Baking with Milk Chocolate

Unlike dark chocolate, milk chocolate is extremely sensitive to heat because of its high sugar content.  Milk chocolate is generally a mix of chocolate, sugars, and milk, and so it is much more commonly found in candies. 

For this reason it may be difficult to use milk chocolate in recipes that ask you to melt chocolate for sauces, or in desserts that will be cooking or baking for an extended period of time. Milk chocolate is best suited for desserts can be baked relatively quickly.

Cookies, Etc.

Milk chocolate is a great addition to all kinds of cookies, which typically only need to bake for ten minutes or so.  You can add chocolate chunks by cutting up candy bars, or use milk chocolate chips for a quick and easy addition. 

Add chocolate to your favorite peanut butter, oatmeal, and sugar cookie recipes.  Next time you’re baking brownies, sprinkle some milk chocolate chips and marshmallows on top half way through baking and you’ll have a new rendition of an old favorite.

Muffins & Breads

Milk Chocolate can be a great additive to muffins as well.  Add a little decadence to your traditional breakfast muffins, or create a fun dessert version to go with coffee.  Add chocolate chunks or chips to muffin batter, or melt in the microwave and drizzle over top. 

Milk chocolate can also be a welcome addition to many dessert breads, like banana bread.  You could even mix some chocolate chips into peanut butter and have a really nice spread for both muffins and bread.

Candies

Milk chocolate is probably most well known for its use in a variety of different candies, and is fun to experiment with at home.  For a really simple treat, melt some milk chocolate and dip it in bite size pieces of your favorite fruit, nuts, cookies, even cakes.  Let the chocolate harden on wax paper and then enjoy.  You can also use milk chocolate in fudges and truffles.

Other Ideas

Shave this kind of chocolate candy bar over some vanilla ice cream for a quick after-dinner dessert, or on top of some whipped cream topped hot chocolate or coffee. Make an easy snack and mix the chocolate chips into a trail mix with nuts, pretzels and dried fruits.  Or even better yet, just enjoy milk chocolate plain by the handful as you’re waiting for a fresh batch of cookies in the oven!