Ditch the Box - Hershey's Syrup

We go through a lot, and I mean A LOT, of Hershey's syrup in this house, but one day I was reading through the ingredients as I poured it in my daughters sippy and saw this:

HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP; CORN SYRUP; WATER; COCOA; SUGAR; CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE); SALT; MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES; XANTHAN GUM; POLYSORBATE 60; VANILLIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR

I'm not one of those moms that hates corn syrup because whether it's corn sugar or cane sugar, you're still consuming sugar, but for there to be 2 kinds of corn sugar and they're the primary ingredients made me cringe a little. Then water, okay I get it, cocoa, again what I expected, but then MORE sugar. Then there are preservatives and lots of other things I can't even pronounce.  I did a little research and Monoglycerides & Diglycerides are just Trans-fats relabeled to get around the ban. XANTHAN GUM is a thickener that is used to keep the product gluten free. POLYSORBATE 60 is an emulsifying agent to keep the ingredients from separating. Are we that lazy that we can't shake it before we use it? Vanillin, that just vanilla. Artificial Flavor?? So even through there is sugar, corn syrup and high fructose syrup, with a little cocoa tossed in, and vanilla, they still have to add artificial flavors, but won't tell us what? I mean I understand not giving away trade secrets, but give us some clue, are you flavoring it with cocaine? arsenic? dog poop? Well after reading all that I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and make my own. I did some more research, made a couple batches from some copykat recipes I found, mixed and matched some ingredients, even tried out my own recipe entirely, and found one that I feel comes pretty darn close and is SUPER easy and SUPER cheap.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dash salt

Directions:

Use a big saucepan – at least 2 quarts, or more, the bigger the safer. This will expand when boiling, and overflows will make a big mess on your stovetop!

Combine the cocoa powder, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix with a whisk until smooth.

Stir constantly with a whisk or a wooden spoon until it boils. Allow it to boil for 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat & Add vanilla.

Syrup will be very thin/watery. Allow to cool completely and it will thicken to about the same consistency as Hershey’s syrup.

Store the syrup in a mason jar or any other container. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge with NO ADDED preservatives.

If you want to be really sneaky, like me, pour the cooled syrup into an empty Hershey’s syrup container and see if anyone notices the difference! Once everyone ate some I peeled off the label and renamed the bottle "Working Supermom's Homemade Chocolate Sauce". I'll make a prettier label once I figure out a more permanent container but I'm not sure how well the Hershey's one will hold up.

NOM NOM NOM

Enjoy!