Copycat Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Recipe (2024)

Everybody needs a homemade chocolate syrup recipe to drizzle over ice cream, cakes, brownies, or even pancakes! With just a few basic ingredients (no corn syrup) and a dash of salt, you'll find this Hershey's syrup is just as good, maybe even better than the real thing!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• This easy recipe is made with cocoa, so no melting chocolate is necessary!
• Made without high fructose corn syrup and no dairy!
• Can be used to make milkshakes, chocolate milk, hot cocoa, or even a great dip for fruit!
• Perfect to top a Chocolate Angel Food Cake!
• Can be reheated to serve hot or can be used cold as well!

Ingredient Notes

• Cocoa - Most brands of unsweetened cocoa powder are fine; however, I DO NOT recommend using Hershey's brand cocoa because, to me, it has a bitter, throw-up taste. Yeah, I know we're making a Hershey copycat here, but... I know sounds insane, but I learned that some experts believe that's because some companies, such as Hershey's, put its milk through a process called controlled lipolysis. This breaks down the fatty acids in the milk and producesbutyric acid- the chemical that gives vomit its very distinctive smell and acrid taste. So yeah...that's a pass for me.
• Variations for different flavors- Dark Chocolate: Have you heard of "Black Cocoa"? It's dark chocolate cocoa and looks like soot. Swap out the regular cocoa for black cocoa in equal amounts. Ghirardelli also has a dark chocolate cocoa powder you can use as well!
• Mexican - Add ⅛ teaspoon Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper to start increasing in ⅛ teaspoon increments to get the spicy kick you want. OR add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon increasing if you want more of a cinnamon presence.
• Peppermint or "Grasshopper"- add ¼ teaspoon Peppermint extract to start with and increase in ¼ teaspoon increments for the desired level of peppermint. OR add ½ teaspoon Crème de Menthe extract, increasing in ½ teaspoon increments for desired flavor. Keep in mind that the mint flavors will intensify the chocolate syrup.
• For a thicker syrup: Reserve a ¼ cup of the water called for and whisk 2 Tbs. Cornstarch into that ¼ cup of water. When the contents of the pot come to a boil, whisk the cornstarch water into the mixture. Stir continually and watch because it will thicken quickly.
• For a hot fudge sauce rather than a thin syrup: only add 1 cup of Water and add ½ cup Heavy Cream. It must be heavy cream because lower-fat creams or milk will break when boiled.

Step by Step Instructions

• In a medium pot on the stove, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and salt.
• (PS...you'll see in the next picture I used a pot that was a bit too small. Learn from my mistake. It's better to have a bigger pot than you need than one that's too small.)
• Add the water and whisk until smooth.

• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (see...I chose a small saucepan, and it was a little too small)
• Boil for 4 minutes, whisking occasionally.
• Remove from the heat.
• Serve hot or chill in the fridge before using!
• I like to pour mine into a mason jar to store in the fridge, but any airtight container will do.

Recipe FAQs

• Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
• The Best Caramel Syrup

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