Easy 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 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!

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.

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 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.

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.

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE: