Southern Chocolate Gravy

Name: How to Make Southern Chocolate Gravy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups sugar; ¼ cup cocoa; 1 cup milk; 2 T butter; ½ tsp vanilla extract

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Rich in chocolate flavor, this Southern chocolate gravy makes anything you add it to even better. Made with only 5 ingredients, it’s perfect for a weekend brunch or adding a little extra indulgence to your desserts!

A plate with three biscuits topped with chocolate sauce sits on a wooden surface. A pot filled with chocolate sauce and a ladle is nearby. Three additional biscuits are in the background. A fork is placed beside the plate.

Is there anything that chocolate doesn’t make better? No! And this Southern chocolate gravy does exactly that. Most commonly used on top of warm BISCUITS, this chocolate gravy is made with only a handful of ingredients and comes together in under 15 minutes.

It has a sweet and rich chocolate flavor with a bit of warmth from the vanilla. You can enjoy it easily over your favorite brunch recipes like pancakes and waffles or something more dessert-like like cream puffs!

Ingredients

Thankfully you only need 5 ingredients for the chocolate gravy to come together which means you can whip it up in a pinch as an addition any time!

A stack of three biscuits is served on a blue and white plate, drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce. A fork rests on the plate beside the biscuits, and soft biscuits are visible in the background.

What You’ll Need

Regular white sugar works best as it dissolves best with the milk.
Cocoa powder is what brings an intense, chocolate flavor.
Regular milk will give the gravy a creamy texture.
Butter adds to the richness of the recipe. Vanilla extract can be adjusted based on your flavor preferences.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

If you would like more detailed instructions, please take a look at the recipe card. However, this Southern chocolate gravy comes together easily making it a great recipe for even beginners in the kitchen.

A person adjusts the heat of a stovetop burner beneath a white pot. Nearby, ingredients like milk, butter, a whisk, a container of cocoa powder with a wooden spoon and a measuring scoop, and a glass bowl are on a wooden countertop.

Prepare ingredients and have a large heavy saucepan. Here I am using a large dutch oven.

A hand holds a measuring cup of sugar over a cream-colored pot on a stovetop. To the right are containers with cocoa powder, milk, and butter on a wooden surface.

Mix in the dry ingredients starting with sugar.

A person is adding a scoop of cocoa powder from a container into a white pot on a stovetop. To the right are a measuring cup with milk, a small bowl with butter, a whisk, and a bottle with dark liquid, all on a wooden counter.

Add in cocoa and mix well.

Person pouring milk from a glass into a pot containing brown powder on a stove. There is a wooden spoon in the pot, a dish with butter on the right, and a small bottle. The stove knobs and part of a wooden countertop are visible.

Stir in milk and heat over medium heat until boiling.

Top view of a person stirring a thick brown sauce in a pot on a stove. The hand holds a wooden spoon. A wooden trivet is placed on the countertop nearby. The stove's black surface has control knobs on the front.

Boil for 1 to 3 minutes and reduce heat to a simmer. Whisk or stir frequently for 7 to 10 minutes or until gravy is thickened.

A person wearing bracelets holds a bottle over a pot filled with a dark liquid mixture and a pat of butter. The pot is on a wooden surface next to a gas stove with three visible burners and control knobs.

Remove from the heat and add vanilla and butter. Gently mix in.

A close-up of a biscuit split in half, topped with melted chocolate sauce, placed on a blue-patterned plate. In the background, blurred biscuits are stacked on a wooden surface near a window.

Carefully remove these beautiful cottage cheese egg bites from the muffin cups and allow to cool a few minutes before serving. They will really puff up so you may need to run a knife around the edges to aid in removal.

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

Southern food just tastes better! The South is a melting pot of foods from all over the world. Shaped by the people who migrated here hundreds of years ago, you can find just about any cuisine deeply rooted in Southern food. People in the South are also known for making something really good out of what little they had. This chocolate gravy almost seems too good to be true but if you make it, you will wonder why you never knew these pantry staples could come together to make this sweet confection.

Variations and Substitutions

Below are a few fun taste variations you can use to alter the classic recipe.

Extracts: Add a nutty flavor by mixing in a splash of almond extract to the chocolate sauce.
Vanilla paste: This will give it even more vanilla flavor and bring out more warmth.
Sea salt: If you love a sweet and salty flavor, sprinkle some sea salt into the Southern chocolate gravy once it’s off the stove.

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

How to Store It

Once cooled, place the chocolate gravy in an airtight container and into the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

You can reheat it by placing it back on the stove in a saucepot and warming it on low. Stir often. You may need to add a splash of milk as it’ll thicken in the fridge when stored.

How to Use It

This chocolate gravy can be used in any way in which you want to add a bit of indulgence to another recipe! Most commonly, we use it for:

Warmed biscuits
Waffles
Pancakes
French Toast
Scones
Donuts
Baked Oatmeal
Ice Cream Topping
Chocolate dipping sauce for cakes or fruit

A white pot with chocolate gravy sits on a wooden surface alongside a plate with biscuits topped with the gravy. A ladle is resting on the pot's edge. Several plain biscuits are in the background.

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A pot of rich chocolate gravy sits on a wooden surface beside a blue-patterned plate with two biscuits covered in gravy. Several plain biscuits are arranged nearby. A fork rests near the plate.

How to Make Southern Chocolate Gravy

Warm and rich this Southern chocolate gravy is a quick addition to your brunch recipes and gives them a whole new, indulgent taste!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Serving Size

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup milk
2 T butter
½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan or large skillet, mix sugar, cocoa and milk. Stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
2 cups sugar, ¼ cup cocoa, 1 cup milk
Boil for a few minutes and lower to simmer. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until thickened. Stirring often to keep from burning.
Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
2 T butter, ½ tsp vanilla extract

See How To Make It!

Notes

Take care not to burn the chocolate gravy by having it over too high of heat. Stir frequently and when in doubt, turn the heat a bit lower.

🍴 PRO TIP!

You will want to treat this one like any other gravy. Don’t leave it! Stay with it and whisk or stir it often!

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

How can I thicken chocolate gravy?

If you want to thicken the gravy, just add in a teaspoon of flour as you’re simmering. This will thicken the sauce even more.

What kind of cocoa powder is best to use?

Unprocessed Dutch cocoa powder works the best for the gravy recipe. In a pinch, you can use cacao powder as well, but it will have more of a dark chocolate taste and the color will be lighter. You may want to sweeten it further.

How do I thin my gravy if too thick?

Add a bit of milk a tablespoon at a time to thin it. Whisking in while its still warm should do the trick!

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