How to make chocolate sauce with chocolate chips. This easy homemade chocolate sauce is a simple, five ingredient recipe great for drizzling over cheesecake, dipping for fruit, or topping ice cream!
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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 chocolate sauce recipe, and this one is ever so simple. A few steps is all it takes to have a homemade chocolate 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 ever ice cream pie.
But it really goes well for everything that can be improved by chocolate!
As a chocolate sauce for cheesecake or for drizzling over ice cream. For dipping fruit or cookies. The sky's the limit for this easy chocolate sauce!
Reader Review
"This is excellent. My search was for sauce recipe using milk, can't believe this worked so well. Thank you!"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The original recipe for the chocolate sauce came from my grandmother Nan, and it called for corn syrup.
However, I don't always have that, so all you have to do is make a simple syrup before adding the milk.
The other thing I changed regarding the original recipe is using milk instead of cream (which is another ingredient I never have).
Using milk gives you a slightly thinner sauce than if you use cream, so it's great for drizzling.
You can easily use less milk to make it thicker though (and see the recipe card for more suggestions).
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 easy chocolate 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 ¾ 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.
Ingredient Tip
If you're using a non-dairy milk alternative, start with ¾ cup and add more only if you want a thinner consistency.
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).
Recipe Cost
- sugar ⅓ cup: $0.08
- water ⅓ cup: $0
- milk 1 cup: $0.24
- chocolate chips 2 cups: $2.44
- vanilla extract 1 teaspoon: $0.60
TOTAL COST: $3.36 or $0.11/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2024)
Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.
How to Make Chocolate Sauce with Chocolate Chips
- Step 1: Heat sugar and water in a saucepan.
- Step 2: Pour in milk. Simmer.
- Step 3: Add chocolate chips.
- Step 4: Whisk until smooth.
- Step 5: Add vanilla extract.
- Step 6: Stir until smooth.
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. For a thicker sauce, start with about ⅔ cup of milk. Add more if you want a thinner sauce.
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.
Storage Suggestions
Transfer this easy chocolate sauce to an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze.
It keeps in the fridge for up to 14 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
If you are freezing this chocolate sauce made with chocolate chips, I recommend freezing it in smaller portions.
That way, you don't have to defrost the entire batch to get some of this chocolate sauce in your life.
To reheat:
In the microwave: Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl, and heat in 30 second intervals at 100% power. Stir and repeat until warm.
In a saucepan: Pour the sauce into a saucepan, and heat over medium-low, stirring often, until warm.
Variations
Ingredient Substitutions
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 ¾ 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 enhancers: You can add a little peppermint extract (use ⅛ teaspoon and increase as desired) to make this a peppermint chocolate sauce. Another option is to add almond extract (use ⅛ teaspoon). A pinch of salt also gives this a more intense sweet flavor.
How to Make Allergy-Friendly
This is naturally 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 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 milk and add more if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make chocolate sauce using milk. And any kind of milk will work in this recipe.
It's best for warm milk for hot chocolate. Otherwise, the chocolate sauce has a slightly more challenging time mixing into the milk completely.
No, but they can sometimes be used interchangeably.
Chocolate sauce is usually made with milk, cream, or butter. Chocolate syrup usually has a thinner consistency and less richness.
Dessert Tip
Nan always kept this chocolate sauce in her freezer to heat up and serve with ice cream or cookies for an effortless yet lovely dessert that everyone loves.
Nutrition Benefits
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.
Nutrition Tip
We need tasty food in our life, even if it's not full of vitamins and minerals. Remember to enjoy a variety of foods, including treats, that you have access to.
What to Serve with Easy Chocolate Sauce
This is a fabulous chocolate sauce for cheesecake, or you can drizzle it over ice cream, apple slices, brownies, cookies, anything!
You can even use it in homemade bushwacker recipe or top Tia Maria cocktails.
But in my opinion, the most important thing to serve with this chocolate sauce is Easy Ice Cream Pie. If you make the chocolate sauce and you don't make that, you are severely missing out!
Serving Tip
Not only is this a great chocolate sauce for ice cream and cheesecake, it's also excellent for dipping graham crackers, marshmallows, or fruit.
Final thoughts:
You will want to keep this recipe for how to make chocolate sauce with chocolate chips because it's so simple and delicious.
It's definitely more saucy than it is thick, so take that into consideration when you are serving this.
Enjoy this homemade chocolate sauce over ice cream or cheesecake, with strawberries or apple wedges for dipping, and drizzle over apple slices. You can even make apple nachos with sliced apples, this chocolate sauce, and chopped nuts.
MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
Easy Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cup milk whole, 2%, or non-dairy milk
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips one 12 oz. bag
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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
Meme
This post was originally published on May 29, 2013. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.
LOOKATALLTHOSECHICKENS68
Hi im making peanut butter cookies with half of the side dipped in. Will this chocolate sauce harden as a half and half cookie?
Meme
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.
Janice
Im looking for a chocolate sauce for chocolate milk that doesnt use cocoa powder. Will this work?
Meme
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!
Kthorne
Very good!!
Meme
WOOHOOOOO!!! So glad you game back to share -- thank you! 🙂
Kimberly A Spurgeon
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!
Meme
Yessssssss!! SO SO SO excited you liked it!! Happy Easter 🙂
BB
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!!
Meme
YAYYYYY!!! I love that you used less liquid to make it thick. Thanks for coming back to share! xo
Meghan
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.
Meme
What a good idea!! I need to try that next time. Thanks for sharing!!
xo
Michelle
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.
Meme
So happy you were able to adjust this to what you had in your kitchen!! Thanks for coming back to share 🙂
And you can always click the "jump to recipe" or "print recipe" to skip over all the hints
Cyndi
I added a bit of Kahlua. Just about 2 Tbsp. Could have added more. Great recipe. Thanks
Meme
Ooooh I bet that made it even better! Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Anon
This recipe is great! I used 92% cacao chips instead of semi sweet and only used 1 1/2 cups and it still turned out great! A question though, would this work for a café mocha, or is it more of a topping? This is the only recipe I’ve found so far that doesn’t use cacao powder, and I’d love to mix it in my coffee instead of a premade syrup.
Meme
YAY!! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
That's a good question... I haven't tried stirring it into coffee, but because the coffee is warm, I think it would work well. If the coffee was iced, it might thicken too much. Let me know if you try it out 🙂
Sue
I am hoping to make this sauce using mint flavoured chocolate chips, so I assume I should leave out the vanilla. I want to serve it over peppermint ice cream but not as a hot fudge sauce. If I refrigerate it, will it still be pourable?
Meme
All good questions! I haven't tried using flavored chocolate chips, but that sounds tasty! Honestly, I think adding the vanilla will make it even tastier because it'll just give it more depth of flavor. Vanilla usually isn't too strong so it shouldn't overpower the mint flavor. However, you can make it without then taste and see if you want to add it after everything is combined.
For consistency, this will be pretty thick when it is refrigerated. However, you can reheat it out of the fridge then let it cool to room temperature and it should still be pourable. Another option is to add a little more milk when making the sauce, but I have not tried this, so I cannot confirm the results you're looking for.
Hope you try and enjoy it!! It's one of my most popular recipes for a reason 🙂 It's deeeeelish! (And super easy to make yay!)
Braeden
I swear to god if I didn't make this myself I would have guessed it had crack in it. Y'all done good making this, it's going to make me fat. But I will die happy. Bussin bussin
Meme
Ah Braeden, thank you!!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