homemade chocolate syrup

Have I ever told you I am possibly obsessed with chocolate milk?  Perhaps it's the nostalgic memory of my grandmother shoving a warm bottle of sweet chocolate milk in my mouth (when I was way too old to be drinking from a bottle)?  Or the refreshingness of a cold glass?  Or it could be that I'm a devoted chocoholic.  Maybe it's because I have a slightly obsessive personality and once I find something I like, I have to have it all the time. 

But probably all of the above.

Since I've started eating healthier, I had to dramatically decrease my chocolate milk intake (I was seriously drinking it almost every night...no joke).  But I may revert back to my old ways again because as soon as I came across this recipe, I knew this was it.  I had to have it. 

But it's not all bad.  Yes, it has sugar.  But it contains half the ingredients of a bottle of Nesquik syrup and is much more cost-efficient, which makes it a winner in my book. 

*The measurements for this recipe were adjusted to fit my personal taste.

Chocolate syrup (adapted from The Complete Tightwad Gazette via The Small Notebook)
yields about 2 cups


1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used dark chocolate)
1 cup water
1 1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Mix the cocoa powder and the water in a medium saucepan. 
Heat and stir until cocoa dissolves. 
Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. 
Boil for 4-5 minutes over medium heat. 
Add the salt and the vanilla. 
Let cool. 
Pour into a clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator.  It will take a few hours to thicken.

I've been getting a little crazy with it.  I've tried it in my smoothies, milk, drizzled over strawberries and I've even had spoonfuls straight from the jar--because it's that yummy. 

-jillian m.