This hot fudge sauce recipe is rich, decadent and easy to make in minutes. It’s the best fudgy homemade sauce for topping ice cream sundaes or drizzling over other desserts!
Best Hot Fudge Recipe
Ditch the store-bought toppings and try making your own homemade fudge sauce, strawberry sauce, caramel sauce, butterscotch sauce and whipped cream at home!
This hot fudge sauce is SO easy to make and only takes 5 simple ingredients! This hot fudge is more of a thick chocolate sauce (and way better than chocolate syrup). It tastes amazing on all types of desserts, like vanilla ice cream, cakes or pies.
The best part about this chocolate fudge sauce is that you can whip it up in less than 10 minutes and reheat it later! I like to keep a jar in my fridge at all times to make ice cream sandwich cake and more!
Table of Contents
Ingredients Needed
This sauce is simply the best and so easy to make with only a few ingredients!
- Chocolate chips: I prefer to use Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Sugar: We use a granulated sugar which adds the sweetness.
- Evaporated milk: This adds the perfect creaminess to this fudge sauce.
- Butter: I prefer to use salted butter, but if you’re using unsalted butter just add in a pinch of salt at the end.
- Vanilla: I like to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Variations
- Chocolate: I love semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use bittersweet chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. Instead of chips you can use chopped up baking bars as well. The quality of your chocolate does make a difference!
- Milk: I love evaporated milk as it is a pantry staple, but half and half should work for a 1:1 substitution.
How to Make Hot Fudge
This takes only 10 minutes from start to finish! While store bought may be convenient, the taste of homemade is so good and just can’t be beat.
- Melt. Add all ingredients (except vanilla) to a medium sauce pan and cook over medium-heat until melted, about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Boil. Bring to light boil, stirring constantly. Once lightly boiling, remove from heat immediately. Then stir in vanilla.
- Cool. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
Expert Tips
- Stir in the vanilla after you’ve removed the pan from heat. This way the vanilla flavor stays strong and doesn’t evaporate.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools, so wait about 5 to 10 minutes to use it if you like a thicker sauce.
- For a thinner consistency, remove the mixture from the heat immediately after it melts and let cool (do not boil).
- This recipe makes about 3 cups of hot fudge sauce. You can cut it in half or double the recipe depending on how much you need.
Favorite Ways to Use Hot Fudge
Around Christmas time, I love making a hot fudge sundae with peppermint ice cream and candy canes on top. SO delicious! Here are some other ways we love to use it.
- Drizzle over a banana split with my easy caramel sauce recipe or over a bowl of homemade ice cream.
- Serve as a topping over a chocolate soufflé, slow cooker chocolate cake or pizookie
- Drizzle over a warm cup of hot chocolate.
- Use it to make a classic ice cream cake, Oreo ice cream cake or this Mississippi mud pie!
- Drizzle over chocolate strawberry kabobs or homemade brownies.
FAQs
While recipes can vary common ingredients include chocolate chips or cocoa powder, milk, butter, sugar and vanilla.
For this hot fudge sauce recipe, you need to use the stovetop. While there are methods to make microwave hot fudge, this recipe will have best results using the stove.
Crystallization is a common issue when working with granulated sugar. Follow my directions on how to heat the sugar and it should dissolve into your liquid without any crystallization or grainy texture.
This is great to make ahead especially in the summer when you will want to use it all the time for ice cream sundaes or to make an ice cream bar! Cool then store covered in the refrigerator for 3 weeks, follow directions to reheat before serving.
Hot fudge has a thicker consistency similar to a ganache and is typically made of cream, sugar, chocolate, butter and vanilla.
It is rich and decadent in taste. Chocolate sauce is typically made with corn syrup (or sugar), unsweetened cocoa powder, water, salt and vanilla. It has a thinner syrup consistency and spreads a little easier.
Storage
Make sure to store your homemade hot fudge in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I like to store it in a glass mason jar. The fudge will last up to 1 month in the fridge.
To reheat it, place in microwave and cook in 30 second intervals until warmed throughout. You can also reheat it in a saucepan until it is a thin and pourable consistency.
More places you can use your sauce include drizzling it on cheesecake dip, making s’mores ice cream with it or topping oreo peanut butter pie!
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Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the chocolate, sugar, milk and butter in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium-heat until melted (about 6-7 minutes).
- Bring to a light boil, stirring constantly (about 5 minutes). Once it has come to a light boil, immediately remove from heat. Then stir in vanilla. Add a pinch of salt if desired. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
- Store in a closed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Reheat in microwave in 30-second intervals until warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This chocolate sauce is Awesome!!
The chocolate sauce is fantastic!! Thank you so much for the recipe and your immediate response. I’m drizzling it over raspberries on top of your recipe for miniature cheesecakes.
Of course! I’m so happy you love the recipe, Merlyn. Now I’m craving mini cheesecakes…mmm!
I just made this and it is kinda bitter from semi -sweet chips. Any ideas on how to sweeten it?
Sorry it didn’t meet your taste, I know everyone has a different level of sweetness preferred. It would be hard to add more sugar after it’s done (it would be grainy). I haven’t ever tried sweetening it after it’s cooked, but you could possibly try adding in honey and then reheat and stir together.
I added a 1/4 tsp of pink Himalayan salt and it cut the bitter and made it sweeter. You could try that.
Made this recipe yesterday and it came out perfectly..it was just what I was looking for..so delicious perfect for a sunday or filling for a sandwich cookie..thank you for posting it
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for your comment and review, Thea :)
I haven’t made this recipe yet. But I noticed most of the hot fudge sauce recipes say how long to cook it after it comes to a boil. Has anyone timed the boiling part? I like a thick sauce which takes a longer boil, but I don’t want it to turn out like fudge.
About 5 minutes. Up to 7 if you like it a little thicker. I would just keep stirring and watch carefully, so it doesn’t burn.
OHMYGOSH!!!
So good!
Yum thanks I follow recipes my own way sometimes 😂 thus was inserted into the middle of a chocolate cookie cake 😱😂
Sounds delicious!
Just made this and it is so easy! Plus it’s delicious and thick like I like it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Hi, is there a substitute to evaporated milk?
Since it uses a whole can, I’m not sure of a good substitute. You could try making your own if you don’t have any.
Will this keep if I make it, then store in an air tight container and mail it to someone? Or does it need to be refrigerated immediately? Thanks! Also should I use a pressurized mason jar or is not pressurized ok? Thanks!
I’m not sure it would do so well left out of the fridge so long. Since it has milk in it, I would think it needs to be refrigerated shortly after making.
Super quick super easy and delicious recipe!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I am never buying store bought hot fudge again! This tasted WAY better and is really easy to make!
Hot fudge is my favorite ice cream topping. I can’t say that I’ve ever made it. But after seeing your recipe it really does look simple with just basic ingredients. I am going to give it a shot! Thanks!
The BEST! So easy to put together and taste so good on ice cream! Just pefect!
Now I need a big bowl of ice cream to put this one!
Oh my goodness! How goood this sauce looks! Yummy!
I seriously LOVE this stuff!
Wow! This is an excellent recipe. It is SOOOO GOOOOD! I thought at first that it would not be enough chocolate, but it was perfect. Thank you!
Ooh I have lots of ideas for this ! Thank you for sharing !