In honor of National Milk Chocolate Day, we are getting specific about sugar’s role in chocolate and all the sweet, yummy, gooey goodness that can be made with it!

To start, it’s important to note the differences between milk, dark, and white chocolate. Beyond the obvious differences in color, there are more specificities that distinguish these varieties that are all made from combinations of cocoa and sugar. Dark chocolate is made from a minimum of 35% cocoa, a maximum of 12% milk solids, and sugar, creating the rich and intense flavor profile that this type of chocolate is known for. Dark Chocolate can be categorized as either bittersweet (containing a higher percentage of cocoa) or semi-sweet (the sweeter option of the two). White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, giving it a distinctly lighter color and more buttery taste than other chocolates. Milk chocolate is made from sugar, typically 10-30% cocoa, and at least 12% milk solids, producing a smooth and creamy texture.

The invention of milk chocolate is credited to Daniel Peter, a Swiss chocolatier. Peter was inspired by his friend, Henri Nestlé, who had recently developed condensed milk. Peter had the idea of adding powdered milk to dark chocolate to make it less bitter, and what resulted was a smoother texture and sweeter taste. After years of fine tuning and developments by other chocolatiers, it was when Peter and Nestlé joined forces to create the Nestlé Company that milk chocolate found its place on the mass market.

Today, milk chocolate wears the crown as the most common type of eating chocolate in the United States. Its popularity is evident in its wide variety of uses from numerous manufactured candy bars to luxury confections to chips in the classic American cookie. Because of its smooth texture and creamy finish, milk chocolate is perfect for crafting sauces for dipping or drizzling, forming into delightful confections, or adding to pastries. Celebrate #NationalMilkChocolateDay with us by checking out one of our favorite milk chocolate-y recipes, Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies!