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melted chocolate in a small bowl on a white background.

How to Melt Chocolate Chips (3 Ways)

How to melt chocolate chips in an instant pot, on the stovetop, and in the microwave!
5 from 8 votes
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Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Servings: 1
Author: Max

Ingredients

  • chocolate chips

Instructions

How to Melt Chocolate Chips on Stovetop or Double Boiler:

  • We’re using a saucepan here as reference, but all is still applicable to the double boiler.
  • Place a pot or saucepan on the stovetop and fill it with a couple inches of water. Then put the second saucepan or heat-proof bowl on top.
  • Lift the bowl up and check the bottom to ensure it's dry before returning it to the pan to ensure the water in the pan isn't touching the bottom of the bowl.
  • Pour the chocolate into the mixing bowl and fill only halfway to ensure you have room to stir the melted chocolate.
  • Set the stove to medium heat, and as the water begins to simmer and emit steam, it will heat the chocolate and cause it to melt.
  • Turn off the heat once you only have a few remaining pieces of chocolate left to melt. Continue stirring using a heat-safe silicone spatula until the chocolate has completely melted. It takes about 4 to 8 minutes for chocolate chips to completely melt, depending on how many you’ve put in.

How To Melt Chocolate Chips in Microwave:

  • Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl or heat-proof measuring cup, ideally glass or ceramic. 
  • Place the container of chocolate chips in the microwave. You'll be heating the chocolate in two or three 30-second increments at 50% power, stirring between each increment, until thoroughly melted. After the first 30 seconds, take the bowl out of the microwave and stir the chocolate.
  • Pop the bowl back in the microwave for another 30 seconds on 50% power.
  • After 30 seconds, remove the bowl and stir the chocolate once more. It takes just over one minute for a half cup of chips to completely melt.
  • Finish heating when most, but not all, of the chocolate is melted. There should still be a few visible chunks you can simply stir, as they will continue to melt in the rest of the hot chocolate thanks to residual heat. 
  • If it's beyond a minute and you're still left with a handful of chips that have not melted, blast them again in the microwave, this time in 15-second intervals, still on 50% power. Continue stirring in between until the chocolate is smooth and totally melted.

How To Melt Chocolate Chips in Instant Pot:

  • Pour 2 cups of water into the Instant Pot, hit the sauté mode on normal, and allow the water to simmer. Make sure to not do this step at a high-heat setting.
  • Once the water is simmering, you'll see steam coming out. Once this happens, place the heat-proof mixing bowl on top. Lift the bowl up and check the bottom to ensure it's dry before returning it to the pan to ensure the water in the pan isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Wipe the inside of the bowl to make sure it's completely dry before continuing.
  • Pour the chocolate into the bowl no higher than midway to ensure you have room to stir the chocolate. After, hit cancel on the saute mode and switch to 'keep warm' mode. This function keeps the water as warm as needed since the top bowl is sealed, trapping the water inside and allowing residual heat to be transferred to the top bowl.
  • Stir until the chocolate melts almost fully. If the bowl gets too hot, you can proceed to the next step even before the chocolate is almost melted, but put down a dry towel or potholder before going to step 5.
  • Remove the bowl from the Instant Pot and stir continuously until it's smooth, shiny, and completely melted OR keep the "keep warm" mode on for a more convenient way of having warm chocolate dipping sauce on hand.

Notes

  • Avoid any moisture coming into contact with your chocolate as it melts, to prevent chocolate from seizing (clumping up).
  • Pay close attention to the time when melting chocolate chips in the microwave or any other high-heat method, like an air fryer. When blasting in intervals, never do it for longer than 30 seconds at a time. If you overheat chocolate, it may seize up and result in a charred lump, so to keep your chocolate shiny and smooth, keep a close eye on it.
  • Ensure that you have all the equipment you need before starting, because chocolate chips melt fast.
  • Use kitchen gloves for taking out a hot bowl, and when possible opt for a glass measuring cup instead of a glass bowl, because the handles stay cool during heating.
  • Stir the chocolate every 30 seconds to ensure even melting. The total microwave healting time for chocolate chips may vary depending on your microwave’s efficiency and wattage.