Substituting classic chocolate chips in your baked goods is much simpler than you’d think. So whether you run out at home or simply can’t find a bag at the store, the good news is that you’ve got options. To get to the bottom of which choice makes the best replacement, Food Republic spoke with Laura Kanya, the research and development chef at Ann Clark Ltd.
“You can use chocolate bars that are chopped in similar sized pieces, candy bars, nuts, or dried fruit,” Kanya explains. With this plethora of options in mind, you might be wondering if there are any specific adjustments you should make or expect when replacing them. “Chips contain stabilizers like soy lecithin, to maintain shape and prevent melting during baking,” Kanya says. “Using chopped chocolate may just result in a flatter cookie or more pockets of chocolate.”
For the best results, make sure your pieces of chocolate, nuts, or dried fruit are evenly sized. That way, they can quickly fold into various batters, replacing chips in the same quantities as any other inclusion.
How to customize your baked goods without chocolate chips
Now that the many ways to replace chocolate chips have been revealed, it’s time to choose which works best for your tastes. One of Laura Kanya’s suggestions is nuts. Try incorporating chopped walnuts into the best basic banana bread for a buttery twist. For items like muffins, try dried cranberries for pops of tart, sweet flavor.
Another delicious idea is to cut up your favorite candy bar and fold the pieces into cookie dough. Snickers add flavors of nougat, caramel, and peanut, whereas chopped Kit Kats incorporate creamy milk chocolate and crunchy wafers throughout the dough. When selecting a regular chocolate bar, choose one you like on its own. Dark chocolate bars provide a bittersweet, rich cocoa flavor, while milk chocolate is sweeter and creamier.
If you use a chocolate bar, Kanya says the key to a seamless swap is “chopping the chocolate in similar sized pieces” to chocolate chips. This way, you get even pieces throughout your baked goods.
For a super fun twist, press dough laden with chopped chocolate bars into a large, deep pan to make a skillet chocolate chip cookie you can share at your next gathering (or dive into on your own). When it comes out of the oven, place a scoop of simple, creamy vanilla ice cream on top and use your leftover candy bar (try Heath for a caramel, toffee crunch) to sprinkle on top for an extra boost of texture and flavor.
