There are six great methods you can use to get the perfect melted white chocolate. You can easily use a microwave to get the best results, or you can use hot milk, your stove, a double boiler slow cooker, or even melt it with butter!
All these methods are super quick and easy, so anyone can do them as long as you’re careful! All you need to do is measure out your white chocolate chips, get the equipment you need for your chosen method, and have a little patience.
If you want to use a microwave to melt your chocolate chips, all you need to do is put your machine on 50% heat and microwave your chips for one minute. Do this in 10-second intervals, and stir after every interval until you have a beautifully smooth mix! It’s really that easy.
However, that’s only one method you can try. While this is probably the easiest one out there, there are five other great methods to test, too! If you don’t have a microwave, or you just want to try some different things, why not try these methods, too?
Six Best Methods to Melt White Chocolate Chips
You could melt your white chocolate chips by:
- Using your microwave
- Using a double boiler (you can make one yourself if you don’t have one)
- Using your stove
- Using a slow cooker
- Using hot milk or cream
- Using melted butter
Every method listed above is clearly different, but they all come in handy depending on what you need the chocolate for. Some use different ingredients like cream or butter, and others need different equipment.
Because of this, there should be the perfect option for everyone. If you don’t have a microwave, you can still melt chocolate and get great results.
It’s important to note that white chocolate melts a lot faster than milk or dark chocolate. This lower melting point is between 82-84 degrees Fahrenheit.
As such, the melting process can happen very quickly, and you always need to keep an eye on your chocolate. You’d be surprised by how easy it can be to scorch or otherwise ruin your white chocolate!
With that being said, let’s take a look at the six best methods you can use to melt your while chocolate. By the end of this post, you will be a white chocolate pro. Why doesn’t want that?
1. The Microwave Is Your Best Friend
Using a microwave is by far the easiest way to melt white chocolate. It’s super quick, and there’s nothing complicated about it. Not to mention, you are much less likely to hurt yourself and get extra dishes dirty.
What you will need:
- A microwave with a turntable – obviously, you need a microwave if you want to use this method. However, your microwave has to have a turntable, too. The turntable is responsible for rotating the bowl while it melts, ensuring that the heat is distributed evenly. If you don’t have a turntable in your microwave, you might end up with scorched white chocolate.
- A microwave-safe bowl – you can use a silicone, ceramic, or glass bowl as long as they are oven safe. NEVER use plastic bowls, as they typically have phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). These are chemicals that are known to be dangerous and disrupt hormones, and these chemicals can leach into the chocolate. Check the bottom of the bowl to check if it is microwave safe.
- A whisk or spatula – NEVER use a wooden spoon since they retain a lot of moisture, which will lead to seizing. Use a rubber or silicone spatula or whisk, and avoid plastics and wood.
- White chocolate chips – you can melt up to two cups of white chocolate chips in your microwave at any one time. If you need to melt more than that, you will need to do it in batches.
The Method:
- Get your “real” white chocolate chips, and pour them into a microwave safe bowl. Make sure you are pouring in no more than two cups at once.
- Turn the microwave power to 50%.
- Place the bowl of white chocolate chips in the microwave. Be sure to leave them uncovered. Let the microwave run for one minute.
- Once the minute is up, take the bowl out of the microwave.
- Using your silicone or rubber spatula, stir the contents of the bowl carefully and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowel gently.
- Check if there are any unmelted chocolate chips left in the bowl. If there are, you can put the bowl back in the microwave. Leave the microwaves at 50% power, and allow it to run again with the bowl of chocolate inside.
- Check the chocolate at 10-second intervals and make sure to stir it at these times.
- When you can see that around 90% of the chocolate is melted, you can take the bowl out of the microwave. There will be enough residual heat in the bowl and chocolate to melt the remaining white chocolate chips. Make sure you keep stirring the chocolate until you can see that all the chocolate chips have melted.
2. The Double Boiler Method
There are good and bad things about the double boiler method. This popular method of melting chocolate results in a very even and easy melt, but it’s very hands-on.
White chocolate chips are notoriously high maintenance, so you shouldn’t even blink if you can help it. You also need to be careful as leaving them on the heat for too long can burn or negatively affect the chocolate.
However, the biggest issue with this method is the use of water. It’s incredibly easy to seize your chocolate if you get water on it, and since this method involves water, you can see how that might be an issue. You will know that your chocolate has seized when it gets hard and grainy – it’s hard to miss.
With that being said, if you can manage to keep an eye on your chocolate and not get water on it, this is a great method! It really makes you feel involved in the whole process.
What you will need:
- A stove – any stove will work, whether it’s electric, gas, or even an induction burner. You just need the heat!
- A double boiler – also called a bain marie, a double boiler is basically just two stacked pots. Boiling water sits in the bigger pot, and the smaller pot nestles in comfortably and gets the chocolate in it. The steam and heat of the boiling water will heat the smaller pot, melting the chocolate (and put it at risk of seizing).
