 2021 at 8:13 pm Woohoo! I'm so glad it was helpful! Please feel free to tag me on social if you use it- that cake sounds amazing!!