This Chocolate Syrup Recipe is so easy to make that you will never run to the store for chocolate syrup again! Plus, you can make it as thick or thin as you prefer. It’s perfect to add to a plate of my Banana Split Nachos or be the star of my Chocolate Syrup Mug Cake!
Chocolate Syrup
When you look back in history, chocolate syrup wasn’t used to sweeten your favorite desserts. In fact, in the late 1800s, cocoa was made into a syrup to mask the unpleasant flavors of some medicines! Lucky for us, chocolate syrup soon became packaged for home use (think Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup) and is now used on all our favorite treats! Even better yet, you can make your own!
Chocolate Syrup Recipe
With just a few ingredients, you can have your own supply of chocolate syrup whenever you are craving a topping on your ice cream or dessert. I use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, and yes, dutch process cocoa works great! Just add in a bit of sugar, salt – don’t leave out the salt!, water, and vanilla and you are ready for something amazing!
How to Make Chocolate Syrup
Chocolate syrup is a sweet condiment that can range from a thin sauce to a thicker, has to be spooned, sauce. Either way you ‘pour it’, I am sure you have added some chocolate syrup to your milk or made a hot fudge sundae at some point in your life. This homemade chocolate syrup is made with only five ingredients, and you can make it as thick or as thin as you like!
Combine the cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and water in a saucepan. Put the saucepan over medium heat. Continue to whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. Remove from heat after a few minutes (the longer you let it simmer, the thicker it will be) and stir the vanilla into the sauce. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Chocolate Ganache vs. Syrup
Chocolate ganache is generally thicker and shinier than chocolate syrup. It is also usually just made with two ingredients–heavy cream and chocolate. The longer you let chocolate ganache rest, the thicker it will be, which makes it great for cake filling, truffles, and frosting that hardens as it cools.
Chocolate Syrup will also harden a bit as you let it cool, so it could be used as a dairy-free ganache. It would be an excellent frosting, although I would not recommend making truffles with this recipe.
How to Store the Syrup
Once the syrup has cooled, you can scrape it out of the saucepan and into your airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. It’s so easy to make, don’t worry about running out of it! Add it to milk for delicious chocolate milk, or drizzle it on Brownie Rocky Road Ice Cream Cake! Enjoy it on all your favorite treats!
Chocolate Milk with Chocolate Syrup
This chocolate sauce is basically a replacement for Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup. To make some of the most decadent and rich chocolate milk of your life, just add 2-3 tablespoons to 8 ounces of cold milk. Stir and enjoy it! Easy peasy! If you want a simpler version of a delicious Homemade Chocolate Milk, <— try this one!
Is Chocolate Milk Good for You?
This is a loaded question, really. Chocolate milk has the same benefits of unsweetened milk, including calcium, vitamin D, and potassium (just to name a few). However, the added sugar is what makes chocolate milk more of a dessert to have once in a while than a drink to have every day. It contains up to two times the sugar of unsweetened cow’s milk.
Is Chocolate Milk Healthy for Kids?
Just like with adults, children should drink chocolate milk in moderation. One glass of chocolate milk is more than half the recommended daily sugar intake for kids. So, it’s a great treat, just like going out for ice cream, but a treat that kids and adults should enjoy once in a while.
Looking for More of the Best Chocolate Milk Recipes?
As mentioned earlier, making your own chocolate milk is probably your best bet when it comes to making it fit your nutritional needs. This syrup recipe is great because it can be added to milk in your desired amount. The same goes for my chocolate milk powder. With no preservatives, you know exactly what is going in the powder and you can tweak it as you see fit.
Looking for Ways to Use Chocolate Syrup?
Now that you know how easy it is, try the chocolate syrup on some of these recipes!
Make your own homemade chocolate syrup with just a few ingredients but lots of chocolate flavor to add to your favorite desserts!
- ¾ cup (88.5g) cocoa powder
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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To get started, take out a saucepan.
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Combine the cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and water in the saucepan.
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Put the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer.
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Let it simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Remove the pan from the heat and add in the vanilla. It will thicken as it cools so don't worry if it seems thin.
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Let the syrup cool before storing it in an airtight jar. Refrigerate for up to a week.
Can it be made sugar free
I have not made that adjustment so can’t speak to its flavor.
I have made this syrup for 60 years, (I was 8 yrs old) I HAD to have chocolate syrup on my ice cream, always. I saw this recipe on the cocoa can,the rest is history. Many in my family will use only my syrup on ice cream, milk, and hot cocoa. Nothing else! It’s a staple in my fridge!
I’m wondering why the shelf life in the fridge is so short since there isn’t anything perishable in the ingredients…
Trying to be safe rather than sorry. 🙂
Easy
Look’s good. The Recipe looks easy to make.
Would this work with honey instead of sugar?
Hi Sara- I haven’t tried it with that substitution so I can’t speak to its effectiveness.
If I stored this in the fridge overnight, would I be able to whip it with a mixer to make into whipped chocolate frosting?
Love your recipes. I use them frequently
My late husband was diabetic. Unless use a thickening agent also, sugar substitutes generally don’t thicken so watery/thin. We used a bit over 3/4 cup Splenda (sucralose) and a bit less than 1/4 cup sugar to equal the full cup — would test a small amount cooling quickly in frig or freezer, and simmer to reduce a bit longer to thicken more if needed. In fact, if simmered too long it could even become too thick with just that small amount of sugar included. Hope that helps.
Wonderful
I would sift the cocoa and sugar together first. Sometimes cocoa makes tiny lumps that are very hard to dissipate after they are in the water.
I haven’t yet tried either of your recipes yet. But certainly plan to. Espeecially the choc. syrup. WE GO THROUGH THAT PRETTY FAST.
I have made this homemade Hersheys’s syrup, its wonderful! I used Youtube recipe on videos.
Thanks a lot
Loved the recipe. Surprise is made with water, no milk.
I’ll try it.
My husband and I really enjoy this chocolate syrup recipe, Amanda. It’s wonderful. Thank you so much!
Easy to make! Very tasty and not overly sweet.
I love your stuff. Your recipes are unique and helpful. They’re clear and easy to understand. So many of them are comfort foods. You just have a wonderful page. Thank you!
I love going through your recipes. If I don’t have time to make something when I’m reading through, I will save it for later. I haven’t found a one I disliked. I guess cooking is my Hobby. I love to cook! So most of the time by just reading through the recipe I can tell if it will be good. Yours haven’t failed me yet! So keep them coming🍰
Love this recipe! I have given it to several family members. Will keep it handy!
Would it make it richer or otherwise alter it too dramatically if I subbed whole milk for the water? Thank you so much for responding.
Can you freeze this? I would love to make it foe hot chocolate but don’t use that much at a time or that often.
Every time I’m looking for a recipe, I forget that I can actually find your recipes outside of Facebook! 😂 I was searching for a chocolate syrup recipe because Trader Joe’s made theirs a seasonal item and it’s the only one my kid loves. Together, her and I made yours and were blown away with the similarities. Thank you for always being there for us via recipes!