The Best And Worst Chocolate Chips On Store Shelves, Based On Reviews
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Chocolate chip cookies are a classic treat, and funny enough, were created before chocolate chips were invented. The origin of chocolate chips as we know them today comes from Ruth Wakefield, a baker who ran the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts in the 1930s. As the legend goes, she had run out of baker's chocolate and swapped it for chopped-up semi-sweet instead. The chocolate held its shape instead of melting, creating the chocolate chip cookie we know and love.
Now, how much of that legend is true, we may never know. Either way, chocolate chips are a staple in many kitchens, added to cookies, brownies, cakes, and more for a burst of chocolate flavor. While Nestle sold the first chocolate chips, many other brands now offer their version of the tiny morsels. We've dug into the online reviews to determine the best and worst chocolate chips on store shelves.
15. Great Value
Great Value is the store brand for international conglomerate Walmart. While Walmart isn't solely a grocery store, it's the largest grocer in the United States, according to FoodIndustry.com, accounting for more than a quarter of all grocery sales in the country. It makes a variety of grocery products under the Great Value brand, including chocolate chips.
Reviewers on the Walmart website give the Great Value semi-sweet chocolate chips four out of five stars. Many reviewers state that they're comparable to name-brand chocolate chips but are a better value. Several reviewers also say they love the taste and that the chocolate chips are easy to melt. Others disagree, saying their chocolate chips tasted strange or had a chemical aftertaste, with one reviewer even saying, "Please don't eat this chocolate, I'm not sure it is fit for human consumption." While it's not necessarily one of the Great Value items you should avoid, it's not the top choice for chocolate chips.
Great Value offers semi-sweet chips in multiple-size bags as well as milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white, and butterscotch chips. All are rated four stars on the Walmart website with the exception of the milk chocolate, which has only earned 3.4 stars and has similar complaints to the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
14. Hu Kitchen
Hu Kitchen is a company that makes chocolate from clean, responsibly sourced ingredients. It makes chocolate candy bars as well as baking chocolate bars and semi-sweet chocolate chips. The chocolate chips are made with 60% cacao and have no added sugar, no sugar alcohols, no lecithins, and no dairy. They're also keto and paleo certified.
Reviews on both Amazon and Target average four and a half out of five stars. Positive reviews say that the Hu Kitchen chocolate chips taste great, and many reviewers say that these chocolate chips don't upset their stomachs like other chocolate chips without added sugar. However, not everyone was a fan of the taste, and some didn't like the texture. Others pointed out that the label is misleading, noting that while there is no added sugar, there is still sugar in the product. Another common complaint was the price, which is no surprise as these chocolate chips are pricier than name brands like Nestle.
Hu Kitchen also makes dark chocolate baking "gems," which are slightly larger than traditional chocolate chips. While still more expensive than traditional options, these have slightly better reviews, with most customers saying they love the taste and that these gems are great for baking or snacking.
13. Russell Stover
While it is well-known for its boxes of chocolate, the truth of Russell Stover is that it's one of the largest producers of chocolate gift boxes. The brand has been handcrafting chocolate treats since 1923 and offering sugar-free chocolate since 1998. This includes its sugar-free semi-sweet baking chips that use stevia in place of sugar. Stevia comes from plants and has no calories or carbs, making it one of the more popular substitutes for sugar.
Reviewers on Amazon give Russell Stover's sugar-free semi-sweet chocolate chips an average of four and a half out of five stars. Most reviews are positive, saying that they taste great and no one was able to tell that they weren't regular chocolate chips, and some commenters said they love that they can use these in recipes without sacrificing their diets. However, some reviewers complained that the chips didn't melt well.
Another issue pointed out is that while the chocolate chips are sweetened with stevia, they also contain a sugar alcohol called maltitol. Maltitol is a type of sugar alcohol commonly used as a sugar substitute, but unlike stevia, still has calories and carbs, meaning people with diabetes or similar conditions will need to be careful. Additionally, maltitol can give some people an upset stomach.
12. Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is the grocery branch of e-commerce conglomerate Amazon. It offers a variety of grocery options through its online store and its physical Amazon Fresh locations, but its online services are by far more popular. Many types of baking staples are available for customers to order for delivery, including the brand's chocolate chips.
Amazon Fresh boasts that its semi-sweet chocolate chips are 100% real chocolate and have no artificial flavors or colors. Reviewers rate them 4.6 out of five stars, with many saying they enjoy the taste and that these are a decent substitute for name-brand chocolate chips, especially at their lower price point. Reviews were mixed on the quality and meltability, with some saying that they don't melt well enough to use in chocolate molds, and others saying the chocolate chips were delivered melted. Some customers also complained that the color looked off and that the texture was waxy.
The semi-sweet chocolate chips are available in 12-ounce and 24-ounce sizes. Amazon Fresh also offers bittersweet, milk chocolate, white creme, and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, which generally hold the same rating as regular semi-sweet chips.
11. 365
365 is the store brand for Whole Foods Market, a supermarket chain that focuses on offering products that are organic and high-quality and use ethically-sourced and sustainably-sourced ingredients. Whole Foods is a subsidiary of Amazon, meaning customers can purchase products from a physical Whole Foods location or online through the Amazon website. This includes the 365 semi-sweet chocolate chips, which are USDA-certified organic, kosher, vegetarian, and fair-trade certified.
Customers on Amazon rate these chocolate chips 4.6 out of five stars. Most are happy with the product, loving that they're organic but don't break the bank. The majority also like the taste, although a few said they were a little too sweet for their liking. Customers seemed most frustrated about how these chocolate chips melt, with some reviewers saying that they couldn't get them to melt, and others saying that the chocolate chips arrived melted together into one big block.
On the whole, these chocolate chips don't seem like one of the best or one of the worst 365 products to buy at Whole Foods. 365 also makes mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini white chocolate chips, as well as dark chocolate and sugar-free dark chocolate chips. These products all have about the same rating as the 365 organic semi-sweet chocolate chips.
10. Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's is a chain of American grocery stores. Like Whole Foods, its store-brand products are generally free of artificial flavors and preservatives and don't use GMOs. It is well-known for having some of the most unique and absolute best snacks, but it also sells the same staples you'd find at any other grocery store. Its semi-sweet chocolate chips are dairy-free, gluten-free, and kosher.
The Trader Joe's website doesn't allow for reviews, but customers on ABillion.com gave these chocolate chips just over 4.6 out of five stars. Many say they love the taste and love the price even more, as these chocolate chips cost less than many other vegan brands. Customers say they're great for both baking and snacking and melt well. There aren't many complaints, although a few mention that while they like these chocolate chips, they aren't as good as name-brand options.
Reviewers on Reddit had the same thoughts, saying that these chocolate chips are good but maybe not quite as good as brands like Ghiradelli. A few highly recommend Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chunks, which have a higher percentage of cocoa than the chocolate chips. They're also made to melt more easily, a feature that may be better for certain baking projects.
9. Hershey's
In some ways, Hershey's is almost synonymous with chocolate in the United States. Its chocolate bars are some of the most popular snacks in America, and who can forget the adorable Hershey's kisses? In keeping with its chocolate tradition, the brand also offers semi-sweet chocolate chips, which it boasts use real chocolate, no artificial colors or flavoring, no preservatives, and are gluten-free.
On both Amazon and Walmart's websites, users gave an average of 4.7 out of five stars. Many stated they were delighted with the delicious flavor that's rich without being too sweet. Many said they work great for baking, are high-quality, and aren't too expensive. Negative reviews mainly come from those who weren't crazy about the taste or had issues with packaging or shipping.
Hershey's also makes a variety of other baking chip flavors, including cream cheese, cinnamon, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. Most of these products are rated similarly to the semi-sweet chocolate chips, with reviewers being happy with the taste and quality.
