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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » 2-Minute Chocolate Sauce

    2-Minute Chocolate Sauce

    by Allison · Modified: May 20, 2024 · Published: Nov 14, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Need a quick chocolate syrup for your favorite dessert or coffee drink that's ready in the time you can say "yes please"? This chocolate sauce recipe is it. 🙂 Just two minutes to make, with all of the decadence and none of the processed sugar.

    Chocolate sauce drizzled into in a glass bowl with a silver spoon.

    "Happy for a quick recipe for chocolate sauce that's equally delicious. No need for the store bought stuff. Even my husband loves it."

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Sid, One Happy Dish reader

    To be honest, this recipe was created for those few times a year that I just really need a little chocolate syrup sweetness in my life. 😉 I got so tired of buying a huge bottle of something store-bought, and having most of it expire before I even had a chance to use it up.

    With a little testing and tweaking of various natural sweeteners and quantities, I could NOT believe how good this final result was. This chocolate sauce tastes every bit as good as the commercial version, and I actual prefer this one because it tastes so deliciously natural.

    Bonus: you don't even need to turn on the stove for this one. It literally does take just two minutes to make.

    Did you know?

    Chocolate sauce is technically a fermented food since the cocoa powder used to make it is produced from fermented cacao beans. The fermentation process lasts for about a week before the fermented beans are roasted and processed into powder. And even though the high heat used during processing will kill any beneficial bacteria from the fermentation step, you can still thank them for helping to give your chocolate syrup its irresistibly rich and alluring taste we've all come to know and love. 🙂

    This chocolate sauce goes great over fresh fruit, added to a latte, or over pancakes or crepes like these mini almond flour crepes. Want to learn how to make chocolate from scratch? You have to try this homemade dark chocolate recipe. 🙂

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🌿 Ingredients
    • 📝 Instructions
    • 📋 Substitutions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🔪 Equipment
    • 🍱 Storage
    • 🎉 Top tip
    • 💭 FAQ
    • 🍳 Recipe

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • Literally takes 2 minutes to make
    • Only 3 simple ingredients needed, plus a little water and a touch of salt
    • Quick dessert fix for vanilla ice cream or fresh fruit
    • Great for a fun pancake or waffle breakfast
    • No added processed sugar!

    🌿 Ingredients

    I normally use maple syrup to sweeten this recipe, but honey or agave syrup work just as well. And just a note on the vanilla: I love a good vanilla powder, but the same amount of vanilla extract works too and is easier to find; feel free to use either. Also, make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder (cacao powder is also good!)

    Chocolate sauce ingredients in glass meal prep bowls on a parchment-paper lined wood table.

    See recipe card below for exact quantities.

    📝 Instructions

    First, heat a little water in the microwave for about a minute. It should be hot to the touch but not boiling. Then, place the water and the same amount of both cocoa powder and maple syrup in a mixing bowl along with a pinch of sea salt and a little vanilla. Use a whisk to mix everything together and eliminate any clumps from the cocoa.

    Chocolate sauce and a stainless steel whisk in a glass mixing bowl.

    And that's it! You can use your chocolate sauce right away in hot cocoa or a coffee drink, or drizzled over ice cream or fresh fruit. 🙂

    To let it thicken, just place it in the fridge for at least an hour. And if you'd going for more of a chocolate syrup rather than sauce, simply cut the amount of water in half.

    📋 Substitutions

    As written, this chocolate syrup is gluten free, dairy free and vegan. Feel free to make any of the following substitutions or adjustments.

    • Cocoa powder - substitute cacao powder instead; both are delicious
    • Maple syrup - use honey or agave syrup instead
    • Sea salt - feel free to leave out if necessary
    • Vanilla - I like pure vanilla bean powder, but vanilla extract also works

    📖 Variations

    • Chocolate syrup - use half the amount of water to make a thicker chocolate syrup rather than chocolate sauce

    🔪 Equipment

    I used the following equipment in this recipe:

    • mixing bowl
    • whisk

    🍱 Storage

    This chocolate syrup recipe will stay fresh for up to two weeks or more if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

    🎉 Top tip

    If you opt to make chocolate syrup (with less water) and it's not as runny as you'd like when you take it out of the fridge, simply let it sit out at room temperature for up to 15 minutes and give it a little stir. Or you can heat a little up again in the microwave for 20 seconds or so if you'd like to pour warm syrup over your favorite dessert.

    Enjoy!

    💭 FAQ

    What type of chocolate is best for making chocolate sauce?

    Unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder work best for making chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup. Choose a high-quality brand for best flavor and results.

    How can I make my chocolate sauce thicker or thinner?

    The easiest way to make homemade chocolate sauce thicker or thinner is to adjust the amount of water used in the recipe. Use less water to achieve a thicker chocolate syrup, and more for a thinner sauce. Additionally, chilling the sauce in the fridge for at least an hour will make it thicker.

    Can I make chocolate sauce without using white sugar?

    Yes; natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup, honey or agave syrup all work great for making homemade chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup.

    How long does homemade chocolate sauce last?

    Chocolate sauce will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks or more in an airtight container in the fridge.

    🍳 Recipe

    Chocolate sauce drizzled into in a glass bowl.

    2-Minute Chocolate Sauce

    Allison
    5 from 3 ratings
    Learn how to make homemade chocolate syrup in only two minutes and with just a few simple ingredients, and with no added processed sugar!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 2 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 minutes mins
    Servings: 12
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French
    Calories: 45
    Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
    • ½ cup pure maple syrup
    • ½ cup water or less for thicker sauce (see notes)
    • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract

    Equipment

    • mixing bowl
    • whisk

    Method
     

    1. Combine: Heat the water in the microwave for around a minute or until it's hot to the touch. Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk for a minute to mix well.
    2. Enjoy: Use immediately or chill for at least an hour in the fridge to thicken the sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 27mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

    Notes

    Chocolate syrup instead of chocolate sauce: Use half the amount of water for a chocolate syrup consistency - just make sure to chill it in the fridge for at least an hour to thicken.
    Cocoa powder: I love Guittard Cocoa Rouge Powder for it's rich chocolatey taste but feel free to use any high-quality brand of cocoa powder or cacao powder.
    Maple syrup: Make sure to use pure maple syrup (not imitation, high-fructose corn syrup containing syrups.)
    Vanilla: I like using pure vanilla bean powder since it doesn't contain any alcohol, but vanilla extract works too!
    Storage: This chocolate syrup recipe will stay fresh for up to two weeks or more if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Did you make this recipe?

    I'd love to know how it turned out! Please rate and leave a comment below, or share a picture on Instagram @onehappydish with the tag #onehappydish.

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    Comments

    1. Miz

      November 27, 2024 at 3:01 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this quick recipe! Went perfect with crepe and banana 😍

      Reply
      • Allison

        November 27, 2024 at 3:49 pm

        Wonderful! You're very welcome! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sid H.

      August 13, 2024 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      Happy for a quick recipe for chocolate sauce that's equally delicious. No need for the store bought stuff. Even my husband loves it.

      Reply
      • Allison

        August 14, 2024 at 12:02 pm

        Amazing to hear! Thanks for the 5-star review, Sid!

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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