This easy chocolate sauce recipe is so simple and quick to make. In this case, Cocoa powder, sugar, cream or milk, and vanilla extract is all you need.

Can be served either hot or cold. Poured on puddings, drizzled over ice creams, pancakes and cakes or why not dip fruit into it.
This homemade runny chocolate syrup will stays liquid when warm or cool. It doesn't set and or go hard so can be made ahead if needed.
Continue reading this blog post for all the ins and outs of making this chocolate sauce. Of course you can use the below to jump straight to what you want to know.
Jump to:
Ingredients for Chocolate Sauce
You do not need to have chocolate in the house to make a chocolate sauce.
This quick easy recipe uses cocoa powder, sugar, cream (or milk) and vanilla extract. Making an amazing sauce ready to serve immediately.
Substitutes
The pictures you see in this post, uses single cream. As can be seen, this makes a nice thick glossy chocolate sauce.
If you wanted a runny less fudgy sauce use milk instead.
Of course, if you wanted it thicker, substitute the single cream for double cream.
Check out, the double cream chocolate sauce used on our chocolate chip brownies! The extra fat content makes for a delicious chocolate fudge sauce.
Vanilla extract is optional, you can use no flavour, or other flavourings instead?
Orange flavouring is one of our favourite's, just like Terry's Chocolate Orange!
Serving Suggestions?
There are so many options for what to serve this chocolate sauce with!
Why not use it as a dip for marshmallows, strawberries, bananas or churros.
Serve hot poured over ice cream or cold as part of an icecream sundae.
Perfect sauce for pouring over profiteroles
Or why not have a breakfast treat serving up with strawberries on our Easy English Pancakes, equally good with waffles.
Drizzle chocolate syrup over any desserts like our Edible Cookie Dough.
Or a slice of banana cake, recipe linked from June at Simple Tasty Good.
How to store?
This homemade chocolate fudge sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Check the date of the cream or milk used for how long it can be stored for. It will be the same date.
Is chocolate sauce freezeable?
You can freeze it for up to a month, as most cream products do it will change the texture of the sauce.
Once defrosted, make sure to give the sauce a really good whisk up to get the fat incorporated back into the liquid.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Easy Chocolate Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Cocoa Powder (20g)
- 150 grams Caster Sugar
- 150 ml Double Cream or Single Cream Milk can be used instead for a thinner sauce
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract optional
Instructions
- Add cream (or milk) to a saucepan on low heat, add vanilla extract (or other flavour if using)
- Add sugar
- Use a sieve to add cocoa powder in
- Use a whisk to combine the ingredient together and increase heat to medium
- Continue to heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Serve straight away or leave to cool and keep in the fridge to use when wanted.
- Can be served cold or reheated when next used.
Erin
I doubled the recipe, and it almost filled a Hershey's chocolate sauce bottle - which is a nice way to keep and serve it. Very easy and quick to make. Castor sugar = super fine. Also, delicious!
Luke and Kay
Thank you for your kind words about Easy Chocolate Sauce, Erin! We are pleased to hear that our recipe was simple and quick for you to double, and that it was enjoyed so much. 🙂
Caylee
Best choc sauce I’ve ever tasted and super easy to make!!!
Luke and Kay
Thank you so much for your positive review, Caylee! We are thrilled to hear that our Easy Chocolate sauce exceeded your expectations and that you found the recipe simple to make. 🙂
Liz
Made with milk so very very runny, like milk! However with only 100g of sugar it was way too sweet, tried to rescue it without success.
Susan O'Brien
I couldn’t see any quantities so the recipe was not used
Luke and Kay
Susan, all the quantities for the chocolate sauce are on the recipe card, which has always been on the post since Dec 2020 when this was published and all our pages have a jump-to button to go straight to the recipe 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe
Iris
Not clear if you make it warm or just poor the ingredients together cold?
Luke and Kay
Hi Iris, thank you for the comment 🙂
Not too sure what you're unclear about, as when looking over the recipe card, the whole process of cooking the chocolate sauce is cooking on medium to low heat on the hob as you gradually add the ingredients.
Once the sauce is made you can serve it hot or cold.
Hope this helps and that you enjoy our recipe again soon 😉
M
More of a question. Can this be jarred and used sporadically? If yes what's the expiration like on it?
Stacey Cowley
Wow, thanks so much for an amazing recipe. I made it to go with double choc chip cake. I poured it through the cake just before serving and my guests loved it!
Kay
Thank you for trying our Easy chocolate sauce recipe, Stacey! I'm glad to hear it paired well with your double choc chip cake and that your guests enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing the feedback! 😉
Christine holland
Lovely chocolate sauce but i would put a bit less sugar in for my taste i would try 100g and add as you go along if needed
Kay
Thank you for trying our Easy Chocolate Sauce, Christine, and for your honest feedback. We're glad you enjoyed it overall. Hopefully, others will see this comment if they don't want their chocolate sauce to be too sweet can take your advice 🙂
RM
I made this with a can of evaporated milk, 3/4 c erythritol, 1& 1/2 t vanilla, 3 T. Dark cocoa powder, simmered it for a little, divine on ice cream!