- A whisk or spatula – NEVER use a wooden spoon since they retain a lot of moisture, which will lead to seizing. Use a rubber or silicone spatula or whisk, and avoid plastics and wood.
- White chocolate chips – you can melt up to two cups of white chocolate chips in your microwave at any one time. If you need to melt more than that, you will need to do it in batches.
The Method:
- In the larger pot, pour in around two inches of water. Make sure the water is not boiling.
- Heat up the water until it gets hot. Again, make sure it isn’t boiling or else you are increasing the risk of your chocolate seizing. Even a few drops of steam getting into your chocolate chips can result in the chocolate seizing.
- In the smaller pot, gently pour in up to two cups of white chocolate chips
- Place the small pot on top of the double boiler
- Allow the chocolate chips to heat up for anywhere from 3 to four minutes. When you notice them beginning to melt, you can stir them without your silicone or rubber spatula.
- Keep stirring the chocolate chips until around 90% are completely melted. At this point, remove the smaller pot from the heat.
- Keep stirring the melting chocolate in the smaller pot until it has completely melted. This will happen due to the residual heat of the bowl and melted chocolate.
Making Your Own DIY Double Boiler
If you don’t own a double boiler, you can easily make one yourself at home. Let’s see how to do that in the information below.
What you will need:
- A large pot
- A glass or metal bowl – this bowl needs to fit in the pot snugly, but must not touch the bottom of it or else the chocolate will burn
- A whisk or spatula
- White chocolate chips
What to do:
- Add around 2 inches of water into the large pot you picked out
- Heat the water up, but don’t allow it to boil
- Get your snug-fitting heatproof bowl, and put your chocolate chips in it.
- Put the bowl inside the larger pot. Double-check to make sure it isn’t touching the water.
- Allow the white chocolate to sit in the smaller bowl and melt for 2-4 minutes. When you notice it beginning to melt, make sure to stir it with your rubber or silicone spatula.
- Keep stirring the chocolate until around 90% of it has melted.
- Take the pot off the heat and remove the bowl
- Keep stirring the chocolate until it has fully melted
3. Use Your Stove To Melt Your White Chocolate Chips
Next, you can try melting your white chocolate chips on your stove! It’s worth noting that you need to be super careful with this method.
Using a pan to melt your chocolate means that it can burn very quickly if you aren’t watching it. You need to be standing there the whole time to make sure nothing goes awry.
What you will need:
- A stove – any stove will work, whether it’s electric, gas, or even an induction burner. You just need the heat!
- A small but heavy-duty pan or pot – you need something to put the white chocolate chips in.
- A whisk or spatula – NEVER use a wooden spoon since they retain a lot of moisture, which will lead to seizing. Use a rubber or silicone spatula or whisk, and avoid plastics and wood.
- White chocolate chips – you can melt up to two cups of white chocolate chips in your microwave at any one time. If you need to melt more than that, you will need to do it in batches.
The Method:
- Go to your stove and turn a burner onto the lowest heat it can possibly go to
- Get your white chocolate chips, and pour them into the pan. Place it on the low-heat burner
- Use your rubber or silicone spatula to stir the chocolate chips. Watch them carefully, because they can start to burn very quickly
- Once you can see that around 90% of the chocolate chips have melted, remove the pan from the heat.
- Keep stirring the chocolate chips until they are completely melted
- You might need to add a little oil (coconut or vegetable) or shortening if the melted chocolate is a little too thick for what you need it for. This method typically produces very thick melted chocolate.
4. Get Your Slow Cooker Out
Your next option is the slow cooker method! This works in a very similar way to the double boiler, since the chocolate chips will gradually melt from the water’s heat.
It is a very slow and easy method to use when you want a way to get your chocolate melted without being too hands-on. To get fully melted chocolate, you will need to be prepared to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, but that will depend on the slow cooker that you have.
What you will need:
- A slow cooker – you will need the slow cooker to hold the water and provide heat for the chocolate to melt.
- Heat-proof bowl or mason jars – either one will do, as long as they are tall enough to prevent water from getting to the chocolate chips. Also, make sure that their tops are wide enough to allow your silicone or rubber spoon of choice in there for stirring.
- A long handled spoon – NEVER use a wooden spoon since they retain a lot of moisture, which will lead to seizing. Use a rubber or silicone spoon, and avoid plastics and wood.
- White chocolate chips – you can melt up to two cups of white chocolate chips in your microwave at any one time. If you need to melt more than that, you will need to do it in batches.
The Method:
- Get your mason jar or bowl of choice, and pour your white chocolate chips into it
- Put the bowl or mason jar into the slow cooker. Make sure not to put the jars too close to each other if you are melting more than one jar.