8. Baker's Corner
Baker's Corner is one of the many in-house brands of Aldi. Aldi is a German-based supermarket chain that has locations in nearly 40 states across the U.S. Baker's Corner is its brand for baking supplies, including sugar, flour, baking mixes, and, of course, chocolate chips. The brand's semi-sweet chocolate chips are gluten-free and the cocoa used is Rainforest Alliance certified.
While no star rating is available for Baker's Corner chocolate chips, the Aldi subreddit swears they're better than Hershey's. Most posters say they prefer the Baker's Corner brand because its taste and quality is on par with name brands, but the low price makes them a better value. A few say they like brands like Toll House and Ghirardelli better, but most agree that the price makes up the difference.
In addition to semi-sweet chocolate chips, Aldi's Baker's Corner brand also offers mini semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and butterscotch baking chips. Typically these are available in 12-ounce bags, although 24-ounce bags are occasionally sold as a limited-time "Aldi find."
7. Good & Gather
Good & Gather is Target's current store brand for food, replacing previous store brands like Up and Up and Archer Farms. The Good & Gather brand spans a variety of food products including frozen items, dairy products, pantry staples, and baking supplies. The semi-sweet chocolate chips offered by the brand are made with real chocolate and no artificial flavors, preservatives, or synthetic colors.
Reviewers on the Target website give these chocolate chips 4.7 out of five stars. Most reviews were positive, saying they liked the taste and price better than other brands like Nestle. Reviewers also said they were versatile and good for snacking and baking. However, a few disagreed on the taste, with some saying they found these chips to be too bitter, and others saying they found them too sweet. A few reviews also mentioned that they had a hard time getting these chocolate chips to melt smoothly.
Good & Gather offers these chips in a 12-ounce bag and also sells mini semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white, and butterscotch chips. It also has a signature line that sells dark chocolate chunks and semi-sweet chocolate chips made with 45% cocoa that's Fair Trade certified.
6. Ghirardelli
Ghiradelli is a brand that's often mentioned in the conversation about the best chocolate chips. The California-based chocolate confectioner is primarily known for its gourmet chocolate treats, but it also crafts baking chocolate and chocolate chips as well. Ghirardelli advertises that its semi-sweet chocolate chips are made from the highest-quality ingredients and are great for any baking need.
Based on reviews Google has gathered from across the internet, the average rating for these chocolate chips is 4.7 out of five stars. Many reviewers on the Target, Amazon, and Walmart sites rave about the rich flavor and smooth texture, with several proclaiming these to be the best chocolate chips you can buy. The most common criticism is that, unlike many other brands, these chocolate chips are not dairy-free (they're made with whole milk). Some also complain about the use of soy lecithin, though that's a more common ingredient in chocolate chips.
In addition to the semi-sweet chocolate chips, Ghirardelli also makes milk chocolate, classic white, 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, 72% cacao dark chocolate, and non-dairy dark chocolate chips. In addition, bakers can find chocolate wafers and baking chocolate from the brand.
5. Lily's
Lily's is a company owned by Hershey's that makes candy, baking chocolate, and baking chips without added sugars. Its products are generally sweetened with Stevia and are certified gluten-free and use non-GMO ingredients. The company's semi-sweet chocolate chips are also kosher, fair-trade certified, and made with 45% cocoa.
Based on reviews Google has gathered from across the web, these chocolate chips average 4.8 out of five stars. Many reviewers mention that these chocolate chips are versatile, and great for baking, topping, and snacking, and many also love the taste and are thrilled to find chocolate chips without added sugar that don't have a strange aftertaste.
Of course, not everyone agrees. Some thought the flavor was completely off, but the majority of complaints are regarding the ingredient erythritol. Like maltitol, erythritol is a sugar alcohol used as a substitute for sugar, but it is not calorie-free or carb-free. Also like erythritol, it can cause stomach pains in some people, especially when a large amount is consumed.
