Your bowl of ice cream would be so much better topped with the chocolate syrup you found in the pantry, but I bet you are wondering if your chocolate syrup is still good.  Let’s find out.

Quick Answer

Unopened chocolate syrup can remain on your pantry shelf for up to three years and still be good.  Once opened, the chocolate syrup should be refrigerated.  Unopened chocolate syrup can be refrigerated for up to three years, but once opened it is best refrigerated and should be good for up to one year.  Chocolate syrup can be frozen for up to six months.  Here’s a handy chart:   

Chocolate syrup is great atop ice cream or combined with milk to make chocolate milk, but knowing what to look for will help to ensure you only eat fresh chocolate syrup.

Does Chocolate Syrup Go Bad? How Long Does Chocolate Syrup Last?

The chocolate syrup does eventually go bad, but it takes a long time.  Chocolate syrup can be enjoyed for a long time so start thinking of all the desserts you want to top with chocolate syrup.

How Long Does Chocolate Syrup Last Outside?

An unopened bottle of chocolate syrup should be kept away from temperature fluctuations and stored in the pantry in a cool, dark place.  The bottle will have a best-by date stamped on it, but generally, it will be good for two or three years after the date.

Once opened chocolate syrup should be refrigerated, but if you are having an ice cream party it is completely fine to leave it on the counter for an hour or two once opened.  After that, the chocolate syrup should be tightly resealed and refrigerated.

If you had your chocolate syrup out for that ice cream party you will want to be sure the top is clean before putting the bottle in your refrigerator.  Any contaminants on the bottle that could get into your chocolate syrup will help to spoil your syrup.

How Long Does Chocolate Syrup Last in the Fridge?

Once opened, the chocolate syrup should be refrigerated.  It will be freshest longest if you store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator and away from the door where it will be exposed to warmer temperatures.

The chocolate syrup should be good for up to a year once opened and refrigerated.  Be sure to close the container tightly so your syrup does not take on the other odors of your refrigerator.

If your chocolate syrup has firmed up too much in the refrigerator for easy pouring you can put it on the counter for a few minutes to warm a bit before pouring more easily.

How Long Does Chocolate Syrup Last in the Freezer?

Chocolate syrup can be frozen for up to six months.  Freezing chocolate syrup longer than six months could change the consistency of the syrup and is not advisable.

Ice crystals may form given the water content of your chocolate syrup.  This could change the texture of your syrup a bit, but simply reheating it should resolve that.

You will want to transfer your chocolate syrup to another container or container before freezing as you won’t be able to easily squeeze frozen chocolate syrup.  It’s a good idea to think about how you will use your chocolate syrup once it’s thawed and store it in usable quantities.

Chocolate syrup is a delicious treat that can be used in a variety of ways.  Knowing how to store your chocolate syrup will ensure you always have it on hand.

How To Tell If Chocolate Syrup Has Gone Bad?  How To Know Chocolate Syrup is Fresh?

The unopened chocolate syrup will be good on your pantry shelf for a long time, but once opened you will want to store your chocolate syrup in the refrigerator.  Knowing what to look for will ensure you don’t eat it once it has gone bad.

Odd smell:  If your chocolate syrup has developed a strange or “off” odor, then it has spoiled and should be thrown away.  A good chocolate syrup should smell chocolatey.

Change in texture:  If the texture of your chocolate syrup has changed to where it is no longer smooth and mixed together then it has probably gone bad.  Your chocolate syrup should look like a river of chocolate.  Anything else and it is time for a new bottle of chocolate syrup.

Obvious mold:  If there is mold on your chocolate syrup you should throw it away.  This could come from containments getting into the bottle of syrup or being left on the top by mistake.

When in doubt taste it:  If all else fails, taste your chocolate syrup.  When it is starting to go the taste will start to go.  If it doesn’t taste as chocolatey as it once did, then it’s time to replace your bottle of syrup.

How to Store Chocolate Syrup?

Unopened chocolate syrup is best kept in the pantry.  Once it is opened it should be refrigerated.

Away from heat:  Your chocolate syrup should be stored in your pantry until it is opened.  This will keep your chocolate syrup away from the normal temperature fluctuations of your kitchen.  Chocolate syrup is best stored in a cool, dark place.

Once opened, tightly reseal:  Once you open and refrigerate your chocolate syrup it’s important to tightly reseal the bottle so other refrigerator odors don’t seep into your bottle of syrup and contaminate your chocolate syrup.

Warm for easy pouring:  If your chocolate syrup seizes up too much in the cold of the refrigerator to pour easily, just leave the bottle on the counter for a few minutes to warm the chocolate.

Can You Freeze Chocolate Syrup? How?

Chocolate syrup can be frozen for up to six months.  Any longer than that and the texture of the syrup will change.

Transfer the syrup:  It isn’t easy to squeeze frozen chocolate syrup so you will want to consider transferring the syrup to another container or containers depending upon how you want to use the syrup.

Air-tight storage:  Be sure whatever container you use to freeze your chocolate syrup is air-tight.  This will keep moisture and any freezer odors away from your chocolate syrup.

Store in the coldest part of the freezer:  Temperature matters so store your frozen chocolate syrup in the middle of the freezer and away from the door.  This will help your chocolate syrup to stay frozen at a consistent temperature.

Reheat to recombine:  Ice crystals will likely form in the freezing process which could change the texture of the chocolate syrup a bit.  Reheating once thawed should resolve that issue.

How to Thaw Chocolate Syrup?

Chocolate syrup is sensitive to temperature so thawing gradually is likely to be more successful.  A gradual thaw means to move the syrup from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight.

Thawed chocolate syrup should not be refrozen.  Refreezing will really change the texture of the syrup and it will not be as good.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Syrup’s Shelf Life

If my chocolate syrup has separated it is still good?  Maybe.  Chocolate syrup that has separated is likely still good, but it may not have as strong of a chocolate flavor and you may not want to eat it.  You should shake it up to recombine and then smell it and taste it before pouring it all over your ice cream to be sure.

If my chocolate syrup doesn’t taste as chocolatey is it still good?  Good chocolate syrup smells and tastes very chocolatey.  Chocolate syrup that is starting to go bad loses its strong chocolate smell and taste.  If you are in doubt the best way to know if your chocolate syrup is still good is to taste it.  If it tastes fine and otherwise looks fine, then it’s good.  If it has lost the chocolate taste then it is time for a new bottle.

Wrap Up

Unopened chocolate syrup can be stored in the pantry or the refrigerator, but it must be refrigerated upon opening.  Tell us in the comments below where you store your unopened chocolate syrup.