- In the slow cooker, add two or three inches of water. Make sure the water level doesn’t go any higher than half the height of the mason jar.
- Turn the slow cooker onto a high setting. DO NOT put the lid on and DO NOT cover the mason jars/bowls.
- Leave the slow cooker to melt the chocolate for around 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, check on the chocolate chips and stir them. If they have not fully melted, leave them in the slow cooker for another 15 minutes or so.
- Once around 90% of the chocolate chips have melted, you can remove the jars or bowls from the slow cooker and turn it off. The warmth of the melted chocolate and glass will be enough to melt the rest of the chocolate.
5. Melt Them In Hot Milk Or Cream
This method is super easy and handy. It’s great if you need your melted chocolate to be a little less thick than it usually would be for a recipe. Check out how to melt your white chocolate chips using hot milk or cream below.
What you will need:
- Milk/cream – you will need this cream to heat and melt the chocolate chips.
- Microwave-safe bowl or pan – either one of these will be needed in order to heat up the milk or cream you intend to use.
- Medium/small mixing bowl – this will be used to hold the white chocolate chips as they melt. The bowl should be heat-resistant
- Plate for covering – a plate will be needed to keep the heat in and making the melting of the white chocolate chips more effective
- A spoon – NEVER use a wooden spoon since they retain a lot of moisture, which will lead to seizing. Use a rubber or silicone spoon, and avoid plastics and wood.
- White chocolate chips – you can melt up to two cups of white chocolate chips in your microwave at any one time. If you need to melt more than that, you will need to do it in batches.
The Method:
- In the pan or microwave-safe bowl, heat up the milk or cream. Make sure it is hot, but not boiling. It should be steaming.
- Pour your white chocolate chips into the heat-resistant mixing bowl
- Once the milk or cream is steaming, pour it over the chocolate chips
- Get your plate, and flip it over to cover the mixing bowl.
- Leave the plate on the mixing bowl for around five minutes.
- Once the five minutes are up, check on the chocolate chips. Use a whisk or spoon to blend the warm liquid and the white chocolate together. It should be smooth and creamy at the end.
6. Pair Your White Chocolate Chips With Butter
Finally, you can melt your chocolate chips with butter! This is another easy method, but you need to keep an eye on it. This method is great if you intend on using the chocolate for a recipe like blondie brownies. It has a texture that isn’t great for eating as-is.
What you will need:
- Double boiler, microwave, or pan – you can use any other method to get your white chocolate chips melting.
- Unsalted butter – unsalted butter will be added to the white chocolate chips.
- A spatula or whisk – NEVER use a wooden spoon since they retain a lot of moisture, which will lead to seizing. Use a rubber or silicone spatula or whisk, and avoid plastics and wood.
- White chocolate chips – you can melt up to two cups of white chocolate chips in your microwave at any one time. If you need to melt more than that, you will need to do it in batches.
The Method:
- Use your melting method of choice. We will be using a pan for this method run-through.
- Pour the chocolate chips into the pan, and add the butter
- Use a super low heat to start melting the ingredients. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn.
- Use your silicone or rubber spatula, and start stirring the mixture when it begins to melt.
- Keep stirring until all the chocolate chips and butter have melted. The mixture needs to be smooth in the end.
Useful Tips
If you don’t have a lot of experience with melting chocolate, it might be a little tricky. Hopefully we can make it a little easier with the information we’ve given you below.
Coating Strawberries? Use A Microwave
If you’re trying to make the ultimate white chocolate and strawberry snack, the method for melting the chocolate is pretty important. For white chocolate dipped strawberries, the microwave is the best option to go with.
If you’re working with regular white chocolate chips, all you need to do is melt them in the microwave (check out the method listed either above or below), and dip them.
If you’re working with white chocolate chips or morsels, the microwave is still the best way to melt them. These forms of white chocolate aren’t actually real white chocolate, though.
Because of this, when you want to melt them, you should add a little coconut oil or shortening when melting. If you don’t, the melted mixture won’t be very smooth, and it could be difficult to deal with – especially if you want to dip strawberries.
If you aren’t sure if you have real white chocolate or not, all you need to do is check the label. Real white chocolate won’t have any oils in it, and will contain cocoa butter. In white morsels, you are likely to find ingredients like palm kernel oil or a mixture of oils.
Real white chocolate might have small brown specks in it. These specs are tiny bits of cacao solids, and the overall color of the chocolate will not be a stark white like white chocolate morsels. Instead, they might look a little yellow.
Before making any decisions on cooking, always check to see what you are working with. Once that has been determined, you can make the right choices and either add coconut oil or nothing to help with the melting process.
Using Real White Chocolate Chips Vs White Chocolate Morsels For Strawberries
When it comes to the differences between using real white chocolate and chocolate morsels, there’s only one thing you need to remember.
