A cup of milk chocolate chips is 170 g — the USDA figure, measured spooned and levelled. Sweet, creamy chips that melt more readily than dark chocolate. It is used for cookies, muffins and decorating. They sit between dark and white chocolate in sweetness and flavour, and at 170 g per cup they weigh exactly the same as both, which makes the three chocolates interchangeable by weight, even though the taste of the finished bake will be completely different. This guide covers the weight of milk chocolate chips in every measure you will use — cups, tablespoons and teaspoons — how to measure it correctly, what to use instead when you run out, and how to store it. All weights on this page are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
Milk Chocolate Chips: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of Milk Chocolate Chips in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 170 g per cup, spooned and levelled. Every figure is approximate — spooned and levelled is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.
| Amount | Weight (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 3.5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 10.6 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 42.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 56.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 85 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 127.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 170 g |
| 2 cups | 340 g |
| 100 g | 0.59 cups |
There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.59 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.
What is Milk Chocolate Chips?
Sweet, creamy chips that melt more readily than dark chocolate. Milk Chocolate Chips is used for cookies, muffins and decorating. The ingredient is a familiar one in most kitchens, but it is worth knowing what it actually is before you measure it, because the form it comes in decides how it behaves in a recipe. Milk Chocolate Chips as sold is the form the weight on this page refers to: 170 g per cup, spooned and levelled, from USDA. If you buy it in a different form — chopped, ground, toasted, sweetened or unsweetened — the weight per cup changes, sometimes by a lot, so weigh the ingredient in the form the recipe asks for, or weigh it before you change its form. That single habit, weighing before chopping, grinding or toasting, is what keeps the recipe consistent from one bake to the next.
How to measure Milk Chocolate Chips
Spoon the milk chocolate chips lightly into the measuring cup or spoon, then level the top with the back of a knife. Do not scoop the measure straight from the bag or the jar, because scooping packs the ingredient down and adds weight with every spoonful. Do not press it down or shake the measure to settle it, because that packs it too. The spooned and levelled method is a technique, not a machine setting, so two people measuring the same ingredient can still differ by a few grams, which is why the figures on this page are approximate. When the recipe matters, weigh the milk chocolate chips on a kitchen scale instead: put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the milk chocolate chips until the scale reads the weight you need.
How to store Milk Chocolate Chips
Cool, dry place, up to 1 year. That storage advice is worth following, because milk chocolate chips goes stale faster than most cooks expect, and stale milk chocolate chips will spoil a whole batch of baking. Keep it sealed, because air and moisture are what make it go stale, and keep it away from strong smells, because it absorbs odours from the cupboard. Check the ingredient before you use it: smell it, taste a little, and look at it. If it smells sharp, stale or off, or if it has changed colour or texture, replace it rather than risking a recipe on it. A small amount of fresh milk chocolate chips is always better than a large amount of stale milk chocolate chips, and the cost of replacing it is far less than the cost of a ruined bake.
What to use instead of Milk Chocolate Chips
If you run out of milk chocolate chips, the closest swaps are Dark Chocolate Chips at 170 g per cup, White Chocolate Chips at 170 g per cup. Swap by weight, not by volume, because the cup weights differ, and a volume swap gives the wrong amount. Each substitute changes the flavour a little, so choose the one that suits the dish: a mild substitute for a delicate bake, and a stronger one where the flavour can carry it. Taste the finished dish before serving, because a substitute that works in a salad may not work in a cake, and the other way round.
Worked examples: Milk Chocolate Chips in real recipes
1. A batch of milk chocolate chip cookies
A batch of milk chocolate chip cookies uses 12 tablespoons of milk chocolate chips, about 127.5 g, folded into a butter and sugar dough. The chips melt slightly in the oven and give the cookies their creamy sweetness, and the weight is what decides whether the cookies are studded with chocolate or barely flavoured: too many chips and the cookies turn soft and sweet, too few and they taste of plain biscuit. Fold the chips in at the end, so they stay in distinct pockets, and chill the dough for thirty minutes before baking, so the cookies hold their shape.
2. Milk chocolate chip muffins for lunchboxes
A batch of milk chocolate chip muffins for lunchboxes uses 10 tablespoons of milk chocolate chips, about 106.2 g, folded into the batter with a little cocoa. The chips give the muffins their sweetness and their appeal to children, and the weight matters because too many chips make the muffins heavy and hard to rise. Toss the chips in a spoonful of flour before folding them in, which stops them sinking to the bottom, and fill the cases only two-thirds full.
