Grandma's Homemade Chocolate Syrup

The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.

The best Homemade Chocolate Syrup takes just four ingredients and 10 minutes to make, and it tastes better than any store-bought chocolate sauce! It’s perfect on top of ice cream or for chocolate milk!

It costs approximately $2.04 to make this Chocolate Syrup. The recipe makes twenty servings for about $0.10 per serving.

For more recipes your Grandma used to make you, check out our Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip, Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake, and our Seven Layer Salad.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Imagine making a bowl of ice cream only to realize you have no chocolate syrup in the fridge to make it the perfect bowl of ice cream. What do you do? Head out to the store to pick some up or go without it? Now you don’t have to do either. Our Homemade Chocolate Syrup is here to save the day.

This Homemade Chocolate Syrup recipe is super quick and simple to make. It uses minimal ingredients that you most likely already have on hand. And the real secret is that it is better than storebought.

This chocolate sauce is smooth, sweet, and rich in chocolate flavor. It is perfect for banana splits, brownies, a top of vanilla ice cream, and whatever else your heart desires.

Jess remembers her Grandma making this Chocolate Syrup regularly that she served with a bowl of vanilla ice cream. It was a treat Jess often requested and everyone looked forward to. Grandma had a knack for creating special recipes for her grandchildren. She shared the recipe with Jess, who now makes it at the joint request of her children.

Make this Homemade Chocolate Syrup once, and you will agree it is better than Hershey’s! It will also become a favorite for your family for years to come.

A jar full of the the finished Chocolate Syrup with a spoon in it.

Ingredients & Estimated Cost:

Recipe Cost: $2.04

Per Serving: $0.10

5 Tablespoons salted butter – $1.15
¼ cup cocoa powder – $0.41
2 cups granulated sugar – $0.34
½ – 1 cup whole milk – $0.14

To learn more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained. The pricing for this recipe was updated in November 2022.

An overhead picture of all of the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

Instructions

First, using a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Then, whisk together the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and ½ cup of milk.
Next, bring the mixture to a low boil and whisk until the syrup thickens.
Add in additional milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Finally, let the syrup simmer for thirty to sixty seconds before removing it from the heat and serving.

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

A picture collage showing how to make Chocolate Syrup

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Sometimes during the holidays, we like to add a drop or two of peppermint or almond extract to add a festive flair to the chocolate syrup.

Storage Tips

SERVE: Serve this Homemade Chocolate Syrup over vanilla ice cream or brownies while the syrup is warm.

STORE: Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

FREEZE: Place the syrup in an airtight container and place some plastic wrap on the surface. This will prevent the surface from crystallizing.

THAW: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 3-4 hours.

Recipe FAQs

What is chocolate syrup made of?

The ingredients for our chocolate syrup are simple ones you most likely have already. The ingredients include salted butter, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and whole milk. You will enjoy Homemade Chocolate Sauce with those few ingredients in just about ten minutes.

Does homemade chocolate syrup need to be refrigerated?

Yes, this recipe does need to be stored in the fridge due to it having whole milk in the recipe.

Why is my chocolate syrup grainy?

Be sure to whisk together all ingredients until they are fully incorporated. Failure to do so may result in grainy syrup.

Get Kids Involved

Ages 2-3: Ask your little one to help count to five as you prepare the butter to add to the saucepan.

Ages 4-5: Your child can assist by helping to pre-measure the ingredients to pour into the saucepan. They’ll also love helping you drizzle the sauce over the ice cream!

Ages 6-8: This is a great recipe to have your child attempt independently with your close supervision. It does not involve many ingredients and is simple to make.

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe unsupervised while you do the happy dance in the corner!

A jar of the finished Homemade Chocolate Syrup for gifting.

Budget Tips

We love making big batches of this chocolate syrup recipe to deliver to friends and family during the holidays. It is an affordable gift to make for lots of friends and family and a gift that everyone loves receiving!

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