Every kitchen is different, but it’s hard to imagine one that wouldn’t benefit from a foolproof chocolate syrup recipe. Simple to make and easier to love, this versatile power player can be drizzled onto waffles for breakfast or brownies for dessert. You can swirl it into milkshakes or hot chocolate. (For the latter, we recommend ⅓ cup chocolate syrup to 1 cup warmed milk.) A classic banana split isn’t the same without this standby ice cream topping. Innovators use chocolate syrup to create custom sundaes with vanilla ice cream, cacao nibs, fresh fruit, caramel sauce, and even peanut butter or potato chips.
You can add a little chocolate syrup to your morning cup of coffee, turning it into a mocha. And chocolate soda is a delightfully bubbly riff on chocolate milk, with New York’s classic egg cream perhaps being the most famous variation.
When you make chocolate syrup yourself, you have total control over the process and ingredients. Unlike store-bought chocolate sauce, homemade chocolate syrup is dairy-free. Its chocolate flavor comes from quality cocoa powder, so splurge on the good stuff if you’re able. A pinch of salt rounds out its flavor, enhancing the fruitiness inherent in the chocolate.
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
Makes about 1½ cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Combine ½ cup sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla extract, then cool to room temperature (syrup will continue to thicken).
Do ahead: Store chocolate syrup in an airtight container (such as a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid), refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in the August 2003 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for our favorite hot fudge sauce recipe and more soda fountain essentials →
Recipe notes
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