What Is Semi-sweet chocolate and How Can I Use It?

If semi-sweet chocolate has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 994 recipes to try it in.

What is semi-sweet chocolate?

Semi-sweet chocolate is a chocolate which has a level of sweetness that falls between sweet milk chocolate and bitter-sweet chocolate.

Most people know semi-sweet chocolate as dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is chocolate that does not contain milk solids, for example extra-bittersweet, bittersweet, and semi-sweet chocolate.

Semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolates contain cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, and sometimes soy lecithin (which acts as an emulsifier).

The quality and blends of cocoa beans, amount and quality of the added ingredients, and the processing determines the quality of the chocolate.

Each brand has its own special formula and method of processing.

Bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolates contain at least 35% chocolate liquor in North America and 43% in Britain.

The best chocolates can contain up to 70% chocolate liquor. The higher the content of chocolate liquor, the more rich and flavoursome the chocolate.

Bittersweet chocolate generally has a stronger chocolate flavour than milk chocolate or sweet chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate generally contains more sugar than bittersweet chocolate.

Semi-sweet chocolate will keep for several years, if well wrapped and stored in a cool dry place with good air circulation.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find semi-sweet chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Chocolate, semi-sweet is a member of the Sweets US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

巧克力（半甜）

British (UK) term

Chocolate, semi-sweet

en français

chocolat mi-sucré

en español

chocolate semi-dulce

How much does semi-sweet chocolate weigh?

Related

Sweets

Recipes using semi-sweet chocolate

There are 994 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Cinnamon Brownies

Cinnamon-spiked fudgy brownies with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and a cinnamon cocoa frosting on top. Mexican chocolate-inspired warm-spiced treat.

Super Chocolate Truffles

Super chocolate truffles use semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate, butter, and orange liqueur for a rich, boozy ganache cut into squares and rolled in cocoa. Classic French confection, dressed up with Cointreau.

Silky Chocolate Truffles

Silky chocolate truffles with semi-sweet chocolate, butter, and egg yolks rolled in cocoa powder. Five-ingredient French-style confection that turns pantry basics into an elegant gift.

Miss Lulu's Chocolate Waffles

Vintage chocolate waffles made with melted semisweet chocolate and folded egg whites for a tender, cake-like texture. Serve hot with syrup, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream for brunch or dessert.

Fudgy Picnic Muffins

Fudgy picnic muffins: a brownie-meets-muffin hybrid with melted semi-sweet chocolate, two cups of pecans, and just enough flour to hold it together. Freezes well for picnics and lunchboxes.

Mrs. F's Double-Rich Chocolate Cookies

Double chocolate cookies baked low and slow for fudgy centers and crisp edges. Cocoa powder plus semi-sweet chips deliver deep chocolate flavor in every bite.

Never on Sunday Chocolate Ice Cream

Never on Sunday chocolate ice cream is a custard-based churned dessert built on cocoa, semi-sweet chocolate, and a hit of whiskey stirred in just before freezing. Triple-chocolate punch in every scoop.

Aunt's Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies

Chocolate chip raisin cookies baked low and slow for crisp golden edges and chewy centers. Two cups each of plump raisins and semi-sweet chips packed into every cookie.

Chocolate Brownies, Low Cal

Low-calorie chocolate brownies made with melted semi-sweet chocolate and egg whites instead of yolks or butter. A lighter brownie with a fudgy bite and powdered-sugar dusting.

Supernatural Brownies

Supernatural brownies are Nick Malgieri's legendary fudge bricks: a full pound each of butter and semisweet chocolate, eight eggs, two sugars, and a shiny crackled top. Bakes a full half-sheet, rests overnight for perfect texture.

Super Chocolate Chip Cookies

Giant chocolate chip cookies baked in foil pans to hold their extra-thick shape. Butter and shortening blend creates crispy edges and soft, melty centers loaded with chocolate.

Logozzo's Chocolate Truffles

Logozzo's chocolate truffles made from a buttery dark ganache rolled into rich bite-sized balls and finished in cocoa, chopped nuts, or dipped in melted chocolate. Classic European confections from a five-ingredient base.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies recipe

Hot Baja Coffee

A new, delicious coffee made with kahlua and creme de cacao that can warm anyone up in the morning!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies pack quick oats, hearty whole wheat flour, chocolate chunks, and nuts into a chewy lunchbox cookie. Wholesome enough for breakfast, sweet enough for dessert.

Rum Truffles

Rum truffles are classic chocolate ganache truffles flavored with rum extract and rolled in cocoa-sugar. A 30-piece batch of giftable, no-bake holiday confections.

Baker's Truffles

Baker's truffles roll melted semi-sweet chocolate with creamed butter, egg yolk, powdered sugar, and vanilla into 1-inch chilled candy balls coated in chopped nuts or coconut. Old-school no-cream truffles with deep cocoa richness.

Chocolate Raspberry Toasted Hazelnut Ice Cream

Chocolate Raspberry Toasted Hazelnut Ice Cream recipe

Tom's Chocolate Chip Brownies

Tender sour cream brownies studded with chocolate chips. The sour cream creates extra-moist texture that stays fudgy for days in this simple one-bowl recipe.

Best Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Slice-and-bake chocolate walnut cookies built on a flourless-style dough with a pound of melted semi-sweet chocolate, espresso, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Crackly tops, fudgy centers, almost no flour.

Best Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Slice-and-bake chocolate walnut cookies built on a flourless-style dough with a pound of melted semi-sweet chocolate, espresso, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Crackly tops, fudgy centers, almost no flour.

