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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Dessert ยป Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Published: Jul 24, 2020 ยท Updated: Aug 13, 2020 ยท This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    chocolate sauce dripping from a spoon into a clear jar with text overlay

    How to make chocolate sauce with chocolate chips. This easy homemade chocolate sauce is a simple, five ingredient recipe great for drizzling over desserts like cheesecake, dipping for fruit, or topping ice cream!

    spoon drizzling chocolate sauce over ice cream pie with pretzels, oreos, and chocolate sauce
    • About Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips
      • Ingredients
        • Cost of Recipe
    • How to Make Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips
    • Recipe Tips
      • Variations
        • Ingredient Options
        • Flavor Substitutions
        • How To Make Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips in the Microwave
        • How to Make Allergy Friendly
        • How to Fix a Mistake
      • Make Ahead Ideas
      • Storage Suggestions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Chocolate Sauce Nutrition
      • How to serve this chocolate sauce

    About Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips

    If you've ever wondered how to make chocolate syrup without cocoa powder, look no further because I'm going to show you how to make an easy chocolate sauce from chocolate chips. It's so simple my niece could easily make it with very little help from me when she was 8 years old (see the video we filmed in 2018).

    Everyone needs a good homemade chocolate sauce recipe, and this one is ever so simple. A few steps is all it takes to have a homemade sauce, and you only need five ingredients (and one of those is water)!

    To be honest, the main reason I make this homemade chocolate sauce is to pour it on the easiest and best ice cream cake/pie thing ever. But it really goes well for everything that can be improved by chocolate... it can be a chocolate sauce for cheesecake or for drizzling over ice cream. You can use it for dipping fruit or cookies. The sky is the limit for this easy chocolate sauce!

    The original recipe for the chocolate sauce came from my grandmother Nan (who inspires many of my favorite recipes like Good Luck Greens Soup and Lemon Herb Lamb Kebabs) via text message. It called for light Karo corn syrup, but I didn't want to buy corn syrup.

    The good news is that Karo syrup was not a make or break ingredient, and stirring together the sugar and water was completely sufficient. You basically just need a sugary syrup which is why you make a simple syrup before adding the milk.

    The other thing I changed regarding the original recipe is that I used milk instead of cream. I never have cream. Omitting the cream made this a little thinner, so know that this is a thinner chocolate sauce. You can easily use less milk to make it thicker though (and see the tips for more suggestions).

    chocolate sauce pouring into a glass on a white table with a jar of chocolate sauce

    Ingredients

    Sugar: Granulated sugar (regular old sugar) is what I use. You could use coconut sugar or brown sugar in a pinch if needed, but I haven't tested it. They might alter the flavor a little. Another option is to use light corn syrup or maple syrup and omit the water.

    Water: The water is used to make a simple syrup. Use less water for a thicker syrup.

    Milk: Any type of milk works in this sauce. I prefer whole milk or 2%, but coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk would also work. It might be a little thinner with the almond milk or soy milk, so use 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup and add more if needed.

    Chocolate chips: My preferred choice for chocolate chips in this chocolate sauce is semi-sweet. Mini or regular chocolate chips are fine. Chocolate chunks or even a chopped chocolate bar would also work. Use non-dairy chocolate chips if needed.

    Flavor enhancers:

    Vanilla extract: Whenever vanilla extract is involved, it's imperative you use real vanilla extract not imitation. Imitation will give your sauce a strange flavor. If you don't have any vanilla extract, it's ok if you have to omit it.

    Salt: Salt is optional, and I usually don't use it. However, a tiny pinch of salt helps intensify the sweetness of this easy chocolate sauce and gives it a little more depth of flavor. But make sure not to use more than 1/16 teaspoon (or a pinch).

    salt, vanilla extract, water, sugar, milk, chocolate chips with text overlay

    Cost of Recipe

    • sugar 1/3 cup: $0.05
    • water 1/3 cup: free
    • milk 1 cup: $0.64
    • chocolate chips 2 cups: $3.68
    • vanilla extracts 1 teaspoon: $0.59

    TOTAL COST: $4.96 (Based on San Diego Sprouts 2020) or $0.16/serving

    pouring sugar into small saucepan, adding milk, adding chocolate chips, adding vanilla extract, stirring together, drizzling chocolate sauce over ice cream pie

    How to Make Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips

    Time needed: 10 minutes.

    1. Heat sugar and water in a saucepan.

    2. Pour in milk. Simmer.

    3. Whisk in chocolate chips until smooth.

    4. Add vanilla extract.

    5. Stir until smooth.

    6. Use for everything because this stuff is magical.

      apple slices on a white plate with a bowl of chocolate sauce in the middle with an apple slice in the chocolate

    Recipe Tips

    The only main thing to stress about this homemade chocolate sauce is that this is more of a drizzling sauce and not very thick. However, if you serve it straight from the fridge, it is pretty thick and can hold up on a spoon (unlike most of the photos which show when the sauce was slightly warm or at room temperature). You can also cut back on the amount of liquid you use to make the sauce.

