Substitutions / chocolate chips
What to use instead of chocolate chips
Use chopped chocolate in equal amounts. Chops unevenly, so you get varied pocket sizes — some prefer this, but it melts faster and can spread more in baked goods.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Chopped chocolate | 1:1 | Chops unevenly, so you get varied pocket sizes — some prefer this, but it melts faster and can spread more in baked goods. |
| Cacao nibs | 1:1 | Unsweetened and crunchy with no melt, so expect a more bitter, textural result rather than gooey pockets. |
| Carob chips | 1:1 | Naturally sweeter and caffeine-free, but the flavor is noticeably different — earthy rather than chocolatey. |
How much is a cup of chocolate chips?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh chocolate chips in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.