Homemade chocolate syrup that’s sugar free and keto friendly – this stuff is pure chocolate bliss and it stays pourable! This easy keto chocolate sauce is the perfect dessert topper and takes only 15 minutes to make. Drizzle it over your favorite low carb ice cream, or stir into your favorite beverages for chocolate milk!
I’m so excited for this recipe, I am doing that happy dance. If only you could see me now, gloating and giggling madly about my homemade sugar free chocolate syrup. It’s a Hershey’s copycat recipe that tastes like the real thing with no junk!
And best of all, it doesn’t harden or recrystallize. It really stays pourable and perfect for as long as it lasts. Which, with my kiddos around, isn’t very long. They loved it and I’ve made promises to them that I will make it any time they ask.
It’s crazy easy to make, too, and whips up in about 15 minutes flat, using only 5 ingredients. So I won’t mind making batch after batch after batch. As long as it keeps the kids happy, right?
Let’s be honest, it keeps mama pretty happy too.
Keep in mind, this is not the same as my Low Carb Hot Fudge Sauce. That recipe is meant to be thick and fudgy, the sort of sauce that becomes almost chewy when it hits the cold ice cream. This keto chocolate syrup is cocoa bases, thinner and pourable. It really is like Hershey’s syrup, but a whole lot healthier!
Chocolate Syrup Inspiration
If it’s so easy to make, why hadn’t I tried before? Well, it all comes down to the different properties of low carb sweeteners. You know I love Swerve as my preferred sweetener for baking. But it just won’t work in a liquid application such as this. It re-crystallizes too much.
But lately I’ve been experimenting with other sweeteners such as allulose and Bocha Sweet. These are both very useful in their own right but they also have their limitations. I find that for baking, they have a tendency to make things too soft. I used half allulose in a cookie recipe a few weeks ago and they were very cake-y. Not the crisp chewy cookie I was going for!
And while Bocha Sweet has been a godsend, I tried it in meringues and they never EVER firmed up. They were like goo that we had to peel off the parchment paper.
What I’ve learned is that all low carb sweeteners have their advantages and disadvantages. What’s most important is to harness the advantages of one and play it off against the others. Sometimes that means mixing sweeteners to get the right consistency, and sometimes that means using one sweetener over another.
To create a true syrup that stays pourable, I knew I had to skip the Swerve, so I decided to try allulose. I found a good conventional recipe for copycat Hershey’s syrup and followed the method pretty closely, boiling the water, cocoa, and sweetener until it thickened.
And it worked perfectly!
Tips for Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup
Use the right sweetener: This is of the utmost importance to the outcome of the recipe. You need a sweetener that thickens and doesn’t recrystallize. Your options include allulose, Bocha Sweet, or xylitol. Erythritol based sweeteners won’t work.I’ve noticed for a long time that the more you heat erythritol in a liquid application, the MORE it tends to recrystallize.
If you want to save money and find the allulose or Bocha Sweet too expensive, you can cut it with some erythritol but I wouldn’t do more than half. Both allulose and Bocha Sweet stay so soft and liquid, they may help offset the recrystallization, although it may still happen a bit.
Use good quality cocoa powder: Don’t use raw cacao powder. It’s very hard to get it to whisk into liquids and it’s more bitter same as a good Dutched cocoa powder. For this recipe, I used Rodelle Organic, but I also recommend Ghirardelli or Guittard.
Don’t forget the salt! Salt helps enhance and intensify chocolate flavors, so don’t skip it. Don’t skip the vanilla either.
Let it boil: After it’s all whisked together, let it come to a boil and cook undisturbed for a bit to thicken. You do need to watch it carefully, turning down the heat if it’s in danger of boiling over. It should begin to bubble very thickly as it gets close to being done.
Let it cool: It will continue to thicken as it sits. Then you can store it in the fridge or even on the counter for a few days. There isn’t anything in it that will spoil and ours was fine for a week. Any longer than that and I’d say keep it in the refrigerator. You may need to gently re-warm it to help it be pourable.
How to Use Homemade Chocolate Syrup
It’s delicious drizzled over ice cream, cheesecake, or any kind of keto dessert! And it mixes in easily with milk, coffee and other beverages. It makes a spectacular mocha.
We did find that for something that wasn’t already sweetened, such milk or coffee, you needed to add a bit of additional sweetener to your taste. I don’t want to change the amount of sweetener in the actual recipe, since it was plenty sweet when drizzled over ice cream.
My youngest went wild for this and she loved making chocolate almond milk. We simply added a few drops of liquid stevia to get the sweetness right for her. She also tried it drizzled over a keto biscuit but that wasn’t hugely successful. Hey, I give her props for trying!
What will you do with your sugar free chocolate syrup?
