5-Minute Homemade Chocolate Sauce

By Terri Wuerthner

Updated 09/22/18

Homemade Chocolate Sauce
The Spruce
Ratings (126)
  • Total: 10 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 5 mins
  • Yield: 24 Servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
134 Calories
2g Fat
29g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24 Servings
Amount per serving
Calories 134
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 101mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 2g
Calcium 36mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This popular chocolate sauce takes only 5 minutes of cooking time, and it is much better than any store-bought chocolate sauce. Purchased chocolate sauces won't taste the same after you sample this fresh, rich, and very chocolate-dense version.

Warm the chocolate sauce up to make a hot fudge sundae or serve it cold or at room temperature. Drizzle the sauce over ice cream or use it to dress up a chocolate chip pie or pound cake. And it's a great topping for chocolate chip pancakes!

Although this basic sauce is wonderful as it is, it may be enhanced and varied in several ways. Take a look at the tips and variations below the recipe for some alternative flavor ideas. 

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups milk (whole milk recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chocolate sauce ingredients.
     The Spruce

  2. Place the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan, along with 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk to combine into a thick paste.

    Melted chocolate.
     The Spruce

  3. Add the remaining milk and bring the mixture to a boil; whisk to blend thoroughly.

    Whisking chocolate sauce.
     The Spruce

  4. When sauce the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently for 5 minutes, whisking often. Remove from heat, add the vanilla extract, and let the sauce cool.

    Simmering chocolate sauce.
     The Spruce

  5. Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, covered.

    Stored chocolate sauce.
     The Spruce

  6. Warm the sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop, if desired, and enjoy!

Kitchen Notes

  • The sauce may be used hot or cold; on ice cream, cake, fruit, or combined with milk to make a quick cup of hot chocolate (blend milk and amount of sauce to your own taste).

  • Keep this sauce on hand throughout the year, as it is a low-fat treat and a little bit goes a long way. For a light dessert with a chocolate fix, slice a few bananas, sprinkle them with walnuts, and then drizzle some of this chocolate sauce on top: an elegant and satisfying dessert with lots of texture, flavor, nutrition from the milk and bananas, and very little fat (though it does have sugar). It can be made with low-fat or even skim milk, for a wonderful treat when seriously watching fat intake. Will it be as good as with whole milk? No, but it will be almost as good--a fair compromise for such rich, chocolate flavor.

Variations

  • Add orange liqueur and a bit of orange zest for a chocolate orange sauce

  • Add a couple of tablespoons of bourbon and some cherries for a cherry bounce chocolate sauce

  • Add some mint extract and chopped fresh mint leaves for a chocolate mint sauce

  • Add some crushed peppermint candy for a chocolate peppermint sauce

The recipe makes about 3 cups of chocolate sauce or about 2 dozen 2-tablespoon servings.