RM
Almost forgot,I added a pinch of Himalayan salt to this
Kay
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the chocolate sauce! I'm always happy to hear how people adapt our recipes to suit their dietary needs.
Erythritol does not raise blood sugar levels making it an excellent sugar replacement for people with diabetes and also a lot lower in calories for people on a diet. I will have to try it out how you suggested.
Thank you for sharing, I hope you continue to enjoy the sauce!
Lucille Grant
Can I freeze this chocolate sauce and if so for how long? Thanks. Lucille
Esther Siegel
What about using powdered milk and then you don't have to worry about the expiration date of the fresh dairy?
Kay
That sounds good, Esther; we will have to give that a try; I hope you enjoy our chocolate sauce recipe 🙂
Jo
I don't ever use the recommended quantity of sugar so I reduced the sugar by half and it was sensational!
Kay
Thank you so much, Jo for this great comment 🙂
So pleased you thought our easy chocolate sauce was sensational 😉
Viv
Far too sickly sweet for my liking. Certainly not for anyone with cholesterol or high blood sugar, issues!
Sadly most of mine being thrown away ( not easy to dispose of!)
Luke
I agree with what you said; the chocolate sauce isn't good for anyone with high cholesterol or high blood sugar!!
I wouldn't recommend most chocolate sauces. Maybe try this recipe using a sugar alternative and use plant-based cream?
Angela
It is chocolate sauce. You drizzle a little bit on whatever. You don’t eat it with a spoon!!! Just don’t make it. And live your plant based life without a bit of chocolate.
Sara Welch
This was such a quick and easy way to turn bland vanilla ice cream into a decadent dessert! Love it!
Kay
Thank you so much, Sara
Really pleased you liked our chocolate sauce, this does go perfect with vanilla ice cream, our kids love it!!
Beth
This chocolate sauce is perfect for ice cream bars and for my son's birthday! So excited to make this for our gathering this weekend! Thank you! 🙂
Kay
Thanks, Beth
Hope you enjoy the chocolate sauce this weekend, let us know your thoughts?
Jamie
Easy indeed! This is going to be amazing on homemade ice cream! I'm drooling already!
Kay
Thanks, Jamie
This goes perfect with ice cream 🙂
Enjoy!!
Julie
I love how easy this recipe is. Now I can have delicious chocolate sauce whenever I want or need it.
Kay
Thanks, Julie
This chocolate sauce is so easy to make, with a delicious flavour 🙂
Enjoy!!
Marlynn
This is the easiest and tastiest chocolate sauce! I made some to pour over our brownie sundaes. So good!
Kay
Thank you Marlynn
This is a very easy recipe, but so tasty absolutely perfect with brownies, our kids love it 🙂
Jen
This reminds me of the chocolate sauce my mom made when I was a kid. It tastes so much better than the store bought stuff, and I love that the ingredients are healthier. Can't wait to pour this over ice cream!
Kay
Thanks, Jen for the comment and rating 🙂
You are right, this sauce is so much better than store brought and a lot healthier 🙂
Enjoy your ice cream!!
Julia
How many does it serve for pouring on a sponge ?
Robyn
Cut the sugar to 200g added a dash of rum, much better flavour.
Kay
Thanks, Robyn
We will have to give this a try sounds good 🙂
Nasim
I loved this chocolate sauce recipe. I used it on steamed pears and the whole family loved it 😊
Toni
This is so good! We enjoyed it with out favorite desserts!
Kay
Thank you, Toni for the rating and comment; it's really appreciated 🙂
So nice to hear you liked our chocolate sauce recipe; enjoy!!
Kay
Thank you, Toni, for the rating and comment; it's really appreciated 🙂
So nice to hear you liked our chocolate sauce recipe; enjoy!!
Dannii
I want to pour this over some ice cream. It looks amazing.
Kay
Hi Dannii, this goes perfect with ice cream 🙂
Thanks for the comment/rating!!
Helen
Such a great recipe to have on standby for a quick dessert. Thanks!
Kay
Hi Helen, thanks for the comment 🙂
This is such a quick and easy way to make a chocolate sauce when you need it for ice cream, our kids love it !!
Enjoy.
Alina
This sauce is perfect for pancakes, ice cream or almost any other dessert! This is a must for me, as I am such a pancake lover.
Kay
Hi Alina, you are right, this chocolate sauce goes perfect on any dessert but it's awesome on pancakes 🙂
Enjoy!!
Cathleen Childs
I have always wanted to try making chocolate sauce at home. This looks perfect, definitely giving this a go this week, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
Kay
Hi Cathleen
Hope you enjoy this homemade chocolate sauce, we all love it in our house 🙂
Beth Sachs
Delicious on vanilla ice cream and pancakes. The kids loved it and it's so easy to make!
Kay
Hi Beth, so glad your kids enjoyed the chocolate sauce, this is our kids favourite also on their icecream 🙂
Catherine
This stuff is just heavenly!!
Natalie
Such a simple and easy recipe for delicious chocolate sauce. My family loves chocolate over ice cream. I will give this a try.
Linda
This sauce over ice cream is my favorite! I mean who doesn't love a good chocolate sauce like this?
Amanda Marie
Really is easy, and my toddler loves it!
Alexandra
I just made some vanilla ice cream and this sauce was the best thing to serve with it - so delicious!