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New York Chocolate Egg Cream

By Afton Cyrus

Published on January 4, 2023

Time

10 minutes

Yield

Serves 1

WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING

"It tasted like a glass of chocolate milk but better!" —Celia, recipe tester, age 7

New York Chocolate Egg Cream

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup ⅓ cup cold whole milk ⅔ cup cold plain seltzer 1 pretzel rod (optional)

Before You Begin

Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Syrup is traditionally used in New York egg creams, but you can substitute other brands of chocolate syrup. Do not use low-fat or skim milk in this recipe. For a salty-sweet combination, chocolate egg creams are sometimes served with a pretzel rod, especially in Brooklyn, New York.

Instructions

  1. Add chocolate syrup to glass. Pour milk on top. Use long spoon to stir until well combined.
  2. Pour in cold seltzer. Working quickly, stir mixture hard until well combined and thick layer of foam forms on top, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately with straw (if using) and pretzel rod (if using).

New York Chocolate Egg Cream

Save

Time

10 minutes

Yield

Serves 1

WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING

"It tasted like a glass of chocolate milk but better!" —Celia, recipe tester, age 7

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
⅓ cup cold whole milk
⅔ cup cold plain seltzer
1 pretzel rod (optional)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
⅓ cup cold whole milk
⅔ cup cold plain seltzer
1 pretzel rod (optional)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
⅓ cup cold whole milk
⅔ cup cold plain seltzer
1 pretzel rod (optional)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

This fizzy, chocolaty drink is a New York classic that’s been around for more than 100 years—and it contains NO eggs and NO cream! An egg cream is made from just three ingredients and comes together in minutes, making it perfect for a quick after-school treat. Carbonated beverages, such as seltzer, are full of bubbly carbon dioxide gas. You can’t see the dissolved gas when the beverage is sealed in its bottle, but as soon as you open it, tiny bubbles rise to the top and escape into the air. Over time, the bubbly beverage will lose more of its dissolved gas into the air. To see this science in action, have kids pour a second, small glass of seltzer and leave it on the counter for a few hours. Then have them take a sip and compare it to a glass of just-opened seltzer (if you have one). Which one is bubblier? 

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Before You Begin

Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Syrup is traditionally used in New York egg creams, but you can substitute other brands of chocolate syrup. Do not use low-fat or skim milk in this recipe. For a salty-sweet combination, chocolate egg creams are sometimes served with a pretzel rod, especially in Brooklyn, New York.

Instructions

  1. Add chocolate syrup to glass. Pour milk on top. Use long spoon to stir until well combined.
  2. Pour in cold seltzer. Working quickly, stir mixture hard until well combined and thick layer of foam forms on top, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately with straw (if using) and pretzel rod (if using).

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