3. A milk chocolate topping for a banana cake
A banana cake topped with melted milk chocolate uses 8 tablespoons of milk chocolate chips, about 85 g, melted gently and spread over the cooled cake. The milk chocolate suits the banana better than dark chocolate, because its sweetness matches the fruit, and the weight is what decides the thickness of the topping: too much chocolate and it turns thick and heavy, too little and it barely covers the cake. Melt the chips very gently, because milk chocolate seizes faster than dark, and let the topping set at room temperature.
Why the weight of Milk Chocolate Chips matters
Milk chocolate chips matter by weight because they are the middle ground of chocolate, and the amount decides whether a bake tastes balanced or too sweet. In a cookie, the chip content decides whether the cookies are studded with chocolate or barely flavoured, and a 30 g error is the difference between the two. Milk chocolate melts more readily than dark chocolate, because it contains milk solids and less cocoa, so it softens faster in the oven and gives cookies a creamier, softer bite. The cup measure is unreliable because the chips are small and uniform, so they pack tightly, and a scooped cup can be 10 g heavier than a spooned and levelled one. Weighing the chips keeps the sweetness consistent, and it also matters because milk chocolate chips vary in cocoa content: a higher-cocoa chip tastes more of chocolate and less of sugar, so the same weight gives a different flavour.
The USDA figure, and how it was measured
The USDA figure for milk chocolate chips is not disputed: 170 g per cup, spooned and levelled, is the accepted value, and other sources agree within a few grams. Small differences between brands and batches are normal, because natural ingredients vary, but the variation is small enough that the figure on this page is a reliable guide for everyday cooking. The figure on this page, 170 g per cup, was measured spooned and levelled, which is the standard method for this kind of ingredient. If you measure it differently — scooping instead of spooning, packing instead of levelling, or measuring after chopping — the weight changes, and the recipe changes with it. The source matters too: USDA is the reference used throughout this site, because its figures are consistent and widely used in baking, and the USDA figures are used where King Arthur does not publish one. When two sources disagree, this site says so, and the figure given is the one judged most reliable for everyday cooking.
Common mistakes with Milk Chocolate Chips
The most common mistake is melting milk chocolate chips over too high a heat, which seizes them into a grainy mass. Melt them gently, in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst. The second mistake is using milk chocolate chips in a ganache, where their stabilisers stop them melting smoothly; use chopped milk chocolate bar for ganache. The third mistake is assuming milk chocolate chips are interchangeable with dark chocolate chips without adjusting the sugar: milk chocolate is sweeter, so a cookie made with milk chocolate needs less sugar elsewhere. Finally, do not store milk chocolate chips in a warm place, because they melt at a lower temperature than dark chocolate and will stick together into a solid lump.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of milk chocolate chips?
One cup of milk chocolate chips weighs about 170 g, spooned and levelled, using the USDA figure. That is for chips as sold, and the weight is the same as dark and white chocolate chips, because the chips are the same size and shape. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of milk chocolate chips?
100 grams of milk chocolate chips is about 9.4 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, because one tablespoon weighs about 10.6 g. Nine level tablespoons is just under 100 g, so add a few more chips, or weigh them on a scale for accuracy.
Can I substitute dark chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips?
Yes, by weight, because both weigh about 170 g per cup. The result will be less sweet and more bitter, because dark chocolate has more cocoa and less sugar, so a cookie made with dark chocolate needs a little more sugar elsewhere. The swap works well in brownies and muffins, where the darker flavour suits the bake.
Why do milk chocolate chips melt faster than dark chocolate?
Because milk chocolate contains milk solids and less cocoa, so it has a lower melting point and softens faster in the oven. That is why milk chocolate cookies have a creamier, softer bite than dark chocolate cookies, and why milk chocolate seizes more easily when melted. Melt it gently and keep the heat low.
How should I store milk chocolate chips?
Keep them in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Do not store them in a warm place, because they melt at a lower temperature than dark chocolate and will stick together into a solid lump. Keep them away from strong smells, because chocolate absorbs odours, and use them within a year for the best flavour.