The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (2024)

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The best simple, quick, and easy old fashioned hot fudge sauce recipe - Made from butter, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, evaporated milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips, this is the perfect sauce to top any dessert! Great on ice cream, brownies, cake, and more!

The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (1)Pin

Who doesn't love hot fudge? Is there anyone out there? You have to tell me if there is because I don't believe it.

I for one adore hot fudge, and I worked really hard on this recipe to get it just right. It's simple to prepare and ready in less than 15 minutes. You're going to love it!

I've seen hot fudge recipes with only 3 or 4 ingredients, but trust me, they lack the depth and richness of this one. This is the old fashioned recipe that your grandma made when she made hot fudge sundaes at home. It's thick enough to be slightly chewy, but when hot, it pours well and makes an awesome topping for ice cream, brownies, cake, or whatever dessert you have.

Why is this the best homemade hot fudge sauce

This is the best fudge sauce because:

  • It is thick and gets a little chewy when it's cold, and it gets cold when it's poured over ice cream.
  • It has to be heated in order to pour it.
  • It has deep, rich flavor that is exactly what is needed to set off a perfect vanilla or caramel ice cream.
  • You can vary the flavor based on your preferences, using semi-sweet, dark, or even bittersweet chocolate.

What you'll need to make homemade hot fudge

Equipment

There is no special equipment needed for this recipe, just measuring cups and spoons, a medium-sized saucepan, and a stove.

I don't recommend making this recipe in the microwave.

Ingredients

The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (2)
  • Unsalted butter - I prefer unsalted, but you could use salted butter and not notice a difference.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder - Use the best quality cocoa powder that you can find. I use Hershey's name brand cocoa, and I think it turns out perfectly.
  • White sugar - You can also use an equal amount of brown sugar for a slightly different flavor.
  • Evaporated milk - This is the kind that comes in a can. If you don't have any, you can substitute 12 ounces of heavy cream.
  • Vanilla - I used to use vanilla extract, but I have switched over to vanilla bean paste which has a much richer and deeper vanilla flavor
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips - The hot fudge sauce is going to taste just like these chocolate chips, so use the best quality chocolate chips you can find.
    Also, do not use milk chocolate chips as they are too sweet and that sweetness will be weird in your hot fudge. Trust me on this. Semi-sweet or dark is the way to go. You can even use bittersweet chocolate if you like it.

How to make homemade hot fudge sauce

  1. Add butter, cocoa, sugar, and evaporated milk to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until everything melts and the mixture is entirely liquid.
  2. Raise the temperature to medium or medium-high heat and cook until the mixture boils, stirring occasionally with a whisk, and continue to boil for 7 minutes.
    The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (3)Pin
  3. After 7 minutes, remove the sauce pan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and chocolate chips. Continue to stir until the chocolate chips are all melted and the sauce is smooth.
    Hot chocolate can burn very easily, so it is necessary to turn the heat off under the chocolate sauce before stirring in the chocolate chips.
    The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (4)Pin

If for some reason, you have trouble getting the sauce to a smooth consistency, you could put it in the blender and whir it around in there for a few minutes. This will smooth out any lumps.

I would not recommend reheating the sauce to smooth out the lumps because the chocolate will burn very quickly. You can't fix burnt chocolate; you just have to throw it in the trash and start over.

The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (5)

Hot fudge variations

Try adding one or more of the following (but not all at the same time) to change the flavor:

  • ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1 ounce of rum or liqueur
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons of orange zest (chocolate and orange are a winning combination!) plus 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 2 teaspoons caramel extract
  • 2 teaspoons butterscotch extract
  • ¼ cup freeze dried fruit
  • 2 tablespoons very strong coffee

What is a serving size?

In the recipe below, I have said that a serving is 4 tablespoons which is the same as a ¼ cup. This is probably more than you need, but I like a lot of hot fudge, so there it is. If you use less, you can cut the nutritional information as well.

What is the difference between hot fudge and chocolate sauce?

Chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup is thin and runny, and I don't like it one bit (although I know a lot of people do). It is made from light corn syrup or sugar, water, and cocoa powder.

Hot fudge is thick and viscous. It is made from butter, sugar, cream, cocoa powder, and real chocolate. As you can see in the photo above, it pours when it's hot, but when it's cold, it's almost solid. Hot fudge has a much creamier and richer flavor than chocolate sauce.

What do I do if my hot fudge sauce is too thick?

If your sauce turns solid when you drizzle it over your ice cream, you may want to add a bit more milk or cream. Simply reheat the sauce in a double boiler and whisk in 2-4 tablespoons of evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream.

What do I do if my hot fudge sauce is too thin?

If your sauce just runs off of your ice cream and into the bottom of the bowl, you might want to thicken it a bit. To do this, put it back in the saucepan and heat it very gently over medium-low heat until it boils. Allow it to boil for a few minutes to thicken.

How to enjoy homemade hot fudge sauce

I love to drizzle this homemade hot fudge over a bowl of ice cream. In fact, that's my favorite way to eat it, especially ice cream sundaes with warm brownies. Here's a great fudge brownie recipe that goes perfectly with some vanilla ice cream, homemade hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry.

You can also use homemade hot fudge to dip fruit like strawberries or banana slices.

You can make hot chocolate or chocolate milk by whisking hot fudge sauce into a glass of cold milk or a mug of hot milk. Add as much as you need to reach the level of chocolatey-ness that you prefer.

Homemade hot fudge sauce is featured in this s'mores cheesecake recipe and would also be tasty drizzled over these desserts:

  • 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge
  • Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies
  • No Churn Cheesecake Ice Cream
  • Pecan Crust Cheesecake (Gluten-Free)
  • Homemade Oreo Ice Cream Pie
  • The Best Coconut Macaroons

You could also replace the chocolate ganache in these recipes with hot fudge sauce. Ganache gets a little crunchy when chilled (such as it is on a cheesecake), whereas hot fudge sauce stays a little softer and chewier.

  • Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
  • Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
  • Homemade Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

How do you store homemade hot fudge sauce?

I like to store hot fudge in a mason jar in the refrigerator. Some keep it at room temperature and don't have any problems, but it is safer in the fridge and will stay fresher longer.

To store, let the sauce cool completely to room temperature before chilling. It will keep in the fridge up to a month or so. You can also can hot fudge and keep it for 6 to 12 months.

To serve, reheat in a double boiler or spoon into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until it's hot. Remember that chocolate burns very easily, and you can't fix burnt chocolate.

Recipe

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

The best simple, quick, and easy hot fudge sauce recipe - Made from butter, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, evaporated milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips, this is the perfect sauce to top any dessert! Great on ice cream, brownies, cake, and more!

4.76 from 45 votes

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Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Condiment, Dessert, Gluten-free

Cuisine American

Servings 16 servings

Calories 362 kcal

Instructions

  • Combine butter, cocoa, sugar, and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until everything is melted and the mixture is a liquid.

  • Raise the temperature to medium or medium-high heat and cook until the mixture boils, stirring occasionally with a whisk, and continue to boil for 7 minutes.

  • After 7 minutes, remove from heat and immediately stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. The chocolate chips should melt and the mixture should be smooth.

Notes

If for some reason, you have trouble getting the sauce to a smooth consistency, you could put it in the blender and whir it around in there for a few seconds. This will smooth out any lumps. I would not recommend reheating the sauce because the chocolate will burn very quickly.

Nutrition

Serving: 4tablespoons | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 417IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg

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The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is fudge sauce made of? ›

Heat Ingredients: Combine sugar, light corn syrup, heavy cream, salt and water to a saucepan and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring well. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Add Chocolate Mixture: Pour the chocolate mixture into the syrup and stir until smooth.

What's the difference between hot fudge and fudge? ›

Hot fudge is made by boiling together cream, sugar, chocolate, and sometimes butter—the traditional ingredients for fudge—into what is essentially just an undercooked, unset version of the confection.

Why is my homemade hot fudge sauce grainy? ›

Grainy Fudge

If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon. You can use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar that sticks to the sides of the pot.

What is Mcdonald's hot fudge made of? ›

Hot Fudge Topping

Ingredients: Sugar, Water, Nonfat Milk, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa (processed With Alkali), Corn Syrup, Salt, Disodium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids. Contains: Milk, Soy.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

What's the difference between hot fudge and chocolate syrup? ›

Ingredients: Hot fudge sauce is typically made with chocolate, sugar, butter, and cream or milk, while chocolate syrup is made with cocoa powder, sugar, and water or milk. Consistency: Hot fudge sauce has a thicker and creamier consistency than chocolate syrup, which tends to be thinner and more liquidy.

What makes hot fudge taste different? ›

Hot fudge is the thickest and richest

It's the addition of heavy cream (in place of water or milk) and butter that creates hot fudge. Cream and butter give hot fudge its lush texture, flavor complexity, and dense richness. In addition to cocoa, chunks of chocolate are sometimes added for even more chocolatey goodness.

Why does hot fudge taste so good? ›

Cream or milk, sugar, and butter are slowly boiled down until slightly thickened and light caramel-colored. This boiling-down process not only gives the sauce it's great gooey texture, but also contributes that special “fudgey” taste to the chocolate.

What makes fudge taste like fudge? ›

Fudge typically contains sugar, butter or cream, milk or condensed milk, cocoa powder (or melted chocolate), flavoring such as vanilla extract or peppermint oil, and sometimes nuts or marshmallows for added texture.

How do you make homemade hot sauce smooth? ›

The more liquid you incorporate—whether it's brine, vinegar, or soy sauce—the thinner your sauce will be. For a smoother texture, prolonged blending is your best bet. If you want your sauce even smoother, then straining that blended sauce is an even better option.

How do you thicken hot fudge? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

What is the most unhealthy dessert at McDonald's? ›

The Unhealthiest McDonald's Dessert is…the McFlurry With M&M's. With more sugar and saturated fat than any of the dessert items at McDonald's, the McFlurry with M&M's is by far the unhealthiest option you can choose. If you're craving ice cream, you can opt for something like the Vanilla Cone instead.

Why is McDonald's fudge so good? ›

That culprit is the sweetened condensed milk. One of a pastry chef's best friends, this is often the secret ingredient in lots of fudgy things, from dulce de leche to Key lime pie to, well, fudge. It's definitely something you should be baking with, if you aren't already.

When did McDonald's stop selling sundaes? ›

Hi, the Toffee Sundae and Strawberry Sundae were removed from the McDonald's menu on Wednesday 26th September 2018, and they were removed because they weren't very popular. The Government recommendations regarding sugar also played a part in the removal.

What's the difference between caramel and fudge? ›

What is fudge? While caramel usually contains just one key ingredient, fudge is made from a perfectly balanced mixture of sugar, butter, and milk. Plus, it's not heated as high — around 115 degrees Celsius.

What is Mackinac Island fudge made of? ›

The team has the process down pat: One person weighs the ingredients—raw chocolate from Germany, sugar from Bay City, and cream and butter—into a copper kettle set over a propane gas burner. The maker constantly stirs with an oak paddle until the sugary mixture reaches a roaring boil, about 16 to 17 minutes.

What is the difference between sauce and fudge? ›

Answer: The big difference between fudge and sauce is the texture. Fudge tends to be thicker and more indulgent, while sauce is noticeably thinner. Sauce also has sugar and water or corn syrup, while fudge uses heavier ingredients like cream and butter.

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