Chocolate Glaze

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 10/14/20
Pouring chocolate glaze over a chocolate Bundt cake

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 1 jar
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
503 Calories
23g Fat
73g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 503
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Cholesterol 32mg 11%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 73g 27%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Protein 2g
Calcium 26mg 2%
*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.)

Use this delicious chocolate glaze on a wide range of desserts, including brownies, chocolate, cake, slices of pound cake, plain butter cookies, bars, or doughnuts. Make it thin to drizzle over a dessert or thicken it with extra powdered sugar for a more substantial coating.

This recipe will make enough chocolate glaze to drizzle over a loaf cake or Bundt cake, and it is easily doubled. If you are looking for a thin chocolate icing or glaze that will become firm, not sticky, this is an excellent choice. The icing sets to make a perfect coating. If your chocolate glaze is not hardening, double-check that you added the correct proportion of ingredients. After letting cool, you may place the glazed baked good in the fridge to further set up.

You may know powdered sugar as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar. If you don't have any handy, it's even possible to make your own from granulated sugar using your blender or food processor.

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Click Play to See This Chocolate Glaze for Desserts Come Together

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (chopped)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for making the chocolate glaze
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  2. Combine the butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring until melted. Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium for about 1 minute. Stir and continue to heat for about 15 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.

    Combining butter and chocolate using a wooden spoon
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl.

    Sift powdered sugar in a bowl
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Stir the sifted powdered sugar into the melted butter and chocolate. Beat the mixture, adding small amounts of boiling water until thinned as desired. If you happen to find it too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more hot water.

    Stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate using a wooden spoon
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Slowly drizzle the chocolate glaze from the pot or bowl over your cooled, finish baked good (such as a cake, cookies, brownies, doughnuts, etc.). If desired, use a spatula to evenly distribute. How long the glaze will take to harden will depend on the temperature of the glaze and the temperature of the room. Once cool, it will harden.

    Chocolate glaze drizzled over a chocolate Bundt cake
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • Use immediately and enjoy. If the glaze stands too long before use, it will thicken. Keep it covered with plastic wrap if you are not using it immediately. If it thickens, put it over the heat to thin it out again.
  • If you have to cover a frosted cake and don't have a cake cover or carrier, insert toothpicks in the top and sides of the cake, spacing them about 4 to 5 inches apart. Place a few sheets of plastic wrap or foil over the cake, tucking the ends under the plate to cover it completely.
  • To freeze frosted cookies or bars, arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer; freeze and then transfer them to a storage container. Label and freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
  • A white film on unsweetened chocolate is called "fat bloom." It is caused by temperature fluctuation and is perfectly fine to use in recipes.

Recipe Variations

  • For a no-cook version, you can use cocoa powder and substitute milk for the boiling water. Keep the ratio of powdered sugar to cocoa powder at 3-to-1. Butter is not needed with this version.
  • Garnish the glazed dessert with colored sugar or sprinkles before the glaze hardens to keep them from rolling off.
  • Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract for a chocolate mint glaze and then sprinkle the glazed cake or dessert with chopped peppermint candies, if desired.
  • For some mocha flavor, add about 1 teaspoon of espresso powder or instant coffee granules.