guest post by ashley schuering - https://confessionsofagroceryaddict.com

 

There’s a reason we still swoon over the idea of an old-fashioned soda shop—back when a nickel could buy a frothy chocolate soda and the biggest decision of your day was choosing between a malt or a sundae. Luckily, with a few pantry staples, a bar or two of Chuao chocolate, and a little creativity, you can recreate your favorite soda shop menu items at home. 

Whether you’re craving a fizzy ice cream soda, a towering hot fudge sundae, or a DIY home soda fountain buffet for your next backyard BBQ, these nostalgic (and chocolatey!) recipes will take you straight back to the golden age of the soda shoppe.

🥤 Chocolate Egg Cream: Brooklyn’s Bubbly Secret

A staple of the old-fashioned soda fountain era, the egg cream is one of the most iconic (and misunderstood) ice cream soda recipes of all time. Despite its name, it contains neither egg nor cream. Instead, it delivers serious refreshment through just three ingredients: milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup.

Tastes Like:
Imagine a lighter, effervescent chocolate milk with a foamy head. It's refreshing, not too sweet, and wonderfully nostalgic—perfect for sipping on a hot summer afternoon.

How to Make an Egg Cream at Home:

• 2 tablespoons melted Chuao Sweet & Salty chocolate bar

• ½ cup cold whole milk, divided

• ½ cup seltzer water (unflavored)

Melt the chocolate with ¼ cup of the milk, whisking to combine. Add the melted chocolate to a tall glass. Pour in milk and stir to combine. Slowly add seltzer down the side of the glass to preserve the foam. Stir once, gently. Sip with a striped straw for the full soda shoppe experience!

🍫 Chocolate Malted Milkshake: The Creamy Crowd Pleaser

No soda shop menu is complete without a thick, rich malted shake. Malted milk powder—which was originally developed as a health tonic—gives these old-time sodas their signature buttery depth.

Tastes Like:
Think of it as a chocolate milkshake with a toasty, nutty backbone. Malt adds depth and a warm, almost biscuit-like finish.

Malted Milkshake Recipe:

• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream

• ¼ cup milk

• 2 tablespoons malted milk powder

• 2 oz melted Chuao chocolate (your choice, but we like malted milk & cookies milkshakes!)

Blend until smooth. Serve with whipped cream, crushed malt balls, and a cherry on top.

🍨 Chocolate Ice Cream Soda: Summer’s Fizziest Throwback

Ice cream floats are peak summer nostalgia. If you’ve never tried a chocolate ice cream soda, think of it as the soda shop’s version of dessert in a glass. With just three components, it’s one of the simplest and most delightful ice cream soda recipes out there.

Tastes Like:
Cool, carbonated bliss. The chocolate mixes with soda and melts into the ice cream, creating waves of creamy sweetness that feel both indulgent and refreshing.

How to Make an Ice Cream Soda:

• 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate ice cream

• 1 oz Spicy Maya dipping sauce (for a spicy kick!)

• ½ cup chilled club soda or seltzer

Add chocolate to a glass. Top with ice cream. Slowly pour in soda. Garnish with chocolate shavings or a drizzle of syrup.

🍦 The Ultimate Ice Cream Sundae: Layered Nostalgia

Nothing screams "old-fashioned soda shop" like a sky-high ice cream sundae served in a tall glass dish. The beauty of these treats is their flexibility—you can engineer your own recipes for ice cream sundaes based on your favorite toppings.

Tastes Like:
Pure joy. Rich, creamy, crunchy, chewy—it’s all about contrast. And when you use Chuao bars like Ravishing Rocky Road, Sprinkle Dreams, or Cheeky Cheeky Churro, you add a unique, modern twist you wouldn’t find at an old-time soda fountain.

DIY Ice Cream Sundae Recipe:

• 2 scoops ice cream (salted caramel, vanilla bean, or dark chocolate)

• Melted Chuao bar of choice (or use our deluxious dark drinking chocolate mix) mixed with enough cream to make it pourable

• Whipped cream

• Crushed pretzels, peanuts, graham crackers, or cookies

• Cherry on top

Pro tip: Layer sauces and toppings between scoops for maximum visual impact. 

🎉 DIY Home Soda Fountain Setup for Summer Parties

You don’t need a vintage counter and swivel stools to enjoy an old-time soda experience. With a few bottles of soda water, some scoops of ice cream, and a selection of Chuao chocolate bars, you can create a DIY home soda fountain that channels all the charm of a 1950s soda shoppe—right on your patio.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Multiple ice cream flavors

• Soda water and flavored seltzers

• Chuao chocolate (melted with a touch of cream for pourability) in squeeze bottles

• Bowls of toppings (nuts, sprinkles, fruit, crushed candies)

• Paper straws and tall soda glasses

Set up an ice cream bar buffet-style and let guests build their own ice cream soda recipes and sundaes. It’s a fun, interactive way to beat the heat and revisit the good old days. Pro tip: label everything and have laminated or framed recipe cards on the table to give your guests some ideas of where to start.

We All Scream For Ice Cream

Whether you're planning a backyard barbecue, movie night, or just need a sweet afternoon pick-me-up, these easy soda shoppe classics are the ultimate way to savor summer. 

And remember: you don’t need a time machine or a booth at the corner pharmacy to enjoy the old-fashioned soda fountain goodies. With a little help from Chuao’s gourmet chocolate, you can sip, scoop, and savor your way through summer—one fizzy float or frothy egg cream at a time.