Learn how to make chocolate gravy from scratch! This simple one-pot sauce is the perfect addition to weekend brunch.
How to Make Chocolate Gravy Like a Southerner
Updated on Apr. 22, 2024
If this is the first you’re hearing about chocolate gravy, prepare to be amazed. It’s a smooth, rich sauce loved by many as a super simple breakfast treat. This sauce isn’t typical savory gravy. I do, however, recommend serving it smothered on top of fresh biscuits.
Ready to learn how to make chocolate gravy? This step-by-step recipe guide will walk you through tips and tricks for whisking together the best Southern-style chocolate gravy!
What Is Chocolate Gravy?
Chocolate gravy is a cross between warm chocolate pudding and chocolate sauce. You can make it as thin or thick as you please. The recipe made its way to the Appalachians and the Ozarks thanks to influences from Spanish colonists. It’s a comfort food classic that is now seen on diner menus throughout the South.
Browse these other surprising regional foods you’ve never heard of.
How to Make Chocolate Gravy
This old-fashioned Southern comfort food comes together with a handful of basic pantry staples.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Warm biscuits
Editor’s Tip: If you’re dairy-free or plant-based, replace whole milk with plain unsweetened non-dairy milk.
Directions
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients together
Sugar, cocoa powder and flour are the main components of this tasty sauce, and they need to be thoroughly mixed before anything else can happen.
In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt.
Step 2: Add the milk
Pour in the milk and whisk until the lumps are gone. Just like with a savory gravy, nobody likes lumps!
Step 3: Let simmer and thicken
Because milk is involved, you can’t fire up the burner and walk away—it’s easy (and messy) for milk mixtures to boil over. Set the burner to medium heat and stir constantly for seven to ten minutes, or until the sauce has thickened into a gravy-like consistency.
If you like yours thinner, that’s fine. Just stop a little sooner.
Step 4: Finish the gravy
Butter gives the gravy extra richness and vanilla helps balance out that strong chocolate flavor. The butter also gives the gravy a luscious silky smooth texture.
After removing the pot from the heat, stir butter and vanilla into the mixture until the butter is completely melted and incorporated.
Step 5: Pour the chocolate gravy over biscuits
Pour the finished gravy over hot biscuits or pound cake (or both—chocolate for breakfast and dessert). It also works on pancakes, ice cream or a bowl of fresh fruit.
Tips for Making Southern Chocolate Gravy
Can I make chocolate gravy ahead of time?
Yes! Simply follow the recipe and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If reheating the entire batch, warm over low heat in a saucepan.
How do I store chocolate gravy?
Store leftover chocolate gravy in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to three days. Warm desired portion in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds, or until heated through.
What do I serve with chocolate gravy?
Chocolate gravy served with biscuits is the Southern way; however, you can enjoy this sweet sauce with ice cream, pancakes, waffles or just about anything else you can dream up.
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