Homemade chocolate syrup is just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make. It comes out silky smooth, so delicious and ready to drizzle straight from the fridge.
Today, I’m so excited to finally share this homemade chocolate syrup recipe.
It’s one I’ve played with a bit over the years. I’ve tried others that weren’t the right consistency, didn’t have a great flavor or just fell short.
I mean, we’re talking chocolate syrup here, it should be freaking fantastic!
So after a few laborious rounds of testing, I created the perfect chocolate sauce recipe to share with you.
(And yeah, I know, I have it so hard, trying a bunch of different ways to make chocolate sauce. Bahaha!)
This sauce is silky smooth, irresistibly delicious and has a great combination of chocolate flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness. PLUS, it’s ready to drizzle anytime you need it, including straight from the fridge.
(I'm not a patient person so the kind of homemade syrup that seizes up in the fridge and has to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes... yeah, that doesn't work for me.)
So if you’ve ever wondered how to make chocolate syrup, let me tell you, it’s SO stinking easy. Like, dangerously easy.
You only need 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes to whip this up. I mean, you can do that ANY ole time you like. (Hence the dangerously easy part.)
What do you need to make chocolate syrup?
- Granulated sugar (ie, regular white sugar)
- Cocoa powder
- Pure vanilla extract
- Orange liqueur
And yes, you need a pinch of salt and some water. I do not count those as ingredients because I see them as a given in a kitchen.
Quick note too about the orange liqueur:
Using liqueur in the recipe helps keep the syrup from getting solid in the refrigerator. It’s no fun to want to drizzle some over your ice cream and have to let it sit at room temperature for a half-hour.
No, no, that won’t do. My parents didn’t call me “IG” for instant gratification as a child for no reason.
Instead, we add just a splash of liqueur and it makes all the difference!
It keeps the syrup nice and liquid and pourable at a moment’s notice. It’s the perfect consistency and ready to use straight from the fridge, no waiting needed.
I prefer using an orange liqueur and am partial to Cointreau but you could substitute a different brand or even opt for a different flavor if you want to mix things up.
If you need this to be alcohol-free, you can omit the liqueur altogether. Just know that the sauce will set up and harden a bit in the refrigerator and you’ll have to allow it to come back to room temperature before using it.
OK, you are ready to get going.
And you’re going to be finished with your sauce in about 5 minutes.
Really. I’ll break it down for you here.
Making homemade chocolate syrup:
- Combine the sugar, cocoa powder and pinch of salt in a small saucepan.
- Add the water, turn on the burner to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Mix well, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat then add the vanilla and the orange liqueur. Stir well.
That’s it! You just need to let it cool then transfer it to your glass jar or container to keep in the refrigerator.
So now you’ve got all this glorious chocolate syrup; how in the world are you going to use it?
Just kidding, you’re going to stand in front of the fridge with a spoon and then wonder where it all went.
But if you have the ability to keep some on hand, I’ve got a few ideas of how you might want to enjoy it.
Ways to use chocolate syrup:
- As a topping for a bowl of ice cream
- Drizzle over a slice of cake for serving
- Stir a couple of tablespoons into milk to make chocolate milk
- Use as a dip for fruit, such as strawberries or bananas
- Drizzle over donuts, waffles, French toast or pastries
What are some of your other ideas? I know you have thoughts. Share them with us in the comments below!
Speaking of keeping this chocolate sauce on hand, let’s talk storage.
How to store chocolate syrup:
- Homemade chocolate syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months. It has a shorter shelf life than store-bought syrup that’s unopened or opened.
- You can also try canning your chocolate sauce to prolong it’s shelf life. But I think you’ll find making a new batch every few months is plenty easy.
And totally worth it.
I hope you give this a try soon for all of your ice cream and chocolate milk and cake drizzling needs.
(And if you do, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram. I love hearing about and seeing your creations!)
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Homemade Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau (see notes)
Instructions
- Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a small saucepan.
- Add water, turn the heat on to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 minute. Scrape sides well
- Remove the pan from the heat then stir in the vanilla and Cointreau.
- Let cool then store in the refrigerator. The chocolate syrup will keep for up to 2-3 months.
Notes
- As a topping for a bowl of ice cream
- Drizzle over a slice of cake for serving
- Stir a couple of tablespoons into milk to make chocolate milk
- Use as a dip for fruit, such as strawberries or bananas
- Drizzle over donuts, waffles, French toast or pastries
Video
Nutrition
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