Compound chocolate

An easy-to-use chocolate substitute made with cocoa powder and vegetable fat instead of cocoa butter, so it melts and sets firm without tempering; also called coating chocolate or candy melts.

Compound chocolate: Strawberries being dipped into a bowl of melted brown coating chocolate, some set and shiny on parchment
  • Baking ingredients and additives

Also called: coating chocolate, candy melts

Because compound chocolate uses fats other than cocoa butter, it doesn't need tempering. It melts easily and hardens quickly with a shiny surface at room temperature, which makes it popular for dipped strawberries, cake pops, pretzels, drizzles and colored candy melts.

The tradeoff is flavor and texture: it tastes less chocolaty and can feel waxy compared with real chocolate or couverture. Melt it gently in short bursts, and don't mix it with real chocolate, since the two fats don't combine well and the coating may set soft or streaky.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Compound chocolate (Q2915599), Wikidata