Dairy Free Classic Chocolate Sauce

Total time13 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time8 min

Deep, glossy cocoa flavor is the whole point here, built on unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, and a touch of salt whisked into a smooth simmering base. A gentle simmer on the stovetop does all the work, thickening the sauce just enough to coat the back of a spoon before it's finished with a splash of pure vanilla extract for warmth and depth. The result is a pourable, richly chocolatey sauce with that glossy, restaurant-style sheen you want draped over ice cream or swirled into a mug of hot milk. It comes together in one small saucepan in under ten minutes, so there's no need to babysit it or plan far ahead. Once it cools, it keeps beautifully in a jar in the fridge and thickens into a spoonable, fudgy consistency that's just as good cold. This one's a genuinely solid pick for a dairy free kitchen, easy enough to make on a weeknight and impressive enough to bring out for company.

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Ingredients

8 servings

½ cup heavy cream
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative Nature's Charm Coconut Whipping Cream Nature's Charm Oat Whipping Cream Nature's Charm Whipping Cream, Coconut
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Chef's tip
Use unsweetened dairy-free heavy cream in cooked sauces, soups, and ganache. For whipped uses, choose a product labeled whippable.
¼ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp fine salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1
Whisk together the heavy cream, water, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a small saucepan until the cocoa is mostly dissolved and no large lumps remain.
2
Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and the sugar is fully dissolved, about 4–5 minutes.

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