They have the exact same microwave method to get the job done. When you are working with morsels, you need to remember to add around ¼ of a teaspoon of coconut oil.
Adding this coconut oil to the morsels will keep it soft and smooth. If you don’t add this, you are likely to end up with grainy melted morsels, which isn’t great to work with.
As long as you do this, you will have “white chocolate” that you can easily work with. Dipping strawberries into this mixture will be as easy as using real white chocolate.
Just remember to use strawberries that are dry and cold to get the best results when dipping. The excess chocolate needs to be shaken off, and it should be placed on wax or parchment paper.
This ensures that the chocolate won’t get stuck on anything, and you will be able to use them easily. Once the chocolate has set on the fruit, store them in an airtight container to keep them as fresh as possible.
Understanding And Preventing Seizing Chocolate
Chocolate can easily seize when you’re trying to melt it. This happens because some moisture found its way into the chocolate. This could happen when you accidentally spilled water on the chocolate chips before or during the melting process.
You will easily be able to tell when chocolate seizes, because it will go hard and become grainy.
It’s super easy for seizing to occur. Even if a bowl had a tiny bit of water in it, your chocolate can seize. The same goes for if you used a wooden spoon to stir the chocolate! Wood retains a lot of moisture, and can cause your chocolate to seize.
You might also be dealing with seized chocolate if you covered it when it went in the microwave. In this case, moisture will have built up and fallen into the chocolate.
If you are, or have had the misfortune of dealing with seized chocolate in the past – don’t worry! There are ways to fix it. The method we use might seem a little strange, since water is what caused the issue in the first place.
However, all you need to do is add three tablespoons of warm water for every cup of chocolate chips.
Make sure you add the right amount of water, and ensure that it is warm. If you get either wrong, this method won’t work. Once you’ve added the water, put your microwave on 50% power and microwave the water and chocolate for 15-second intervals.
Between intervals, use a wire whisk to mix the ingredients – these utensils work a lot better than spatulas will when it comes to seized chocolate.
Some Ideas For White Chocolate Use
There basically aren’t limits to what you can use white chocolate for! You can use them as a dip (e.g. for strawberries), in your favorite desserts, or even as decorations. If a recipe looks like it will pair well with white chocolate, it’s always worth trying out.
Below is a list of ideas you can use your white chocolate in:
- Fondue
- Frosting
- Blondie brownies
- Dip for strawberries
- White hot chocolate
- White chocolate sauce
- White chocolate ganache
- White chocolate dipped Oreos
- Fruit, cookies, or cake pop dips
- Make a white chocolate Christmas Chex mix
But why stop there? Get creative and find new uses for white chocolate. It’s also important to note that white chocolate might not be the best option for all your decorating needs. Instead, candy melts might be just what you need.
Alternatively, you can try using almond bark rather than white chocolate. You might need to do a little testing to find out which option will work best for you, but try to keep an open mind! To get the best results, you need to be willing to try new things.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Way To Melt White Chocolate?
Using a microwave is the best way to melt white chocolate. It’s quick and easy, and gets great results as long as you keep an eye on the chocolate.
Can Melted White Chocolate Be Used For A Lot Of Things?
Yes, melted white chocolate can be used for lots of different recipes. From white chocolate fondue to cakes and blondie brownies, there are no limits to the uses of white chocolate in baking!
Is Melting White Chocolate Difficult?
No, melting white chocolate isn’t difficult, However, there are a few things you need to be wary of, like moisture and temperatures. Things can go wrong if there is too much moisture, and if the temperature is too high.
What Can Be Added To White Chocolate To Make It Thinner?
You can add butter, oil, or milk to get your melted white chocolate a little thinner. Your choice will depend on what you need to use the chocolate for, so always think before you pick an option.
How Do You Prevent White Chocolate From Seizing?
You can prevent white chocolate from seizing by avoiding contact with any water. This might be difficult for the double boiler method, as spilling is easy.
19 Delightful Vegetable Oil Brownies Substitutes That Work Beautifully
Vegetable oil brownies substitutes are a healthy, vegan alternative to traditional brownies. The healthier way to enjoy its alternatives are by including applesauce, avocado oil, sunflower oil, cornstarch, mashed bananas, margarine, shortening, vanilla extract, fruit puree, buttermilk.
Hi! My name is Jessica, and I recently decided to set up the site My Baking Heart, as an extension of my love for baking. It is something I have enjoyed since being a young child, when I would bake cookies and cakes with my grandma
Over the years, I have developed my skills and love to try all kinds of baking, from genoise sponges, to peach cobbler, and everything in between. New recipes are so much fun to follow and recreate.
Through this site, I hope to teach others the basics of baking, from how to use certain equipment, to the best types of recipes to follow. My site is a mixture of useful informational content, recipes, and of course, review of the best types of baking equipment.
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