In recent years, your classic chocolate chip cookie got a lot more complicated or should we say sophisticated — in the best of ways. Many chocolate chip cookies have moved on from the traditional chocolate “chip” to include a variety of different chocolate inclusions. So, if you’re not sure whether you prefer chocolate chips or chocolate chunks in your cookies, you’re in the right place. Read on and learn the difference between chocolate chunks and chocolate chips and how this affects the traditional chocolate “chip” cookie.
Chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate sweet treat. There are many variations of the recipe, which usually starts with a dough made from flour, butter, brown and white sugar, eggs, vanilla and semisweet chocolate chips. The “chocolate chocolate chip” version of the cookie uses dough flavored with chocolate or cocoa powder in addition to adding chocolate chips to the mixture. This type of cookie is also called a double or triple chocolate chip cookie, depending on the combination of dough and chocolate types used.
Chocolate chip cookies have their origins in the United States. Back in 1938, a woman named Ruth Graves Wakefield was working at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, a popular comfort food restaurant. In telling the origin story, Ruth clearly remembers the invention of the chocolate chip cookie. “We had been serving a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream. Everyone seemed to like it, but I was trying to give them something different,” she explains. She added bits of a Nestlé semisweet chocolate bar to the cookie dough and baked it. And, of course, the rest is history. Thank you, Ruth!
In our expert opinion, the classic chocolate chip cookie is one of the most delicious creations known to man. No one can resist its soft, chewy center, its melty chocolate chips or the crunchy crust on the outside.
But what exactly defines a classic chocolate chip cookie? Without a doubt, one of the most important elements is CHOCOLATE. In a chocolate chip cookie, chocolate serves a dual function. It provides extra fat to the recipe and then also contributes to the overall structure of the cookie (the shape of the chocolate helps to support the dough as it bakes).
Types of chocolate chips
Originally, chocolate chips were made of semisweet chocolate, but today there are many different flavors. Among them are bittersweet, peanut butter, butterscotch, peppermint, milk, and white and dark chocolate. You may also find chips that come in different sizes. When making your next batch of cookies, experiment a little and see what you like best.
Of course, chocolate chips are not limited to the realm of cookies. They can be used in pancakes, waffles, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, crepes, pies, hot chocolate and various pastries. They are also found in many retail products, such as granola bars, ice cream and trail mix.
The difference between chocolate chips and chocolate chunks
One unusual characteristic of chocolate chips that you might not have noticed is that chocolate chips keep their shape when baked. It’s true! Check it out the next time you bake chocolate chip cookies. This is because they have less cocoa butter than eating chocolate (chocolate bars and chunks), which allows them to maintain their shape. As they heat up, they don’t melt into the cookie dough, so the dough stays more crisp. They also help the cookie keep its shape (resulting in a thicker cookie). Chocolate chips also tend to work better in smaller cookies.
Our Favorite Chocolate Chips for All Your Baking (or Snacking) Needs
FAQ
What is chunk chocolate?
Is baking chocolate the same as chocolate chunks?
Are chocolate chunks better than chips?
Can I substitute chocolate chunks for chips?
What are chocolate chunks?
Chocolate chunks are made by chopping chocolate bar and are composed of genuine chocolate containing cocoa butter, causing them to melt and spread at temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The chunks not only improve the cookie’s appearance and help it spread.
What are the risks of eating large portions of chocolate?
Chocolate is a candy derived from cocoa and is rich in fats and sugars, which can overload the body when consumed in excess. It can cause diarrhea, reflux, nausea, stomach aches, headache, and even trigger an allergic process.
Are chocolate chunks the same as chocolate chips?
Chocolate chunks can be made of the same or similar chocolate that chocolate chips are made from (especially if they are store-bought), but often have a little bit more cocoa butter in them that allows them to melt into flatter, more spread out patches in a baked good while in the oven. So, which should you use? The answer is both.
How do you make chocolate chunks?
Chocolate chunks can be made by cutting up bars of chocolate into small, irregular pieces or they can be purchased pre-chunked in the baking aisle at most super markets. Chocolate chunks come in irregular sizes, leading to a more uniform distribution of chocolate throughout a cookie or muffin than you would get with chocolate chips.