    Variations

    Ingredient Options

    Milk: Any plain milk will work as long as it isn't fat free. If you are using a milk that has a thinner consistency than whole or 2% dairy milk, start by using 3/4 cup and increasing as needed.

    Chocolate: Any type of chocolate chips will work. You can also use chunks or chop a chocolate bar. Milk chocolate will make this very sweet, so you might want to reduce the amount of sugar you use.

    Flavor Substitutions

    Flavor enhancers: You can add a little peppermint extract (use 1/8 teaspoon and increase as desired) to make this a peppermint chocolate sauce. Another option is to add almond extract (use 1/8 teaspoon). A pinch of salt also gives this a more intense sweet flavor.

    How To Make Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips in the Microwave

    You can prepare this in the microwave. Caution that it can be a little finicky, so be careful not to let it overflow or burn. Use a very large bowl, and keep watch the whole time.

    1. Heat water in a microwave safe dish for 1 minutes on 100% power until very hot. Stir in sugar. Heat for another 30 seconds then stir until sugar completely dissolves.
    2. Whisk in milk and heat for 30 seconds. Let rest for 2 minutes then heat for another 45 seconds.
    3. Stir in chocolate chips until completely smooth.
    4. Add in vanilla extract, and enjoy!
    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    How to Make Allergy Friendly

    This is already gluten free, egg free, soy free, and nut free (depending on the type of milk you use). You can easily make the chocolate sauce dairy free by using dairy free chocolate chips and a non dairy milk like coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk or soy milk. The sauce might be a little bit thinner, so start by using a little less and add more if needed.

    How to Fix a Mistake

    Too thin: If your sauce is too thin, you can try cooking it for a little longer to evaporate some of the liquid. Or add additional chocolate chips. Also, when it's kept in the refrigerator, it thickens more.

    Too thick: Add a little extra milk or water in one tablespoon increments and whisk completely until the sauce has your desired consistency.

    Make Ahead Ideas

    This is great for making ahead of time. No need to do anything special to make this ahead of time. Prepare as directed then transfer to a container, and refrigerate or freeze.

    spoon with chocolate sauce dripping off into a jar of chocolate sauce on a white table

    Storage Suggestions

    This chocolate sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Transfer to an air-tight container, and refrigerate or freeze.

    If you are freezing this, I recommend freezing it in smaller portions so you don't have to defrost the entire batch to get some of this chocolate sauce in your life. Nan always has this in her freezer because it's so easy to heat up and serve with ice cream or cookies for an effortless yet lovely dessert that everyone loves.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Chocolate Sauce Nutrition

    Let's be real. There aren't many nutrition benefits to a chocolate sauce. But what it lacks in nutrition, it makes up for in taste and fun. And sometimes we need fun foods in our life. So enjoy this chocolate sauce made with chocolate chips without guilt because guilt is not welcome around food 😉

    white plate with strawberries and a strawberry in a bowl of chocolate sauce spilling over the side
    (this is a photo from the original post... look how sad these strawberries look! ha!)

    How to serve this chocolate sauce

    This is a fabulous chocolate sauce for cheesecake or drizzled over ice cream, apple slices, brownies, cookies, anything! You can even use it to drizzle in glasses for the homemade bushwacker recipe or top your bushwacker with the chocolate sauce.

    But in my opinion, the most important thing to serve with this chocolate sauce is this Easy Ice Cream Pie. If you make the chocolate sauce and you don't make that ice cream cake, you are severely missing out!

    Another idea is to make s'mores using this sauce. Here's how:

    1. Spread the chocolate sauce (right from the fridge so it's thicker) onto the inside of half of a graham cracker and set aside.
    2. On the other half of a graham cracker, place a large marshmallow.
    3. Microwave for 10-30 seconds -- depending on your microwave -- until it puffs up.
    4. Remove from the microwave and smash the chocolate covered graham cracker on top. Enjoy!

    You can also make apple nachos with it by drizzling the warm chocolate sauce over sliced apples. Sprinkle with chopped nuts for a little extra protein, and enjoy!

    a white plate with apple slices and cashews covered in easy chocolate sauce

    Final thoughts:

    If you've ever wondered how to make chocolate sauce with chocolate chips, now ya know! It's definitely more saucy than it is thick, so take that into consideration when you are preparing this.

    You can eat this homemade chocolate sauce over ice cream or cheesecake, with strawberries or apple slices for dipping, spoon over apple slices, or whatever. I love making apple nachos with sliced apples, this chocolate sauce, and some chopped nuts (like in the photo).


    MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

    • Chocolate Coconut Chia Bars
    • German Chocolate Brownies
    • Mayan Hot Chocolate
    • Peanut Butter, Caramel, Chocolate Dip
    • Chocolate and Raspberry Tartlets
    spoon drizzling chocolate sauce over ice cream pie

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    How to make chocolate sauce with chocolate chips. Simple, five ingredient recipe is great for dipping, topping cheesecake or ice cream, anything!
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 1 minute
    Cook Time: 6 minutes
    Total Time: 7 minutes
    Servings: 32
    Author: Meme
    Total Cost: $4.96 || $0.16/serving

    Ingredients

    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 1 cup milk whole, 2%, or non-dairy milk
    • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips one 12 oz. bag
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Stir together the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium.
    • After 2 minutes, add in milk. Bring to a simmer.
    • Add in chocolate chips, and remove from heat. Stir until chocolate chips are completely incorporated.
    • Add vanilla extract, and stir until smooth.
    • Serve warm or cold. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (or freeze for a month or so).

    Video

    Notes

    *Makes 2 cups
    *This has a thin, drizzling consistency. If you want a thicker sauce, use directly from the refrigerator. You can also try using 2 tablespoons of water instead of 1/3 cup or decrease the amount of milk to 3/4 cup.

    What to Use in This Recipe

    Le Creuset Multifunction Pan
    Saucepan
    three whisks in different sizes
    Whisk
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo
    Click here for Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips Nutrition Facts

    *
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Chocolate Sauce
    Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)
    Calories 77 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Cholesterol 1mg0%
    Sodium 4mg0%
    Potassium 74mg2%
    Carbohydrates 8g3%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Vitamin A 15IU0%
    Calcium 16mg2%
    Iron 0.7mg4%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *

    Meme

    This post was originally published May 29, 2013. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.

    Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably share it:

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    Comments

    1. LOOKATALLTHOSECHICKENS68 says

      January 01, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Hi im making peanut butter cookies with half of the side dipped in. Will this chocolate sauce harden as a half and half cookie?

      Reply
      • Meme says

        January 03, 2020 at 2:56 pm

        Hmm... I don't know that it would. This is more of a drizzling sauce. It could possibly harden if you are keeping the cookies in the fridge.

        Reply
        • Janice says

          January 21, 2021 at 12:43 am

          Im looking for a chocolate sauce for chocolate milk that doesnt use cocoa powder. Will this work?

          Reply
          • Meme says

            January 21, 2021 at 4:31 pm

            Hi Janice! I think it might thicken a little too much when it gets cold. This drizzles when it's warm, but it thickens a lot when it's cold because of the chocolate chips (that are solid when cold or at room temperature).
            You could always try it out though! The chocolate sauce keeps well in the freezer if it ends up not working out for making chocolate milk!

    2. Kthorne says

      February 01, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      Very good!!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        February 02, 2020 at 10:22 am

        WOOHOOOOO!!! So glad you game back to share -- thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Kimberly A Spurgeon says

      April 12, 2020 at 10:43 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I made this to pour over my Easter Keto Cheesecake, but it's so delicious I might just skip the cheesecake! Thanks for sharing. Happy Easter!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        April 15, 2020 at 1:56 pm

        Yessssssss!! SO SO SO excited you liked it!! Happy Easter ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. BB says

      June 03, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      Just what I was looking for. Used only 3 T of water and it stays thick. Added a pinch of salt and only 1/2 t vanilla b/c I really wanted to taste the good Ghiiridelli chocolate chip flavor. This is a keeper!!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        July 22, 2020 at 1:19 am

        YAYYYYY!!! I love that you used less liquid to make it thick. Thanks for coming back to share! xo

        Reply
    5. Meghan says

      September 13, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      Thank you for this recipe. I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate as recommended but only had milk chocolate on hand. I thought that it might be a little too sweet for my liking so I added some cayenne pepper to it. It was delicious. I really loved the consistency and how well it kept. I stored it in a glass jar. I used this sauce over a dark chocolate cake and over some banana bread that was starting to go a little stale.

      Reply
      • Meme says

        September 14, 2020 at 9:40 am

        What a good idea!! I need to try that next time. Thanks for sharing!!
        xo

        Reply
    6. Michelle says

      October 03, 2020 at 11:46 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely love this recipe using simple staple and pantry items you have on hand.
      I needed a chocolate topping for a fat-free vanilla pudding pie that I had made. The chocolate topping I made for that pie turn to water! I followed this recipe making the following changes. I use milk chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate I substituted stevia baking mix for sugar and I only had low fat milk to which I added some butter. the sauce cooked up in but I cooked it longer and it thickened up just fine. I'm so happy to find this simple recipe. Appreciate all the hints that are provided. But I do not like having to scroll through tons of paragraphs to get to a recipe.

      Reply
      • Meme says

        October 27, 2020 at 10:41 am

        So happy you were able to adjust this to what you had in your kitchen!! Thanks for coming back to share ๐Ÿ™‚
        And you can always click the "jump to recipe" or "print recipe" to skip over all the hints

        Reply
    7. Cyndi says

      February 21, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      I added a bit of Kahlua. Just about 2 Tbsp. Could have added more. Great recipe. Thanks

      Reply
      • Meme says

        February 22, 2021 at 3:40 pm

        Ooooh I bet that made it even better! Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
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    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme -- a thirty-something girl from Alabama living in San Diego! Join me as I prove that living a guilt-free, healthy lifestyle can be budget friendly, delicious & fun!
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