This thick and smooth hot fudge sauce is made with simple ingredients like semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder. This creamy sauce will be the perfect complement to the most delectable ice cream sundae you’ve ever tasted!
Hot Fudge is a rich chocolate sauce served warm on top of ice cream with nuts, whipped cream, or maraschino cherry (or your favorite dessert recipe). Although you can buy hot fudge in a can at the supermarket, nothing beats making your own.
Top skillet cookies, homemade crepes, or an Oreo Milkshake with hot fudge sauce for a delicious dessert treat.
Here is the best fudge recipe you should try out. And the best thing is it will only take you around 10 minutes to do!
Thick Hot Chocolate Fudge Sauce Recipe
Ingredients (For 12 servings)
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, measured, then sifted so it is very fine
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons butter, chopped into cubes
Method
- Place the chopped chocolate into a saucepan and put it on low heat to melt it. The heat has to be kept low as chocolate is very easy to burn. Stir constantly to ensure that the chocolate does not stick to the bottom or sides of the pan. This will also prevent burning. If you do not want to use your stove to melt the chocolate, then you can instead put the chocolate chunks in a microwave, so long as you use a microwave-safe bowl. If you’re using this method, then turn your microwave to half power and put it on for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Chocolate is more likely to burn in the microwave, so keep an eye on it at all times. No matter what method you are using, keep melting the chocolate until it is smooth
- Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the sifted cocoa powder until the mixture thickens up and is smooth.
- Next, get a medium saucepan, and over medium heat, combine corn syrup, salt, cream, water, and sugar. Bring to a simmer while stirring constantly. This is another mixture that can easily burn, so do this step carefully.
- Simmer this mixture for 4 minutes maximum, stirring constantly. Take it off the heat if it combines before this time. Once removed from the heat, stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Add the melted chocolate to this mixture and mix until its completely combined and smooth
- Serve this sauce warm, with it tasting best over vanilla ice cream
And there you have it! Simple and easy hot fudge sauce!
Quick Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
If the first recipe has too many steps, then here is a much faster method with just 3 steps and a few different ingredients. Don’t worry though, it’s just as good!
Ingredients
- 12 ounce (340.2 ml) can evaporated milk
- ¾ cup (135 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter
Method
- Mix all of the ingredients in a large saucepan over a medium heat
- Bring this mixture to a boil, and stir constantly to prevent it from sticking to the sides or the bottom. Do this for 8 minutes
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool only slightly before serving over ice cream or any dessert of your choice
How To Store
To store this mixture, you can place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to one month. When you want to add some to your dessert, simply reheat it in the microwave, making sure that it is on a low power mode.
Put it in for 30-second increments, stirring constantly in between. You will know when it is done when it is warm all throughout and is smooth.
If you want to keep this mixture longer you can store it in your fridge. Allow the hot fudge to cool completely before freezing it in an airtight jar or bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Slowly reheat the fudge in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds and taking care not to overheat or burn it.
Is Hot Fudge Really Fudge?
Before making one of these recipes, you may not know that hot fudge sauce is actually different from normal fudge. Hot fudge (such as the chocolate sauce commonly found on sundaes, and is what is described in the recipes above) isn’t really fudge at all, despite its name.

Even though it has a similar glossy surface, “hot fudge” does not “set” into hardened blocks as actual fudge does. Recipes for hot fudge sauce will very really include any actual fudge at all.
What’s The Difference Between Hot Fudge And Chocolate Sauce?
So if hot fudge sauce is not actually fudge at all, then you may think that it is chocolate sauce instead. But this isn’t right either. Think of fudge sauce as the middle ground between fudge and chocolate sauce.
The big difference between hot fudge and chocolate sauce is the texture. Hot fudge tends to be thicker and more indulgent, while chocolate sauce is noticeably thinner.
Chocolate sauce also has sugar and water or corn syrup, while hot fudge uses heavier ingredients like cream and butter.
Why Does Fudge Taste Different Than Chocolate?
Sugar is the primary ingredient in fudge, whereas cocoa is the primary ingredient in chocolate, which is normally in the form of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, or just cocoa butter in the case of white chocolate.
In Summary
So there you have it, hot Fudge sauce. What could be better than drizzling this dreamy fudgey goodness on to your favorite dessert. Why not try these hot fudge sauce recipes on a fudge pie or over brownies.