Easy 5-ingredient peanut butter chocolate sauce recipe! Perfect for drizzling warm onto dessert or eating with a spoon.
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Hi, Rhubarbarians! If you're a chocolate and peanut butter lover like me, you will LOVE this peanut butter chocolate sauce. This versatile sauce is not just a dessert topping; it's a quick dessert all on it's own! Lick-the-spoon delicious.
It's unbelievably easy to whip up, making it perfect for quick dessert ideas when you're pressed for time but craving something sweet and indulgent.
I like to eat this warm straight from the pan, but it's also great drizzled over morning pancakes, blended into smoothies, or stirred into milk for the best chocolate milk ever.
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Why you'll love this
- Quick and easy: rather than spending a lot of money on store bought options, you only need 5 ingredients and 10 minutes to make this at home!
- Classic flavors: who doesn't love the classic combo of chocolate and peanut butter? The rich, nuttiness of peanut butter mixed with velvety chocolate. Mmmmm....
- Special diet friendly: it's vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, making it an ideal family friendly recipe that's perfect for many special diets.
More dessert recipes you'll love:
You must use the category slug, not a URL, in the category field.Ingredients and equipment
Here's everything you need to make chocolate peanut butter sauce at home. Full ingredient amounts with instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
Ingredients:
- Cocoa powder: unsweetened. Make sure the ingredients are just cocoa and not a mix for making hot cocoa! Try this 365 Whole Foods brand.
- Sugar: granulated sugar.
- Water.
- Peanut butter: salted creamy natural peanut butter is preferred. My favorite is the Kirkland Signature creamy peanut butter.
- Vanilla extract. Go for pure, high quality. I like the Simply Organic brand.
Equipment:
- Medium sized sauce pan. I love our non-stick Green Pan!
- Stove top or cook top.
- 1 cup measuring cup.
- Measuring spoons. Tablespoon and teaspoon.
- Stirring utensil. I use this spoonula for everything!
- Storing container with lid. A mason jar with a screw top lid is perfect.
Step by step instructions
Here's how to make peanut butter and chocolate sauce at home! Full instructions with ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
- Start by combining the cocoa powder, sugar, and water in a sauce pan.
- Heat and stir until the cocoa powder and sugar are dissolved.
- Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract.
- Heat and stir until the peanut butter is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and let thicken and cool slightly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Just a warning: this sauce will not last long! Once you taste it warm from the pan with a spoon, you may just eat it all standing at the stove top.
If it does last long enough to serve, here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Dessert topping: over ice cream, brownies, slices of banana bread, etc. Drizzle this warm over your favorite baked goods with vanilla ice cream. Heaven!
- Stirred into drinks: perfect for making peanut butter chocolate milk, blending into smoothies, or adding to hot cocoa.
- Fruit dip: peanut butter chocolate covered strawberries, bananas, apple slices, etc.
- Breakfast topper: add it to your morning oatmeal, drizzle onto your stack of pancakes, or stir into yogurt.
Recipe tips and substitutions
- Consistency: if your sauce is too thin for your liking, cook it a bit longer on the stove top or add a bit more peanut butter. Too thick, stir in a bit of water until it is to your liking.
- Vegan/dairy free: check the cocoa powder label for dairy ingredients if you are vegan or dairy free.
- Raw cacao powder: feel free to swap the cocoa powder for raw cacao powder.
- The peanut butter: creamy or chunky peanut butter are both great options! Just depends on your preference.
- The salt: if you're not using salted peanut butter, go ahead and add a pinch of salt to your sauce.
- The sugar: the consistency will change if you swap the sugar for maple syrup or agave, as they are in liquid form. Start by adding less water to the sauce and/or cooking the sauce a bit longer to let it thicken.
- Sweetness: taste the sauce as you go and adjust the sweetness to your liking. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add a bit more sugar. For a less sweet option, reduce the sugar quantity or opt for a sugar-free alternative.
Storing and freezing
Storing: Once cooled to room temperature, store the sauce in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The sauce will thicken when it gets cold, but will thin out again once it is brought to room temperature or heated in the microwave/stove top.
Freezing: This freezes beautifully! Once cooled, freeze the sauce in an air tight freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using or slowly heat from frozen.
Pro tip: try freezing the sauce in ice cube trays for individual sized servings! Transfer the cubes to a sealed freezer safe container once frozen.
FAQs
Have a question? You may find the answer you're looking for in this section! If not, drop your question in the comments section at the bottom of this article and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Nope! Go ahead and use your favorite peanut butter. If your PB has added sugar, you may need to use less sugar in the recipe.
Absolutely! Experiment with almond, cashew, or hazelnut butters. Or try sunbutter!
More delicious recipes to try:
- Chocolate peanut butter coconut oil fudge
- Fruit kabobs with peanut butter yogurt dip
- Creamy vegan fudgesicles
Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.
Recipe
Peanut butter chocolate sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons creamy salted peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium low. Stir until cocoa powder and sugar are dissolved, about 2 minutes.1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water
- Add the peanut butter and vanilla and continue stirring while syrup heats, about 5 minutes.2 Tablespoons creamy salted peanut butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- When all ingredients are dissolved completely, and the sauce has slightly thickened, about 10 minutes total, remove from the heat. Let cool slightly.
- Serve warm drizzled over ice cream or dessert, stirred into milk, or just eat it with a spoon!
Notes
- Consistency: if your sauce is too thin for your liking, cook it a bit longer on the stove top or add a bit more peanut butter. Too thick, stir in a bit of water until it is to your liking.
- Vegan/dairy free: check the cocoa powder label for dairy ingredients if you are vegan or dairy free.
- Raw cacao powder: feel free to swap the cocoa powder for raw cacao powder.
- The peanut butter: creamy or chunky peanut butter both are great! Just depends on your preference.
- The salt: if you're not using salted peanut butter, go ahead and add a pinch of salt to your sauce.
- The sugar: the consistency will change if you swap the sugar for maple syrup or agave, as they are in liquid form. Start by adding less water to the sauce and/or cooking the sauce a bit longer to let it thicken.
- Sweetness: taste the sauce as you go and adjust the sweetness to your liking. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add a bit more sugar. For a less sweet option, reduce the sugar quantity or opt for a sugar-free alternative.
Nutrition
*I used Navitas Naturals Raw Organic Cacao Powder.
If you make this recipe, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians
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belmumstakefive
Brilliant, and you are very clever with the camera too! Thanks for sharing with us for The Sunday Brunch Magazine, So nice to see you, Bel & Eliza x
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks ladies!
Jess @ Eating with Alice
This looks like exactly what I need right now...peanut butter chocolate syrup is an acceptable form of dinner, right? Your road trip sounds so exciting - would love to see some photos of it on your blog 🙂
Patricia Bozeman
Hey dude.... no judgments here about eating goodies for dinner!
Emma Deer
Hooray for roadtrips!!! I hope to take a similar venture soon too, enjoy! Can't wait to see all the photos! And happy Valentines! This looks SO GOOD.
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Emma! Haven't been on a road trip in YEARS! I'm pumped.
June Burns
Wow that road trip sounds...amazing! So many places to see 🙂 Love this syrup too, peanut butter + chocolate can do no wrong.
Patricia Bozeman
I agree! Peanut butter and chocolate 4life!
Angi
DROOLING.
That road trip sounds like a total blast!!!! Have all of the fun!!
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Angi!