Chocolate Syrup Recipe + 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!

4-Ingredient Chocolate Syrup Recipe

What could be better than Hershey’s with 4 ingredients that you CAN pronounce? Sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt — you’ll thank me later!

chocolate syrup ingredients

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.

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!

chocolate sauce started in the pot

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.
how to make chocolate syrup

Homemade Chocolate Syrup FAQs

Do you need to refrigerate chocolate syrup?

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.

Is chocolate naturally sugar free?

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.

chocolate syrup smooth and chocolaty in the pot

How do you use chocolate syrup?

There are lots of different things that you can use this simple chocolate syrup for. When we make this recipe, we use it as an 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 a chocolate milkshake
  • Dip your pretzels in it.
  • Make hot chocolate
  • Drizzle it over pudding
  • Garnish for chocolate cake
  • Make an ice cream soda

How long does homemade chocolate syrup last?

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.

Finally, if you want more chocolate dessert recipes, give these a try!

chocolate syrup poured over ice cream

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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chocolate sauce in a mason jar

4 ingredient chocolate sauce in mason jar

Chocolate Syrup Recipe + Video

Donna Elick
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!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Method Stovetop
Servings 2 1/2 Cups

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

Be sure to use fresh, soft brown sugar. If you use hard brown sugar, it will throw off the ratio.
The syrup will be thin after it is done boiling. But, it will thicken up as it cools down.
You can refrigerate any leftovers, in a Mason jar with a lid.
You can reheat dessert sauce in the microwave if you want to serve it warm.
You can enjoy it warm or eat it cold; it’s your choice.
If you don’t have Kosher salt, you can substitute regular table salt.
If your syrup is too thick, you may have cooked it for too long. Double-check the recipe to see what might have gone wrong.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 719cal | Carbohydrates: 181g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 330mg | Sugar: 156g | Fiber: 16g | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 7mg

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.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
titled image for chocolate syrup recipe

Originally published July 2012, updated and republished February 2023

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48 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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!

  3. 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!

  4. 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!

  5. 5 stars
    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

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