Make this super Easy Chocolate Glaze using powdered sugar and take your desserts to the next level! This luscious chocolate glaze can easily be made with simple pantry staples and has a velvety smooth texture.
Combine cocoa, sugar, milk, and vanilla for a harmonious blend of decadent flavors to drizzle over all your favorite treats. With just a whisk and a few minutes, you can create the perfect finishing touch chocolate glaze for any dessert!

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💚 About This Recipe
If you need to whip up a quick chocolate icing or a delicious chocolate drizzle for your favorite desserts, this recipe has you covered! You'll only need 4 ingredients to put together this glaze.
Best of all, it's highly likely you already have all of the ingredients in your pantry. In just a few minutes, you can easily stir together a decadent and easy chocolate glaze that's the perfect companion for baked goods or ice cream, to serve with fruit, and more.
For a similar recipe with an even richer and more complex flavor profile, try this Homemade Chocolate Sauce that uses coffee!
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- powdered sugar - also called confectioner's sugar, this serves as the base for this glaze. Regular granulated sugar won't work here.
- cocoa powder - provides this glaze with its signature chocolatey flavor.
- milk - use any kind of milk here, but be aware that fat content will play a role in the final consistency of your chocolate glaze.
- vanilla - helps to deepen and expand the flavor profile and balances out the chocolate.
🔪 Instructions
- Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into a medium bowl.
- Combine well.
- Add the milk and vanilla.
- Mix until a glaze forms.
❔ FAQs
There are a few ways to make a glaze. Some recipes combine cocoa powder with melted butter, water, and sugar. This cocoa powder chocolate glaze uses milk as its source of fat, which is a bit easier and healthier than melting butter.
No, these are two different substances. Melted chocolate will harden back into its solid form. A chocolate glaze may firm up a bit, but doesn't quite harden, though a thin shell may form around the outside.
Different types of milk can affect the taste and texture a chocolate glaze. Whole milk produces a richer, creamier texture versus 2% or skim milk. Plant-based milk may results in a thinner consistency.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Adjust the consistency of your easy chocolate glaze by adding more milk to make it thinner or more sugar to make it thicker. A thinner glaze is better for drizzling, dipping, and pouring, while a thicker glaze will work better for spreading.
- When possible, use real vanilla in your glaze. Artificial vanilla doesn't produce the same quality result.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of cocoa powder and vanilla to get your desired flavor.
📌 For a super easy chocolate icing or chocolate drizzle, just combine these 4 ingredients that are already sitting in your pantry! You'll love the way this cocoa powder chocolate glaze takes your desserts to the next level.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- For a more rich and deep flavor, use dark cocoa powder.
- A glossier glaze can be accomplish by mixing in a bit of corn syrup or glucose syrup.
- Use other types of extract to add other flavors to your chocolate glaze. Hazelnut extract, almond extract, or even orange extract are great ways to give the glaze a different finish.
🥫 Storage
Keep leftover chocolate icing in the fridge in an airtight container or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. It should last several days. Your glaze will thicken and harden a bit in the cold, so allow it to sit at room temperature and give it a good stir before using again.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This easy chocolate glaze is a great way to instantly improve any dessert. Use it as a frosting on top of No Bake Cookie Dough Bars (pictured below), as an alternate topping for this Easy Baked Chocolate Donuts, a topping for Fresh Strawberry Mousse, or as a drizzle on top of No Churn Cherry Ice Cream.
✔️ More Chocolate Recipes You'll Love
- Chocolate Cream of Wheat Pancakes - Who doesn't love chocolate for breakfast? These hearty and chocolatey pancakes are perfect for a special occasion morning meal!
- Chocolate Almond Clusters - All you need are 3 simple ingredients to make these gourmet-level chocolate candies.
- Matcha Cookies with White Chocolate Chips - If you're looking for something a little more understated, try these super tasty and unique cookies.
- White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries - These classic treats from Cocktails and Appetizers are perfect to decorate for any occasion!
Cocoa Powder Chocolate Glaze
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📋 Recipe Card
Easy Chocolate Glaze with Powdered Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to remove any lumps.1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- Add the milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Adjust the thickness by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.¼ cup milk, ½ tablespoon vanilla
Notes
- Use dark cocoa powder instead of regular cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- To achieve a glossy finish on your icing, add a small amount of corn syrup or glucose syrup.
- Be sure to use real vanilla extract for the best flavor. Artificial vanilla flavoring does not have the same taste.
- Experiment with the quantities of cocoa powder and vanilla extract to suit your taste preferences.
- Use another kind of extract like almond, hazelnut, or orange instead of or in addition to vanilla.
- Leftover icing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. It will thicken in the fridge so let it sit out for a few minutes and then stir well before using.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Martin Ackweman says
Excellant
Kristin King says
Thanks!