Bite it, bake it, melt it, love it — there’s no wrong way to enjoy chocolate. Learning how to properly melt chocolate chips and bars opens up a whole new set of possibilities, from coating fresh fruit to topping a homemade pie. Let’s dive into simple melting techniques that unlock next-level treats with rich, smooth results.
Best Ways to Melt Chocolate Chips and Bars
There are several melting methods, but the two most popular ways to melt chocolate are in the microwave or in a double boiler. They both provide gradual heat to warm your chocolate evenly and keep it silky.
Chocolate chips are ideal for melting because they’re already in small, uniform pieces. When melting chocolate bars, you should break up or cut them into smaller pieces first.
What You'll Need
- HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips (or your favorite variety)
- HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Candy Bars
- Microwave, double broiler or slow cooker
- Vegetable shortening (optional)
Tips for Melting Chocolate Bars and Chips
Want to know the secrets to melty and delicious chocolate? Here are a few tips:
- Heat gradually to avoid overheating. If chocolate heats up too fast, it might burn. Melting time will vary depending on the kind of chocolate you use, so keep a close eye on it.
- Keep chocolate dry. Water and melted chocolate don’t mix. Even a little moisture can cause it to seize and turn grainy or clumpy — what bakers call “splitting.” To keep things smooth, make sure your bowls, utensils and hands are totally dry.
- Prep first and work fast. Whether you’re dipping fruits or making a cake, know how you want to use your chocolate and set things up before you begin. That way, you’ll be able to work fast while your chocolate is still liquid and smooth.
- Add vegetable shortening. When melted chocolate hardens again, it can take on a matte or clouded finish. Adding a bit of vegetable shortening will give your melted chocolate a shiny luster and a more workable texture. One tablespoon of shortening or oil for every cup of chocolate should do the trick.
Vegetable Shortening Substitutes for Melting Chocolate
If you don’t have vegetable shortening on hand, you can swap it out for:
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Coconut oil
- Butter or margarine
- Ghee
For more baking ingredient substitutes, check out these guidelines.
1. How to Melt Chocolate Chips in the Microwave
Using the microwave to melt chocolate chips is a quick and convenient choice. You’ll have perfectly melted chocolate in a matter of minutes, with hardly any cleanup afterward.
Note: If you’re using HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Candy Bars instead of chocolate chips, chop them into smaller pieces for quicker and more even heating.
Supplies You'll Need
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Spoon or spatula
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of HERSHEY’S chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars to a microwave-safe bowl.
- If you’re using vegetable shortening, add 1 tablespoon to the chocolate.
- Reduce the microwave power to 50%. Heat in 10–15 second intervals, uncovered, mixing thoroughly each interval, for about 2 minutes or until melted. Do not overheat.
Microwave Melting Times
The total amount of time you spend melting the chocolate will depend on how much you stir between heating intervals and the strength of your microwave. Dark chocolate usually takes a little longer to melt, since it has less sugar and fat content than milk or white chocolate. Here are some general melting times:
- HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips – about 2 minutes
- HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips – about 1 ½ minutes
- HERSHEY’S Premier White Creme Chips – about 1 minute
- HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Candy Bars – about 1 ½ minutes
2. How to Melt Chocolate Chips on the Stove
To set up your own double boiler on the stove, just place a heat-safe bowl on top of a pot of hot water. This technique uses indirect heat to melt your chocolate gently and gradually. Many bakers have learned the hard way that heating chocolate chips directly in a pan will heat them too fast and cause them to burn or stick.
Supplies You'll Need
- Small saucepan
- Heat-safe bowl or stainless-steel mixing bowl that fits on your saucepan without touching the bottom
Instructions
- Pour about ½ inch to 1 inch of water into your saucepan and heat on high until it boils.
- Once your water is boiling, reduce to a simmer and place your bowl on top. Be careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water and make sure there are no gaps around the rim. The inside of your bowl should stay completely dry.
- Pour your chocolate chips into the bowl and stir as they start melting. Important: Do not allow the chocolate to come in contact with the water. Water will cause the chocolate to seize.