Homemade chocolate syrup that's sugar free and keto friendly - this stuff is pure chocolate bliss and it stays pourable! An easy keto chocolate sauce that's perfect dessert topper and takes only 15 minutes to make.
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup allulose (see recipes notes for substitutions)
- 2/3 cup good quality cocoa powder (I like Rodelle)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together water, sweetener, cocoa powder, and salt. Continue to whisk until well combined.
Bring to a boil and let cook, not stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until it's thickened. Watch it carefully so it doesn't boil over. It will bubble very thickly when it's ready.
Remove from heat and add vanilla. Whisk to combine. Let cool half an hour before transferring to a jar or bottle.
Pour over ice cream or stir into your favorite low carb milk. If adding to milk, you may need to add a bit more sweetener to taste.
You need a sweetener that thickens and doesn't recrystallize. Your options include allulose, Bocha Sweet, or xylitol. Erythritol based sweeteners won't work.I've noticed for a long time that the more you heat erythritol in a liquid application, the MORE it tends to recrystallize.
If you want to save money and find the allulose or Bocha Sweet too expensive, you can cut it with some erythritol but I wouldn't do more than half. Both allulose and Bocha Sweet stay so soft and liquid, they may help offset the recrystallization, although it may still happen a bit.
Joy Tomlinson says
March 14, 2019 at 7:08 amI am so excited to have chocolate milk. I had the thought to try it over a biscuit too right before I read about your daughter’s attempt. Do you think that you might develop a chocolate gravy recipe for her/us for our biscuits? 😊 Also, do I substitute Bocha Sweet for the same amount as the allulose? Thank you Carolyn for this recipe and for all of your wonderfully delicious recipes! I really appreciate all the work you do for your followers!! Have a great day!
Lori Kaumans says
March 14, 2019 at 8:54 amOh man, I can’t wait to try this! A glass of chocolate almond milk sounds so good!
Daniel K Duprey says
March 14, 2019 at 9:05 amLooking forward to trying your recipe! And many thanks to you (and other bloggers) for experimenting with how different sugar substitutes may be used. For example, it was a Godsend when I found a recipe for candied pecans that was made by boiling erythritol to the hard crack stage. Yumm.
Carolyn says
March 15, 2019 at 7:57 amGlad to hear it, let me know what you think about the syrup!
Erica B says
March 14, 2019 at 12:02 pmCarolyn, I really like the itemized explanations about preferred ingredients and procedures that you’ve been adding to your posts lately! I appreciate the added detail. Thank you for the recipe too.
Brenda Mersch says
March 14, 2019 at 6:33 pmWill stevia work?
Carolyn says
March 15, 2019 at 7:41 amNo not even a little. Sorry but it doesn’t have the power to thicken a syrup.
Mike Street says
March 15, 2019 at 6:40 amDo you think stevia would enhance our detract from the recipe?
Carolyn says
March 15, 2019 at 7:38 amYou mean in addition to the rest of the sweetener? if you want your sweeter it should be fine but stevia can be a little bitter when mixed with chocolate.
kelly says
March 15, 2019 at 6:49 amCould you use Monk fruit sweetner?
Carolyn says
March 15, 2019 at 7:37 amIf you mean Lakanto, then no. It’s mostly erythritol.
Becki's Whole Life says
March 15, 2019 at 10:09 amOooh – I will have to try this! I have been wanting a chocolate syrup to pour over cheesecake!
Erica B says
March 16, 2019 at 2:05 amThank you, Carolyn! As soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I had to make it for my husband, the chocolate fanatic. We just tried it, and he declared it better than any chocolate syrup on the market. He wants to try it on ice cream next. I used allulose, and the syrup is thick, sticky, and pleasantly sweet on its own. We did add a couple drops of liquid monkfruit/stevia blend to our milk glasses.
If anyone is wondering about alternative sweeteners, I think Carolyn’s comments and notes in the post are meant to convey that ONLY allulose or BochaSweet will work in this recipe. Sweeteners impact texture as well as flavor, and no other sweeteners—liquid, granulated, or powdered—will create the correct texture and consistency.
Carolyn says
March 16, 2019 at 9:11 amThanks, Erica and yes, you nailed it. The only sweeteners are the ones I mentioned but people have a bit of hard time understanding that.
Mirian says
March 17, 2019 at 10:15 amCarolyn I really Love all your recipes Thank you for sharing them with all of us. You are a generous person. God bless you for that! …. where do you buy the Allulose or BochaSweet ?
Carolyn says
March 17, 2019 at 12:09 pmI just get mine online at Amazon.
Annette Mahoney says
March 17, 2019 at 6:07 pmI buy bocha sweet direct from them
Kate says
March 16, 2019 at 12:53 pmI bet this would work great for a chocolate egg cream – syrup, hwc and seltzer. How about coming up with a recipe for vanilla syrup? Thanks.
