This simple recipe for homemade chocolate syrup uses only four ingredients, takes around 5 minutes to make, and tastes amazing. There's no reason to ever buy a bottle again!
This is sure to be another one of your favorite Quick Healthy Recipes.
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Believe it or not, chocolate syrup is a pantry basic in our house (meaning a staple you'll always find in our fridge). Don't hate me, but my husband makes us cappuccinos every morning and drizzles just a bit of syrup in them.
Yes, every morning for more than 20 years now. I'm sure you can imagine what a wonderful way that is to start the day. (You can see Brian's step-by-step video on how to make awesome cappuccinos at home if you'd like - they are easy and save a ton of money vs. a coffee shop.)
There are lots of other ways to use chocolate syrup, though, and I know many of you also probably have a bottle in the fridge (if the huge, 2-bottle package they sell at Costco is any indication...).
We use it as an ice cream topping, for chocolate milk or mochas, and when I'm feeling fancy, I'll drizzle some on the plates before I serve pieces of cake (it's especially good drizzled over this Chocolate Chip Cheesecake).
All this is to say, I used to buy it regularly for these reasons - and then came the "curse" of reading labels.
Yuck. It's like, 2 inches long- in fine print (I've enlarged this for you - I'm helpful like that).
What is all that? Shouldn't it be mainly sugar and cocoa?
Ingredients
Well, yes it should. This is more like it - just four normal pantry ingredients.
- cocoa powder
- sugar
- vanilla
- salt
Ah...I'm already breathing easier, aren't you?
Since this is all about the chocolate, I use a good quality organic cocoa powder as well as organic cane sugar and pure vanilla. You'll want to get the best you can for simple recipes like this.
How to Make Homemade Chocolate Syrup
What about how long it takes to make?
How about 5-8 minutes - and that includes getting out your 4 ingredients.
Simply add sugar, cocoa, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan.
I'm not sure why salt is included, it just always is in recipes like this. It probably adds depth of flavor or something.
Measure one cup of boiling water and pour about half into the cocoa mixture.
Whisk until a paste forms, getting out as many lumps as you can.
Add the remainder of the water, stirring until smooth and then bring to a low simmer over medium heat, stirring often for about 3 minutes.
TIP: "low simmer" means bubbles just breaking the surface - like the photo above.
Extra Tip: Don't forget this on the stove - sadly, I've had to throw out batches that were burned badly on the bottom from my inattention!
Remove from heat, and add the vanilla. It will boil a bit when it hits, but just stir it in- I like to take a big whiff of it at this point because it's heavenly.
Let it cool about an hour.
It's most simple to leave it on the stove and give it a little stir once in a while (though I'm sure I've left it more than an hour at one time or another).
Find a jar to store it in.
We've uses old salad dressing bottles, Asian sauce bottles and whatever else we could find over the years. Lately we are loving this squeeze bottle that gives the perfect amount and the prettiest drizzle.
Ours probably lasts 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator, but like I said, we use it daily. I'm sure it would last longer if needed.
Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 to 1 cup sugar; lower amount makes "dark chocolate syrup"
- pinch salt
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Start the water boiling. Mix cocoa, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Stir in enough boiling water to form a smooth paste, then stir in the remaining water.
- Bring to a simmer over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often. Let simmer 2-3 minutes (I like the longer time as it makes the syrup a bit thicker), stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Let cool.
- Scrape it into a bottle or jar and store in the refrigerator 3-4 weeks (or longer?).
Notes
Nutrition
More Pantry Basics Recipes To Try:
Easy, honey-sweetened homemade ketchup
Frugal (aka, cheap) Homemade Pesto
This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in March 2009.
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