Simple Homemade Chocolate Sauce – Barefeet in the Kitchen

You only need a few ingredients to make this Homemade Chocolate Sauce and it tastes better than any chocolate syrup you can buy at the store. Smooth, sweet, and incredibly chocolate-y, this is the chocolate sauce I tried for years to make.

Along with all the ice cream that everyone is making, this copycat Hershey’s syrup has become one of the most popular recipes on the website over the past few months. It’s been fun to see what we can make from home instead of immediately running to the store.

Homemade Chocolate Sauce

When I first made this, I wanted a simple homemade chocolate syrup similar to Hershey’s syrup; something that I could use to make chocolate milk for my boys or use as an ice cream topping.

Over the past few years, I’ve made numerous chocolate sauces: rich creamy hot fudge sauces and basic melted chocolate sauces (i.e. Homemade Magic Shell).

I ran across this chocolate sauce recipe many years ago and tried it within a few days of finding the recipe. This was exactly what I wanted!

The sauce is not overly sweet and it is smooth and rich in flavor. This is even better than the Hershey’s syrup that I remember. I am excited to have this in the refrigerator now and I can hardly wait to make a treat with it after dinner tonight!

How To Make Chocolate Syrup

When I found this recipe for homemade chocolate sauce, it was almost too simple to believe. No fancy ingredients, no dairy, just sugar, cocoa powder, and water. A pinch of salt and a tiny splash of vanilla finish it off perfectly.

This sauce tastes like Hershey’s syrup, only better. The fact it’s so incredibly easy to make means there is almost always a jar of this chocolate syrup in my refrigerator.

Chocolate Syrup Recipe

1. In a cold saucepan, whisk together the cocoa and the sugar until all lumps are removed.
2. Add the salt and the water and bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat.
3. Reduce to a simmer; stirring constantly. Simmer for about 30 seconds and then remove from heat.
4. Let cool and then add vanilla. Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate until needed.

Ice Cream Recipes

Pour this over the best and easiest Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, Cherry Ice Cream, or Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

This Peanut Butter Ice Cream by Pint Sized Baker is begging for some chocolate sauce and I can’t wait to drizzle some chocolate sauce over this Take 5 Ice Cream Pie by Beyond Frosting.

Pictured here is our much-loved Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, not to be confused with Oreo Ice Cream, which is a completely different kind of awesomeness. I recommend you try them both and pick your favorite.

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{originally published 4/20/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/9/23}

original recipe slightly adapted from and with thanks to Cate Linden