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!

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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 (Turtle Cheesecake, anyone?). 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 3 months. If you start to notice a film on top, discard it immediately.

How to Make 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!

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.