Make Chocolate Chips

Did you know that you can make your own chocolate chips? They are much healthier and contain no preservatives or additives! Best of all, they are vegan friendly as well. This article will show you how to make chocolate chips as well as white chocolate chips.

Ingredients

Chocolate Chips[1]

  • 6 tablespoons 100% Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons coconut butter or cocoa butter (food grade)
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons maple syrup

White Chocolate Chips[2]

  • 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • very small pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon raw cashew or macadamia butter (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon dry milk powder (optional)

Steps

Making Regular Chocolate Chips

  1. Line two, standard-sized baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don't have any parchment paper, you can use wax paper instead. You will be piping the chocolate chips on these sheets.
  2. Set up a double boiler.[3] Fill small pot with about 2 inches (5.08) centimeters) of water and place it on the stove. Place a heat-safe, glass bowl on top of the pot. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
    • While it is possible to melt the baker's chocolate in the microwave, a double boiler gives you the most control. You will be less likely to scorch your chocolate.
  3. Break the baker's chocolate into small pieces. This will make it easier to melt. Unlike most other types of chocolate, baker's chocolate is pure cocoa and does not contain any milk. This makes it ideal for vegans as well.
  4. Place the ingredients into the glass bowl. If you want to make dark chocolate chips, omit the butter.[4] The butters will give you richer, creamier chocolate, but they will also make the chips softer in the end. Chocolate chips made without butter will be more bitter, but they also will be less likely to melt.
    • You can try using coconut oil instead, but keep in mind that the final chocolate chips will be soft and melt quicker.
    • If you don't have any maple syrup, you can use finely-ground maple sugar crystals, coconut sugar crystals, or a few drops stevia instead.[5]
  5. Melt the ingredients over low to medium-low heat. Turn the stove on to low or medium-low heat. Stir the ingredients often until everything is melted and mixed together.[1] Try to use a silicone spoon or spatula; the melted chocolate will not stick to that.
    • If you are using powdered chocolate, wait until the butter melts first, then stir it in.
  6. Spoon the melted mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a small tip. If you don't have a pastry bag, spoon the mixture into a plastic, re-sealable freezer bag. Zip the bag shut tightly, then snip off one of the corners at the bottom. Don't snip off too much, or you will get chocolate "kisses" instead of "chips."[6]
  7. Start piping the chocolate onto the parchment lined baking sheet. To create the points, lightly touch the center of the chip with a toothpick. Lift the toothpick up and away.[6]
  8. Wait for the chocolate chips to harden. This may take a while, depending on how warm it is in your kitchen. To speed up the process, put the baking sheets inside your freezer for about half an hour.[1]
  9. Store the chocolate chips in an air-tight container in the freezer. When you are ready to use them, simply take the container out, and pick out what you need.

Making White Chocolate Chips

  1. Line a standard-sized baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don't have any, you can use wax paper instead. You will be piping the chocolate chips on this.
  2. Prepare a double boiler. Fill small pot with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08) centimeters) of water and set it on the stove. Put a heat-safe, glass bowl on top of the pot. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
  3. Cut a 2 inch (5.08 centimeters) cube of cacao butter and place it into the glass bowl. If you can't find any cacao butter, you can use coconut butter instead.
  4. Melt the butter over low to medium-low heat. Stir it every so often with a silicone spoon or spatula so that it melts evenly.
  5. Stir in the rest of your ingredients. You don't have to add in the raw cashew/macadamia butter, or the dry milk powder, if you are having troubles finding them. These ingredients simply help make the white chocolate chips even creamier.[2]
  6. Transfer the melted mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a small tip. If you don't have one, a plastic, re-sealable freezer bag. Spoon the mixture into the bag, then zip the bag shut tightly. Snip one of the corners at the bottom, and you have a makeshift pastry bag. Don't snip off too much however, or you will get chocolate "kisses" instead of "chips."
  7. Pipe the mixture onto the baking sheet. To make the points, gently touch the center of the chips with a toothpick. Lift the toothpick upwards.
  8. Wait for the chocolate chips to harden, or put them into your freezer. It will take about half an hour for the chips to harden in your freezer.
  9. Keep the white chocolate chips in an air-tight container in the freezer. When you are ready to use them, simply pull the container out, and take what you need.



Tips

  • Try to make the chocolate chips as small as you can. They should be no bigger than a marble.
  • If you are short on time, consider getting one of those silicone pot holders that has a tiny honeycomb pattern. Spread the melted chocolate over the pot holder, making sure to fill the holes. Place the pot holder in the freezer until the chocolate hardens, then pop the chocolate out.[5]
  • If the chocolate hardens in your piping bag, let it cool, then take it out of the bag. Break the chocolate into smaller "chunks" with a mallet or rolling pin to create "rough" chocolate chips.[6]

Warnings

  • Homemade chocolate chips tend to melt a rapid speed and melt faster than store-bought ones. If you plan on baking them into cookies, don't be alarmed if they lose their pointy shape.[5]

Things You'll Need

  • Parchment paper
  • Baking sheet(s)
  • Small pot
  • Heat-safe glass bowl
  • Stirring spoon or whisk
  • Silicone spatula or spoon
  • Pastry bag with a small tip (or heavy-duty, plastic, re-sealable bag)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

You may like