Sherri Cook says
March 17, 2019 at 12:42 pmAwesome sauce! I made Salted Carmel,Chocloate Chunk Ice Cream yesterday, and this recipe was on my in box today. Of course I had to make it! Heavenly recipes-so good.
Carolyn says
March 18, 2019 at 7:42 amSo glad you liked it!
Patty in CO says
March 17, 2019 at 11:55 pmCarolyn…you did say we could use zylitol as a sweetener. Does it measure the same as Allulose?
Carolyn says
March 18, 2019 at 7:33 amIt should!
Julie Blanner says
March 18, 2019 at 12:38 pmNow I have an excuse to eat a chocolate sundae! Love how easy it is and that it’s Keto as well.
Stephanie says
March 18, 2019 at 1:09 pmSuch a delicious recipe and super easy to make. Thanks!
Becky Hardin says
March 18, 2019 at 1:52 pmOh yumminess!!! Love some chocolate syrup!!
Heather says
March 18, 2019 at 2:31 pmCan’t wait to try this recipe! I love chocolate syrup!
Eden says
March 18, 2019 at 4:01 pmSo good! Thank you for this wonderful option of making it sugar free!
Erica B says
March 21, 2019 at 3:07 pmI made more syrup last night and decided to try cutting the allulose with erythritol as mentioned in the post. I used approximately half allulose and half So Nourished erythritol/monk fruit blend. I also added a few drops of concentrated stevia/monk fruit at the end. It worked well! The flavor is just as pleasant as with 100% allulose, and there’s no crystalization after 12 hours in the refrigerator. The consistency is perfect; it’s a little thinner than my first batch, which I had cooked too long. The first one never really boiled, and I didn’t realize when it was done. The second one did bubble thickly when ready. I think I slightly prefer the darker flavor of the longer-cooked syrup, but both are great. This recipe is very forgiving! Thanks again, Carolyn.
Carolyn says
March 21, 2019 at 4:24 pmThis is great info, Erica, thank you! I will do my own next time with half Swerve and half allulose because… $$$!
Erica B says
March 22, 2019 at 10:04 pmGlad to help. Forgot to mention that my erythritol was powdered. Over 24 hours, and still no crystallization!
L.S. says
March 22, 2019 at 4:12 pmSorry, I’m a bit confused. Can I use swerve as the sweetener?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
March 22, 2019 at 6:09 pmNo, you can’t. I thought I was pretty clear here. It will re-crystallize too much. The most you can use is half Swerve, and half Allulose or bocha Sweet.
Michelle says
March 24, 2019 at 9:21 amMy was a little thin. Is there a way to make it a bit thicker?
Erica B says
March 25, 2019 at 1:11 pmHi Michelle, I’m obviously not Carolyn, but I’ve made the recipe twice. The longer you let it cook, the thicker it gets.
Allison G says
March 25, 2019 at 8:19 pmTus sauce is to die for! I used Alluose and worked out perfectly! I buy that Hershey sauce and that stuff is disgusting IMO. Now we have a new favorite chocolate sauce in the house. I made your chocolate slow cooker cake and drizzled it all over I am happy I made a double batch. One question I have is about storage. Can it stay out for a few days or does it need to be refrigerated?
Carolyn says
March 27, 2019 at 6:50 amGlad you liked it, Allison. Mine was okay on the counter for a few days.
Julie Buck says
March 27, 2019 at 11:25 amThank you, this sounds perfect to serve with my chocolate bread and banana pudding this weekend … excited to try this recipe 🤗
Jennifer says
March 31, 2019 at 8:48 amCarolyn!!!!!!!! You are the Keto master. This is the absolute best sauce I’ve ever made. EVER. 100% worth buying allulose just for this sauce.
I boiled mine for 5 mins exactly and it is pretty thick. But it stirs into almond milk like a dream!! It is the perfect dupe for original Hershey’s.
Thank you for this recipe!!
Carolyn says
March 31, 2019 at 10:06 amSo glad to hear it!
Kathy Charest says
April 29, 2019 at 8:51 pmI made this tonight… oh man it’s SO good! I may have had a few too many “tastes” of it as it was cooling, but I truly couldn’t help myself. 😉 made it for sundaes with vanilla ice cream. I’m thankful for this recipe as I would much rather use water than HWC (as for the fudge sauce), just to save money. It was plenty thick enough for me. 🙂
I wish I’d read the comments about using half swerve and half bocha sweet before I made it though… it was hard to measure out 3/4 cup of that stuff, lol (cha-ching! $$$)… next time. 😉
Shirley says
May 5, 2019 at 12:17 pmThis is super cool. I am going to try this out real soon, but I would like to understand the shelf life of the syrup.
Carolyn says
May 5, 2019 at 4:28 pmBecause there is no dairy or any such thing, It’s fine at room temp for about 4 or 5 days. After that, refrigerate.