How to Melt Chocolate Chips in the Microwave (2024)

FAQs

How to Melt Chocolate Chips in the Microwave? ›

If you're melting 2 cups of regular or jumbo-sized chocolate chips, plan to microwave them for 2 minutes at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval. If you're melting 2 cups of mini chocolate chips, plan for 1 1/2 minutes at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval.

If you're melting 2 cups of regular or jumbo-sized chocolate chips, plan to microwave them for 2 minutes at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval. If you're melting 2 cups of mini chocolate chips, plan for 1 1/2 minutes at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval.

Heat gradually – If chocolate chips heat up too fast, they might burn. Keep in mind, too, that melting time will vary depending on the kind of chocolate you use, so keep a close eye on them. Keep them dry – If water gets into your chocolate while it's melting, it could become lumpy and separated.

Add in one tablespoon of butter for every cup of chocolate chips. 3. Keep the chocolate free of moisture. Chocolate can seize and become pasty if it comes into contact with water or steam, so be sure to put the melted chocolate into a clean, dry bowl.

Adding a tablespoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil while microwaving helps the chocolate melt more smoothly and makes it the perfect consistency for dipping! The caveat here is that once cool, the chocolate won't set up quite as hard as it did to begin with due to the added fat content.

It is important that the container you use remains cool or only slightly warm after several minutes of microwaving, or the container itself will overheat the chocolate. Use a low (50%) power setting. If your microwave does not have this option, heat the chocolate in shorter intervals and stir between each bout of heat.

Place chocolate in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds on 30% power. Stir well and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Note: if only a few lumps remain in the melted chocolate, microwave for only 15 seconds on 30% power.

I don't add anything else to my chocolate chips when melting, unless I need to thin out my chocolate for drizzling (more on that below). SAM'S TIP: Make sure your bowl is completely clean and dry! Even a tiny bit of water can cause your chocolate to seize (meaning become grainy/unusable).

Sometimes chocolate melts to a satiny pool of liquid chocolate, and sometimes it becomes a grainy mess. Chocolate being melted, simply can't tolerate small drops of water. In this case, the steam escaping from the bottom of the double boiler is sufficient to make chocolate seize.

Use the Microwave!

The key to melting chocolate chips is 30 second increments! Microwaves can be uneven with how they heat so taking the time to stir will ensure one part of the chocolate isn't overheating. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.

What should you not do when melting chocolate? ›

Top tips: Make sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water and that no water comes into contact with the melting chocolate. These may cause the chocolate to seize and become unusable. Don't let the water get too hot – the chocolate may burn and then split.

Adding butter or oil increases the fat content of the melted chocolate, making it smoother and easier to work with. Perfectly melted chocolate will be smooth, silky, and have a shiny finish, says KitchenSeer. If your chocolate is too thick or clumpy, you may be able to save it with some room temperature butter.

made with melted butter are slightly thicker, but the ones with softened butter have crispier edges. Overall. I would say the room temperature. or softened butter ones spread a little bit more, are a little bit golden and crispier around the edges, but the melted butter ones are thicker, softer, and chewier.

Pour the chocolate chips into your bowl of choice. Step 2: Microwave in 30-second intervals, stir, repeat. Nuke the chips for 30 seconds, remove from the microwave, stir with your spatula, and place the bowl back in the microwave. Let it go for another 30 seconds, remove the bowl, and stir again.

As an expert rule of thumb, only chocolate and cocoa butter blend well. Peanut butter, butter, canola oil, ghee, etc, do not fully mix well with chocolate. Keep your chocolate safe from these oils and do not add them to your chocolate when melted.

Here's the secret ingredient to make melted chocolate stay melted and shiny: Vegetable oil. Before you melt your chocolate, add a little bit of vegetable oil. Our chefs recommend sunflower seed oil or grapeseed oil, but any odorless vegetable oil will do. This will keep your chocolate from drying out.

The next time you're dipping treats in chocolate, add a dollop of coconut oil to the melting chocolate. The more coconut oil you use, the more liquid and smooth the chocolate coating will be. As a baseline, we recommend adding one tablespoon of coconut oil per one cup of chocolate.