Viral Hot Chocolate Gravy Had The Internet Shook (For No Good Reason)

To some, hot chocolate gravy sounds like just another internet food experiment. To others, it's a legitimate Southern favorite. For the uninitiated, chocolate gravy is exactly what it sounds like. It's a thick chocolate sauce similar to warm pudding that gets drizzled over biscuits in traditional Southern fashion. Staple gravy ingredients like flour and butter are necessary for a thick base, and cocoa powder, milk, and sugar give it a sweet, chocolatey flavor. This cozy breakfast treat is one of many Southern comfort foods you need to try. 

Recently, a video about chocolate gravy went viral on Instagram. However, the amount of shock (and at times, disgust) that viewers of this clip expressed through their comments proves that, outside the South, hot chocolate gravy is largely unheard of, and even in the Southern states, only some people are aware of this dish.

The Instagram video, captioned "You're not a true Southerner if you've never had chocolate gravy," sparked considerable reactions from the Southern community. "Hi, local Southern girl here... what the F*** is this?" one person commented, clearly having never encountered chocolate gravy before. Another joked, "Every ounce of cornbread just left my body [because] what even is this?" Many people claiming to be from several Southern states expressed their shock at the existence of chocolate gravy.

Others echoed the video creator's familiarity with the treat, explaining how where they're from in the South, the locals do eat hot chocolate gravy. Still, many Southern commenters, some residing in the same state, had never tried it. While one person claimed, "I'm from Tennessee and I love chocolate gravy," others were baffled by its existence. "I'm Tennesseean and I've never had this," wrote another. Apparently, Elvis Presley was also on team chocolate gravy, often enjoying it for breakfast at his Graceland estate in Memphis. All in all, the varying reactions in the comment section reflect the inconsistent presence of hot chocolate gravy in the South. Perhaps chocolate gravy recipes either run in the family — or they don't.

Hot chocolate gravy's origins are also unclear. One theory is that it was the product of trade between Spanish Louisiana and the Tennessee Valley. Another is that chocolate gravy came from the Appalachian Melungeon people. Regardless, hot chocolate gravy and biscuits have a nostalgic taste for many. It's the sort of food that one's grandma would lovingly make or a family might eat during the holidays. A delicious chocolate gravy recipe is easy to make, and something that people up for a sweet biscuit should try.