Yes, you did read the title right. This is a recipe for the classic southern condiment, chocolate gravy!

If you’ve never heard of chocolate gravy before, I highly encourage you to try this All-American Southern delight. This rich, smooth, chocolaty condiment Is the perfect accompaniment for weekend breakfasts to drizzle on a late afternoon snack. 

This step-by-step recipe will teach you to make chocolate gravy from scratch like a true Southerner.

What Is Chocolate Gravy?

Chocolate gravy is a bit of a misnomer as it’s not gravy because it is made with meat juices. It’s not a Bechamel because it’s not made with a roux, despite having all the ingredients for a roux. 

However, Chocolate Gravy is warm, like chocolate pudding, and thick and liquidy, like chocolate sauce. It’s sweet and made with sugar, cocoa, flour, milk, and butter. 

Nobody knows for sure where chocolate gravy originated from. Still, we do know it’s most common in the Ozark and Appalachian mountains in America. 

Some suspect the dish originates from a trading network between Spanish Louisiana and the Appalachian regions in Tennessee. Others suggest that it may be the crafty innovation of resourceful women using shelf-stable ingredients.

Regardless of origin, chocolate gravy is enjoyed throughout the mountainous regions that sprawl across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Chocolate gravy is often enjoyed as a Sunday morning breakfast condiment and served on top of biscuits, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or other sweet treats. It’s often topped with bacon crumble as well.

Chocolate Gravy Recipe

Chocolate gravy is a bit of a misnomer as it's not gravy because it is made with meat juices. Chocolate Gravy is warm, like chocolate pudding, and thick and liquidy, like chocolate sauce. Chocolate gravy is often enjoyed as a Sunday morning breakfast condiment and served on top of biscuits, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or other sweet treats.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Calories 94 kcal

Ingredients

  

• ¾ cup White sugar
• 3 Tbsp All-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup Cocoa powder
• 2 cups Whole milk
• 1 Tbsp Unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
• Bacon crumbles for garnish (optional)

Instructions

 

How To Make Chocolate Gravy

• Add the sugar flour and cocoa powder to a saucepan and whisk until evenly distributed throughout.
• Add the sugar flour and cocoa powder to a saucepan and whisk until evenly distributed throughout.
• Slowly whisk in the milk until there are absolutely completely no clumps.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat and allow it to cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the gravy seconds. Constantly whisk as the mixture comes to a boil.
• Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter completely melts.
• Serve the chocolate gravy warmed over biscuits, pancakes, waffles, or any other sweet treat. You can also serve it on the side.

Keyword Bakery, cake, chocolate biscuits, Chocolate Gravy, pastry, southern chocolate gravy

Tips and Tricks for Chocolate Gravy Recipe

• If you know you’ll be busy, you can make this chocolate gravy ahead of time and store it in your refrigerator. Once you’re ready, warm it up on low heat and enjoy. 
• To store chocolate gravy, let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in your fridge. Chocolate gravy can last in the refrigerator for about three days. 
• For long-term storage, you can also freeze chocolate gravy. To freeze, let the chocolate gravy cool completely, then add it to an airtight container and place it in the freezer. Chocolate gravy can last in the freezer for up to four months. 
• To reheat the chocolate gravy from the fridge, place it in a saucepan over low heat until warm and liquid. Make sure to constantly whisk while the gravy is heating up. 
• To reheat chocolate gravy from frozen, thaw the frozen chocolate gravy overnight in the refrigerator, and then follow the instructions for reheating from the fridge. 
• You can adjust the amount of milk you use to make the gravy thicker or more liquid. Use less milk for a thicker gravy or more for a thinner gravy. 
• Chocolate gravy is best served warmed up because it tends to thicken when it’s cooled. 
• For a vegan alternative, substitute milk for any non-dairy milk of your choice and butter for coconut oil or margarine. 
• You can serve this dish with just about any sweet breakfast or dessert item. It’s so delicious that you can even just eat it on its own with a spoon. However, the most classic southern way to enjoy the dish is with fresh homemade biscuits. 
• Sprinkle on some bacon crumbles as a garnish over your chocolate gravy drizzle. Trust us. It’s worth it!

Nutrition Information of Chocolate Gravy Recipe

This recipe serves 12 servings, approximately ¼ of a cup in size. The entire recipe yields about 3 cups of gravy.

For One Serving:

• Calories: 94 cals
• Calories from Fats: 23 cals
• Sodium: 18.25 mg
• Carbs: 17.3 g
• Fiber: 0.9 g
• Sugar: 14.6 g
• Fats: 2.6 g
• Saturated Fats: 1.6 g
• Cholesterols: 6.6 mg
• Trans Fats: 0.08 g
• Protein: 2.0 g

For the Entire Recipe:

• Calories: 1130 cals
• Calories from Fats: 275 cals
• Sodium: 219 mg
• Carbs: 208 g
• Fiber: 11.2 g
• Sugar: 175 g
• Fats: 31.5 g
• Saturated Fats: 18.6 g
• Cholesterols: 79.3 mg
• Trans Fats: 1.0 g
• Protein: 23.5 g

Conclusion

This authentic southern-style chocolate gravy recipe is like a taste of heaven on your plate. Enjoy it with a fresh batch of warm biscuits, fresh homemade fluffy pancakes, or scrumptious waffles.