How to Melt Chocolate

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Melted chocolate is delicious for dipping, molding , drizzling, and decorating, making it easy to incorporate chocolate into all of your favorite dessert recipes. While chocolate melts very easily, it also tends to scorch or seize if it’s not handled properly. To avoid this, either melt it in a stovetop double-boiler or put it into the microwave in short increments.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Melting Chocolate with a Double-Boiler

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    Even the smallest amount of water can cause your chocolate to seize, or become dry, hard, and grainy. Before you get started, make sure your double boiler, cutting board, spoon, and any other tools you’ll use are clean, then dry them thoroughly. [1]
    • If you do happen to introduce a bit of water into the chocolate while melting, a little bit of vegetable oil will make the chocolate more usable, but it may still be grainy.
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    Pour enough water into the double boiler to cover the bottom of the pot, but not so much that the water touches the top bowl. Then, turn your stove to medium and heat the water until it starts to steam.
    • If you don’t have a double boiler, place a glass, ceramic, or metal bowl over a pot of steaming water. Avoid using plastic, as it could melt or potentially release chemicals into the chocolate. [2]
    • If the top bowl comes into contact with the hot water, the bowl might get too hot, scorching your chocolate instead of melting it.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Melt Chocolate
    As the water is heating, measure out the chocolate for your recipe and place it in the top bowl of the double boiler. Set the bowl on top of the double boiler so the chocolate can begin heating. [3]
    • Your chocolate will melt faster and more evenly if you chop or grate it first.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Melt Chocolate
    Use a spoon or a rubber spatula to move the pieces of chocolate around in the bowl, and scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl frequently. You should see melted chocolate starting to coat the bottom of the bowl almost immediately, but it may take 5-10 minutes to fully melt the chocolate. [4]
    • Because chocolate is very easily burned, do not leave the room or stop stirring for too long.
    • If the chocolate is melting too quickly and you’re concerned it will scorch, turn the heat down slightly on your stove.
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    Once it’s melted, you can use your chocolate however you like! However, it will start to set up again within just a few minutes, so use it as soon as possible. [5]
    • If the chocolate starts to harden before you're finished, return it to the heat and melt it again.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using a Microwave

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Melt Chocolate
    To melt chocolate in the microwave, it’s best if you break it down into smaller pieces first. You can either cut the chocolate with a knife or you can grate it with a box grater. [6]
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    Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl . Once you’ve measured and chopped your chocolate, put it into a container that’s safe to go in the microwave. Typically, these include dishes made of glass, ceramic, or plastic that’s labeled for use in a microwave.
    • If you’re not sure if your bowl is safe to put in the microwave, check the bottom for a symbol that looks like 3 wavy lines, or one featuring a dish with wavy lines above it. These both indicate that a dish is microwave-safe. The dish may also say something like “Microwave safe” on the bottom.
    • Using a dish that’s not microwave-safe could cause the chocolate to scorch, your dish could break, or it could even be a fire hazard.
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    Turn the power down to the lowest heat possible on your microwave. Then, heat the chocolate for 15-30 seconds. When the timer goes off, remove the bowl from the microwave right away. [7]
    • Opt for 15 seconds for small pieces of chocolate, like mini chocolate chips. For larger pieces, your first blast should be closer to 30 seconds.
    • Do not microwave the chocolate for longer than 30 seconds, or it will scorch.
    • If the chocolate doesn’t seem melted at all after 30 seconds, change the microwave to 50% power instead.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Melt Chocolate
    Stir the chocolate with a wooden spoon. If there are still unmelted chunks of chocolate, heat it again for 10-15 seconds. Continue stirring and heating until the chocolate is completely smooth. [8]
    • Remember to double-check that the microwave is still on the lowest power after each burst.
    • Unfortunately, there’s no way to get rid of the taste of burnt chocolate. If your chocolate does scorch, throw it out and start over.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Trying a Slow Cooker

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    While this step is optional, it will make it a lot easier to clean your slow cooker when you're finished with your chocolate. Just pull out one of the liners and place it into your slow cooker. When you're finished with your chocolate, just pull out the plastic liner and throw it away! [9]
    • You can buy liners for your slow cooker wherever most cooking and baking supplies are sold.