- When your melted chocolate becomes smooth and consistent, you can take your bowl off the heat and turn off the stove.
Double Boiler Melting Times
Different kinds of chocolate chips may take longer or shorter amounts of time. Here are general timing guidelines to give you an idea of how long it should take to melt 1 cup of each:
- HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips – about 4 minutes
- HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips – about 3 ½ minutes
- HERSHEY’S Premier White Creme Chips – about 3 minutes
- HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Candy Bars – about 3 ½ minutes
HERSHEY'S Hack
Need to melt a HERSHEY’S bar in a hurry? Here’s a neat little shortcut:
- Add some hot tap water to a pot or heat-safe bowl.
- Submerge a sealed HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Candy Bar in the hot water for 1 minute.
- Use tongs to remove the bar from the water.
- Snip a corner of the wrapper with scissors.
- Drizzle that melty chocolate!
3. How to Melt Chocolate Chips in a Slow Cooker
Melting chocolate in a slow cooker is a simple, hands-off method. Just set your slow cooker to low heat and stir occasionally. This is also a great for parties when you’re trying to keep a homemade fondue warm for dipping.
Supplies You'll Need
- Slow cooker
- Slow cooker liner for easy cleanup (optional)
- Wide-mouth Mason jars (optional)
Instructions
- Line your slow cooker with a liner, if you prefer.
- Add your chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate bars and shortening (optional) to your slow cooker. Do not cover or use a slow cooker lid to prevent moisture buildup.
- Turn your slow cooker to the medium setting and heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until fully melted.
- Once melted, reduce heat to lowest setting to keep warm.
Mason Jar Instructions
- Add your chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars to the mason jars.
- Place the chocolate-filled jars into the slow cooker, about 1 inch apart.
- Fill the bottom of the crock pot with 1–2 inches of water, or about halfway up the sides of the jars. Be careful to not get water inside the jars.
- Turn your slow cooker on the medium setting and heat for about 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally until fully melted.
- Once melted, reduce heat to lowest setting to keep warm.
BONUS: How to Melt Chocolate Bars Using a DIY Solar Oven
For achieving perfectly melted chocolate using a bit of science, try a DIY Solar Oven. Invite the kids to participate in this hands-on activity that harnesses the sun’s energy to melt your favorite HERSHEY’S Chocolate.
Melting Chocolate FAQs
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Melted chocolate can start to harden within 3–5 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. But it could take as long as 30 minutes or an hour to fully set. If you’re looking to speed up the hardening process, pop the chocolate into the fridge or freezer.
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The key to avoiding burned chocolate is to heat it low and slow. Don’t heat up the chocolate too fast and make sure to stir it often to help circulate the heat.
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Yes! No chocolate chips? No problem! HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Candy Bars are also great for melting. But first you’ll want to chop them into smaller pieces for quicker and more even heating. HERSHEY’S bars conveniently break up into mini bars to help with the chopping process.
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The easiest way to thin melted chocolate is to add bit of vegetable shortening or oil, either before or after the chocolate has melted. You’ll also want to avoid overheating the chocolate and keep water out of it so it doesn’t seize.
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If your chocolate becomes lumpy from heating too quickly or coming into contact with water, that’s called seizing. Seized chocolate can be difficult to recover from, but one trick you can try is slowly adding fat (like vegetable shortening) to increase the fat content and improve the texture of your chocolate.
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Yes! In most cases, it will be important to add some extra fat to the mix if you’re “reactivating” chocolate that has already been melted and hardened. Repeating the process might make your chocolate chips less flavorful and they probably won’t harden again, but there are still plenty of uses for soft remelted chocolate chips.
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You can expect your chocolate chips to melt down to about half of your starting volume. If you’re melting 1 cup of chocolate chips, you’ll get about ½ cup of melted chocolate. Any additions you make, like vegetable shortening, will increase your volume slightly.
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The best add-in for melting chocolate is actually vegetable shortening. It has a neutral taste that won’t change the flavor of your chocolate, and the texture of shortening will make your chocolate easier to work with once it melts.