4. Nestle Toll House
Since the Nestle Toll House chocolate chips are apparently the original chocolate chips, it's no surprise that these tend to be a favorite. The brand's semi-sweet chocolate chips are made with 100% real chocolate and certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Google did the work of accumulating reviews from all over the web and calculated that these chocolate chips score an average of 4.8 out of five stars. Reviews from the Amazon, Target, and Walmart websites say that the taste is rich and delicious and the same as or better than higher-end counterparts. Most reviewers also say that these chocolate chips melt well and don't separate once they're melted, but a few struggled to get these to melt properly.
Some of the holdouts on these chocolate chips are a result of the brand itself, rather than the product. The untold truth of Nestle is that it's frequently embroiled in scandal, including its problems with child labor and its water controversy.
The brand offers other baking chips, including mini semi-sweet, milk chocolate, 53% cacao dark chocolate, butterscotch, and white. Additionally, plant-based semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips are available.
3. Enjoy Life
Enjoy Life is a brand dedicated to making sure everyone can enjoy life, even those with allergies, by making tasty, allergy-friendly foods. It doesn't have standard-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips, but does have mini ones, and they're free from gluten and 14 common allergens, including dairy, egg, soy, and peanuts.
Google's collection of reviews gives these chocolate chips an average of 4.8 out of five. Reviewers rave that these chocolate chips taste just as good as other brands, despite being free of ingredients that other brands use, such as soy lecithin. The most common negative reviews are in regards to the packaging or the somewhat higher price point, as these are about twice as expensive as Nestle's.
Enjoy Life also makes semi-sweet mega chunks, dark chocolate chips, ricemilk chocolate chips, and white mini chocolate chips, all vegan, GMO-free, and allergen-free. Their allergy-free product selection also includes candy bars and lentil chips.
2. Kirkland Signature
Cosco isn't as big of a grocer as Walmart, but it's in the top five. Its store brand, Kirkland Signature, is one of the company's biggest draws and is often rated as one of the best store brands. Its semi-sweet chocolate chips are advertised as great for baking or snacking and are kosher and made with sustainable cocoa.
Costco doesn't allow product reviews on its website, but Google's collection gives these chocolate chips 4.8 out of five stars. Reviews left on sites like Influenster.com say that these chocolate chips taste great and melt perfectly for baking projects. They also say that the taste and price are better than name-brand options. There are very few negative reviews, but a few people do say that these are a little too sweet for their liking.
For just a dollar more, Kirkland Signature offers semi-sweet chocolate chips made with real vanilla and 51% cacao. The brand doesn't currently make other flavors, like white, dark, or milk chocolate. However, in true Costco fashion, these chips are available in huge 4.5-pound bags.
1. Guittard Chocolate Company
Guittard Chocolate Company is a California-based chocolatier that creates couture chocolate using traditional French methods. Its semi-sweet chocolate chips are made with 46% cacao, non-GMO, and are free from major allergens including dairy, soy, gluten, and peanuts.
Reviewers from across the web give these chocolate chips an average of 4.8 out of five stars. Many rave that the chocolate is silky, high-quality, and strikes the perfect balance between sweet and bitter. There are very few negative reviews about these chocolate chips, but the majority that rated less than five stars did so due to the price, which, like the Enjoy Life brand, is about twice as much as other chocolate chips.
Guittard offers a variety of baking chips, including organic semi-sweet chocolate, extra-large semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, keto and paleo-friendly dark chocolate, extra-dark chocolate, butterscotch, vanilla, and green mint. The brand also makes chocolate wafers, baking chocolate bars, and cocoa powder.
How we determined the best and worst chocolate chips
To figure out which were the best and worst chocolate chips, we took a look at user reviews and ratings, either from the seller's website or from Google's accumulation of reviews from across the web. For those that didn't have many reviews, we also checked sites like Reddit to get consumer opinions.
We also tried to compare strictly semi-sweet chocolate chips, as those are the type most commonly offered. This kept all brands on equal footing as we went through reviews. Some chocolate chips were really close in ratings, and when that happened, we also looked at how reviewers compared them to other brands.