    Concerned about heating plastic? The major brands of slow cooker liners have not been found to emit phthalates or BPA. [10]

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    To ensure your chocolate melts evenly, use a knife to cut it into small pieces if it's in a bar or a block. While the exact size of the chocolate pieces doesn't make much of a difference, do try to get them all roughly the same size; otherwise, the larger pieces will take longer to melt. [11]
    • If you're melting chocolate chips, you don't need to chop them up.
    • This is great for melting large amounts of chocolate, like for fondue!
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Melt Chocolate
    Spread the chocolate thinly across the bottom of the slow cooker and turn it on. Put the lid on the slow cooker and leave the chocolate undisturbed for about an hour. [12]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Melt Chocolate
    After the first hour is up, stir the chocolate with a long-handled spoon. Then, turn the slow cooker to low heat and continue cooking the chocolate. Every 15 minutes or so, stir the chocolate again. It should be fully melted after an hour. [13]
    • At that point, you can turn the slow cooker to warm and leave the chocolate in the slow cooker to serve, or you can pour it out if you need to use it in a recipe.
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  • Question
    Why does my chocolate get hard when I melt it?
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    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This is called “seizing.” It can happen if water gets into your chocolate, which attracts the sugar particles in the chocolate and causes clumps to form. To prevent this, make sure your bowl and stirring spoon are completely dry before you start melting the chocolate.
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    Should you stir chocolate when you’re melting it?
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    Yes, stir the chocolate frequently to keep it from burning and help it melt more evenly.
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    What can you add to chocolate to help it melt?
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    Adding some type of oil or fat will help the chocolate melt more smoothly. Try mixing in a little bit of coconut or vegetable oil for a creamier result. Use 1 tablespoon of oil per 6 ounces of chocolate, and warm up the oil a little before you mix it in so your chocolate doesn’t seize up.
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      Things You'll Need

      Melting Chocolate with a Double-Boiler

      • Double boiler
      • Water
      • Spoon
      • Knife (optional)
      • Cutting board (optional)

      Using a Microwave

      • Microwave
      • Microwave-safe bowl
      • Spoon
      • Knife or box grater (optional)
      • Cutting board (optional)

      Trying a Slow Cooker

      • Slow cooker
      • Long-handled spoon
      • Plastic liner (optional)
      • Knife (optional)
      • Cutting board (optional)

      Tips

      • If you want your melted chocolate to return to a smooth, glossy state, you'll need to temper it. Read How to Temper Chocolate to learn how.
        Thanks
      • If you’re not in a hurry, put the chocolate on top of a hot oven, and it will melt gradually with no chance of scorching!
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      Warnings

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5477-two-ways-to-melt-chocolate
      2. ↑ http://time.com/4229503/plastic-in-microwave-is-it-safe/
      3. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5477-two-ways-to-melt-chocolate
      4. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/how-to-melt-chocolate-double-boiler-microwave-hair-dryer
      5. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/how-to-melt-chocolate-double-boiler-microwave-hair-dryer
      6. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5477-two-ways-to-melt-chocolate
      7. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5477-two-ways-to-melt-chocolate
      8. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5477-two-ways-to-melt-chocolate
      9. ↑ https://www.cooksinfo.com/slow-cooker-liners
      1. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a17859/plastic-safety-heat-food/
      2. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-to-melt-chocolate/
      3. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-melt-chocolate-5-easy-ways/
      4. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-melt-chocolate-5-easy-ways/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to melt chocolate in a microwave, place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on low heat for 30-40 seconds, or for about 10-15 seconds if you are using small chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate with a wooden spoon, then microwave for an additional 10-15 seconds. Be careful not to overcook the chocolate or it will become scorched and unusable. Stir again, then continue microwaving in 10 second bursts until the chocolate is fully melted.

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