I recently found a Ball canning chocolate sauce recipe for the Holidays, only to find that Ball no longer recommends canning chocolate sauce for safety reasons! Bummer!
Instead, I’ve taken their chocolate sauce recipe, and removed the canning instructions. It’s quick enough to make in a pinch and stores reasonably well in the fridge, so I don’t worry about canning it anymore!

I just always make sure to have the ingredients on hand.
Homesteading is often about making or creating what you could otherwise buy in a store.
Why do we put in this extra effort when it would be much simpler to drive to the store and pick up a bottle?
Because there’s a pride in accomplishment, because we can control exactly what goes into our food, because by making it ourselves, we’re proclaiming to the world, I CAN!
Everyone has their own reasons for homesteading.
Personally, I feel like the food-world, the large corporations, the faceless giants behind our consumer economy do not have our best interests at heart. In fact, I feel like they couldn’t care less about us.
I feel like there’s a monetary war between “them” and “us”, and we vote for what we want in our lives with every penny we spend.
If I spend $3 to make something from scratch, at home, then I’m voting for my family, my own ability, my homestead.
If I spend $3 on a quick fix, fast food, pre-made meals, then I’m voting for a cheap, fast, careless world.
But enough of my soapbox. Something about the cold dark Winter mornings makes me tough and combative.
But now on to something much sweeter! (Cue “and now for something completely different” from Monty Python).
Chocolate syrup. A staple in my household. We don’t do a lot of sweets, but I’m not sure we could do without chocolate syrup. Between milkshakes, chocolate milk, icecream, heck, even drizzled over my Grandma’s banana nut bread.
Check out the ingredients of Hersey’s Chocolate Syrup to my homemade chocolate syrup:
Hersey’s Chocolate Syrup vs. Homemade Chocolate Syrup
Hersey’s | Homemade |
High Fructose Corn Syrup | Sugar |
Corn Syrup | Water |
Water | Cocoa |
Cocoa | Light Corn Syrup |
Sugar | Vanilla Extract |
Potassium Sorbate | Salt |
Salt | |
Mono- and Diglycerides | |
Xanthan Gum | |
Polysorbate 60 | |
Vanillin, Artificial Flavor |
I don’t know about you, but the one on the right looks better to me.
canning chocolate sauce Instructions
UPDATE: While I have seen this recipe or similar recipes all over the internet, the National Center for Home Food Preservation does NOT recommend canning chocolate sauce.
It is a low acid food, which should be pressure canned.
Unfortunately, however, there are no tested recipes for pressure canning chocolate sauce.
I have had no issues canning this sauce, but to prevent others from possible Botulism poisoning, I am removing the canning instructions.
My recommendation is to store the sauce in the fridge and use it within a month. I apologize for any confusion!
There is a recipe in the Ball canning guide that makes a chocolate raspberry sauce that you’re able to water bath can. The raspberries increase the acidity enough to make it safe.
This recipe makes 4 half-pint jars of syrup.
Easy Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine water and sugar over medium heat until it reaches a boil.
- Whisking vigorously, mix in cocoa, vanilla, salt and corn syrup until combined.
- Simmer for another 15 minutes or so over medium heat until it reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
For a non-GMO corn syrup, check out this one by Good Food Inc. (Thank you commentators Susan and Carol for bringing this to my attention)
Donna Kauffman
Wednesday 16th of August 2017
Would it be safe to pressure can it? If so, do you think the recipe could be doubled, for the sake of time and running the canner? Thank you! I'm definitely going to try this recipe. Donna
Lauren Dibble
Tuesday 22nd of August 2017
Hi Donna! It could absolutely be doubled. And I've scoured the forums, but everything I've found says that it's not safe to can at all. You might try freezing it, but I'm not sure the consistency would remain. Good luck!
Sheryl Olmsted
Thursday 9th of February 2017
Sounds great! I also use their special dark syrup. It's richer and had a bolder flavor. What would I use for cocoa for this?
Lauren Dibble
Friday 10th of February 2017
Hi Sheryl! The last batch of sauce I made I used dark chocolate cocoa and the results were amazing. It was incredibly rich and velvety. I used the same amount as regular cocoa. Try it out and let me know how you like it!
Becky Skinner
Wednesday 1st of February 2017
I thought you only water bathed high acid foods .
Lauren Dibble
Tuesday 7th of February 2017
Becky - thank you so much for your comment. After a lot of research, I've discovered there is no chocolate sauce recipe that IS safe to can! I simply assumed with the amount of sugar that it would create an inhospitable environment for Botulism, but I was wrong. I have edited the post and removed the canning instructions. Thank you again for letting me know!
Donna Kauffman
Friday 6th of January 2017
Thanks so much for this recipe! I've been wanting one for Chocolate syrup. About how many jars and what size, does this recipe make? Also can it be doubled? Thank you, Donna
Lauren Dibble
Saturday 7th of January 2017
Great question! It makes about 4 half-pint cans, with a little left over for you ;) And yes! It can be easily doubled! Try it out and let me know what you think. I'm eager for feedback!
Carol L
Friday 6th of January 2017
1 2/2 cups? Corn syrup is GMO.....What is substitute? Thank you for this recipe!
Susan R
Monday 23rd of January 2017
You can find non-GMO light corn syrup at Natural Grocers or on Amazon. Costs a little more, but worth it.