white chocolate buttercream frosting and a bowl of raspberries

Be sure to read the labels carefully when choosing white chocolate for your recipe as real white chocolate is not the same as white baking chips or white melting chips.

  • White chocolate must have 20% cocoa butter to be labeled “white chocolate”. The cocoa butter gives it superior flavor and texture, and melts really well (though you have to be careful how you melt it). Ideal for desserts where you really want the white chocolate flavor to be the star, and for recipes that use melted white chocolate, such as a frosting or filling.
  • White baking chips are made with a substitute like vegetable or palm oil instead of cocoa butter, and you’ll notice the words “white chocolate” actually aren’t anywhere on the label. They include stabilizers which prevent them from melting smoothly and vanilla extract for flavoring. Ideal for cookies and bars.
  • White melting wafers/chips are made with a higher amount of fat and less stabilizers, and are designed to melt very easily. They have a very waxy texture and are flavored with artificial flavoring. Ideal for dipping and drizzling over treats.