Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe (4 Ingredients) + Video
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This chocolate syrup recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients! Its rich chocolate taste is delicious in desserts. Make a batch with your kids! Everyone in the house will love the flavor of this homemade syrup!
What could be better than Hershey’s with 4 ingredients that you CAN pronounce? Sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt — you’ll thank me later!
The best part about making your own chocolate syrup is that it’s easy to make and tastes to much better than anything that you buy at the grocery store.
This is one of those clean recipes that you’ll love the very first time that you make it – and you don’t have to feel guilty eating it in your favorite way.
There’s nothing quite like making your own homemade chocolate syrup. It’s not only a simple recipe, but it’s one that beats anything hands down that comes from a squeeze bottle from the grocery store.
I’ve heard people call this “chocolate gravy” as well, but to me, it’s syrup!
Great recipes like this don’t cost a lot of money, but bring a bunch of flavor! The next time that you’re wanting to add syrup to a dish, make your own homemade Hershey’s chocolate syrup.
The whole family will compliment you on the flavor, and you only need a small saucepan to make this treat!
Table of Contents
Chocolate Syrup Recipe
There are so many different things that you can do with decadent homemade chocolate sauce like this one.
Drizzle it over ice cream or add it to the top of buttermilk waffles or your next cake. The options are endless to make this easy homemade chocolate syrup!
Forget about any store-bought brand and all the artificial sweeteners on the shelf and give this wonderful recipe a try.
It’s made with real ingredients without any artificial flavors. Homemade versions of the good stuff are always preferred.
The steps on the recipe card below show you how easy it is to make this DIY chocolate syrup. I think it’s the best chocolate syrup recipe ever.
If you want to make another type of dessert sauce, I suggest making Chocolate Ganache.
It’s a silky smooth chocolate hazelnut ganache, made with only two ingredients.
Or, my no-fail caramel sauce tastes like caramel with a hint of butterscotch. You only need 4 ingredients and 6 minutes to make it!
Simple Chocolate Syrup Notes
- Keep it fresh! Be sure to use fresh, soft brown sugar. If you use hard brown sugar, it will throw off the ratio.
- It will thicken. The syrup will be thin after it is done boiling. But, it will thicken up as it cools down.
- Chill the leftovers. You can refrigerate any leftover simple chocolate syrup, in a mason jar with a lid.
- Warm it up as needed. You can reheat homemade chocolate sauce in the microwave if you want to serve it warm.
- Make a larger or smaller batch. This recipe makes 2 1/2 cups, so you can make more or less homemade chocolate syrup as needed.
- Swap the salt. If you don’t have Kosher salt, you can substitute regular table salt.
Homemade Chocolate Syrup FAQs
Yes, you will need to refrigerate the simple chocolate sauce. I find that storing it in a mason jar is easiest.
Just let it come to room temperature after you make the chocolate syrup recipe. Then, store it in a mason jar with a lid. It will thicken up nicely in the refrigerator.
Dark chocolate is naturally sugar-free. However, most commercially prepared chocolate has added dairy, fat, and sugar to improve the taste and make it more meltable.
This chocolate syrup recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder, which is sugar-free. However, we add sugar to the recipe to make a sweeter syrup.
If you’re concerned about the sugar in this recipe, I have heard that some people replace the sugar with 1/2 cup of Splenda. It’s also possible to use Stevia.
But, you will need to experiment to find the correct ratio for this delicious syrup recipe. Using agave syrup or honey is not recommended. It makes the syrup much too thick and difficult to pour.
There are lots of different things that you can use this simple chocolate syrup for. When we make this recipe, we use it as a classic vanilla ice cream topping.
But, here are a few other ideas that you might want to try:
Homemade chocolate milk
Top your pancakes or waffles with it
This sauce makes a great dip for churros
Dunk sliced apples in it
Make chocolate milkshakes
Dip your pretzels in it.
Make hot chocolate
Drizzle it over pudding
Garnish for chocolate cake
Make an ice cream soda
Use this easy recipe as a dip for fresh fruits
Drizzle over the top of peanut butter ice cream
Homemade latte
Top your favorite desserts
Add to iced coffee
Drizzle on top of ice cream
Stir into espresso drinks and coffee drinks
Use as a topping for a no bake cheesecake
This chocolate sauce will last for up to two weeks. We always make a big batch and then store it in the refrigerator so we can use it throughout the week on our ice cream.
If you are having a party, you can double the chocolate syrup recipe easily.
Due to the simple ingredients, this homemade chocolate syrup recipe can be stored in a glass jar or in an airtight container in the fridge.
When you’re ready to use this recipe for your own homemade syrup, you can dip a spoon in and drizzle a little chocolate syrup over anything that you want.
Finally, if you want more chocolate dessert recipes, give these a try!
Chocolate fudge cake
Chocolate Mint Oreo cookie trifle
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe (4 Ingredients) + Video
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder, in the baking aisle
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a cold medium saucepan whisk together salt, sugars and cocoa until they are combined and there are no lumps. Add water and whisk to combine. Turn heat to medium and bring a boil, whisking frequently.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low whisking occasionally. Allow the mixture to simmer until it has slightly reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into a mason jar and allow to come to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.
- Enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2012, updated and republished January 2025
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
That chocolate syrup just became very addictive and I've just made it for the first time. It can be one of those things that you could crave all the time. May have to get a lock and key for it if I'm not careful.
I have made this and LOVED it. I have taken the liberty of sharing it on my blog – http://notsosecretwomensbusiness.blogspot.com.au/ – with all credit to yourselves, as something this good should not be kept a secret! As I said in my post, I don't usually do dessert every night but I have made an exception with this in my fridge! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Do you think this recipe would work for canning? I make this regularly! Great recipe!
Can you post the calorie/nutrition info for this recipe? I'm looking to replace Hershey's syrup in my life (mostly due to the first ingredient being HFCS) but want to be able to record this alternative in my Fitbit food log. Thanks!
This sauce can't be made with milk instead of water?
I haven't tested it that way Lisa. I make it to add to milk. But if you give it a go, let me know. Enjoy!
Just made my 2nd batch! So delicious and easy! Trying to stay away from a lot of artificial stuff and I use a low glycemic sugar along with the brown sugar (I am diabetic). 1 of the uses for this is my coffee ~ it’s perfect!
Is the brown sugar packed or loose? I've never seen a recipe with loose so assuming it's packed??
I am curious as to why it is called 4 ingredient chocolate syrup recipe … when there are 6 ingredients?
Hi, do you think the syrup will flow easily from an empty Hershey’s choc syrup bottle?
I love this. I don’t care for hershey’s chocolate syrup, but this one is so good. I like that I can save the extra for a bit. I like to use it as an ice -cream topping and a drink mix
This chocolate syrup recipe from Donna and Chad is absolutely delicious! So easy to make and it turned out perfectly.
Hi Mira!
We’re so glad that you enjoyed our recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn