Chocolate Syrup Vs Sauce: Which Is Best For Drizzling On Ice Cream?

Cascading melted chocolate over a stack of fluffy American pancakes, a dreamy banana split, or a batch of summer strawberries is as yummy as it gets. The only problem is having to heat the chocolate just before serving. Using chocolate syrup or sauce is the perfect solution because both products remain in their pourable consistency once prepared rather than setting hard and cracking into fragments. But which one is better for drizzling on ice cream? It has to be the syrup.

The basic ingredients for chocolate syrup include sugar, water, and cocoa powder. This mixture has a concentrated quality to it and a rich, chocolatey flavor because there's little extra in there to dampen down the kick of the cocoa. Chocolate sauce, on the other hand, includes an element of dairy, such as milk, butter, or cream, which lends it a luxurious, thicker texture but mellows out the flavor at the same time. 

Pairing a bowl of vanilla ice cream with a chocolate sauce that's also creamy can result in a dessert that tastes almost cloying and one-note in texture. It's better to opt for a chocolate syrup because its intensity complements the ice cream and also (just barely) sits on top of it as it meets the cold surface without becoming hard. This produces a syrup that's sticky, sweet, and almost fudgey in every bite. It's this contrasting texture that transforms a simple serving of ice cream into a glorious dessert.

Surprisingly, in our ranking of 10 chocolate syrup brands from worst to first, it wasn't Hershey's or Ghirardelli that took the top spot. While these heritage brands are well known for producing scrumptious chocolate bars, chocolate chips, and more, the best chocolate syrup was made by Trader Joe's. The store's organic Midnight Moo chocolate syrup was rich and creamy and didn't contain any artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup.

You can prepare homemade chocolate syrup in seconds by combining sugar (or corn syrup) and cocoa powder with a dash of water, allowing you to customize its viscosity; simply use less water for a fudgier texture or add more for a looser consistency. Alternatively, add a spoonful of cream to turn it into a chocolate sauce. Just bear in mind that chocolate syrup should be refrigerated to maximize its shelf life. 

Finally, if your chocolate syrup-adorned ice cream tastes too sweet on that first bite, consider topping your bowl with a contrasting addition, like a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. The salt will elevate the flavor of the ice cream and cut through some of that sweetness, in the same way that it lends complexity and depth to salted caramel.