Simply the Best Chocolate Brownies

Fudgy chocolate brownies with both unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate plus a hit of sour cream for tang and tenderness. Dense, dark, and bakery-style.

Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Deep dark chocolate fudge cookies loaded with three forms of chocolate: cocoa, semisweet, and unsweetened. Dense, fudgy interior with optional powdered sugar coating for crackle-top contrast.

Hazelnut Chunk Brownies*

Fudgy hazelnut chunk brownies loaded with toasted hazelnuts and chopped semisweet chocolate in a cocoa-rich, butter-heavy batter. Barely set centers, dense and deeply chocolatey.

Cusine D'Or Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crisp outsides and chewy centers, are often achieved by undercooking. In this recipe a small amount of corn syrup is substituted for some of the granualted sugar, for a chewy texture without being soft or undercooked.

Chocolate & Vanilla Chip Muffins

Chocolate vanilla chip muffins with melted dark chocolate folded into the batter and white vanilla chips studded throughout, plus chopped pecans for crunch. Bakery-style cocoa muffins ready in under an hour.

Kahlua Mousse Brownies

Kahlua mousse brownies, a thin sheet brownie spiked with coffee liqueur and instant coffee for deep chocolate-mocha flavor. Bake in a jelly roll pan and sandwich with ice cream for a fancy dessert.

Vanilla Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vanilla bean chocolate chip cookies with real vanilla bean seeds scraped into buttery dough. The vanilla beans create flecked, fragrant cookies with sophisticated flavor and optional walnuts for crunch.

Best Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Double chocolate chip cookies loaded with cocoa, semi-sweet chips, and toasted pecans. A splash of cream keeps the centers fudgy while the edges crisp up beautifully.

Chewy Moist Brownies

Chewy moist brownies that stay fudgy thanks to a duo of corn syrup and brown sugar, plus melted semisweet chocolate for deep flavor. Made with egg whites for a lighter crumb and baked in a foil sling for clean, neat squares.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip & Nut Cookies

Classic oatmeal chocolate chip pecan cookies with cinnamon spice, making 5 dozen golden-brown treats in just 30 minutes

Mocha Brownies

Fudgy chocolate brownies amped with instant coffee for deep mocha flavor, studded with walnuts, and finished with optional creamy coffee-cream-cheese frosting.

Chocolate Cappucino Cheesecake

A rich and decadent cheesecake that combines the classic flavours of coffee and chocolate with a spiced chocolate crust.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Old-fashioned chocolate ice cream for a hand-crank or electric churn. Cornstarch-thickened custard with semi-sweet chocolate, evaporated milk, whipping cream, and vanilla. Big batch built for porch socials.

Favourite Hot Chocolate

I love drinking hot chocolate, always buy it in some coffee store, this time tried this recipe, amazing hot chocolate, so I think I will never go outside for it, I can make it byself, fantastic!

Choco-Pudding Cake

Enjoy a decadent chocolate cake that melts in your mouth. The proof is in the pudding. When you're searching for a delicious dessert, add this one to your recipe repertoire.

Rich Double Chocolate Muffins with Buttermilk

Decadent chocolate muffins made with melted unsweetened chocolate and buttermilk, studded with chocolate chips for intense cocoa flavor in every bite.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double chocolate chip cookies made with oil instead of butter for a soft, brownie-like crumb. Cocoa-rich dough studded with semi-sweet chips and ready in 35 minutes flat.

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cupcakes

Deeply moist chocolate cupcakes made with hot coffee, sour cream, and both cocoa and melted chocolate for double the richness. A from-scratch chocolate cupcake to crown with frosting or ganache.

Double-Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

Double-Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies recipe

Very Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crunchy chocolate chip cookies with crisp rice cereal mixed into the dough for serious snap and a chewy interior. The unexpectedly textured spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie.

Family Favorite Fudge Brownies

Dense fudge brownies with a half pound of unsweetened chocolate, chocolate chip top, and a hit of instant coffee crystals to deepen the chocolate flavor. Baked low and slow.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Dark chocolate brownies made with both unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate plus brown sugar for chewy edges and a fudgy center. The bake-sale classic with deep chocolate flavor.

Champagne Truffles

Classic Belgian-style truffles with cognac-spiked dark chocolate ganache centers, double-dipped in melted chocolate and rolled in cocoa powder. A fine-dining-grade petit four for celebrations.

Champagne Truffles

Classic Belgian-style truffles with cognac-spiked dark chocolate ganache centers, double-dipped in melted chocolate and rolled in cocoa powder. A fine-dining-grade petit four for celebrations.

First Place Chocolate Chip Cookies

First place chocolate chip cookies baked low and slow for thick, chewy centers with golden crisp edges. Dark brown sugar and extra vanilla make these rich and caramelly.

Mocha Pecan Pie

Mocha pecan pie layers semi-sweet chocolate, Kahlua and espresso into the classic Southern filling, topped with decorative pecan halves. A coffeehouse twist on Thanksgiving dessert.

Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

Peanut butter fudge cookies hack a boxed brownie mix into chewy, fudgy cookies studded with chocolate chips and pressed with chopped peanuts. Ready in 25 minutes with just 6 ingredients.

Double Chocolate Grand Marnier Brownies

Double chocolate brownies brushed with Grand Marnier and finished with pecans. Dense, fudgy, and laced with orange liqueur for a grown-up dessert.

Rich Expresso Brownie Bars

Espresso brownie bars layered with a Kahlua-spiked cream cheese topping and feathered with melted chocolate for a marbled, bakery-window finish. Rich, fudgy, and built for a coffee-lover's dessert table.

All 994 semi-sweet chocolate recipes