Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
This homemade hot fudge sauce recipe requires just five basic ingredients and is made in a single saucepan! Drizzle it over your favorite ice cream for a decadent treat you’ll be eating all summer long.
If you’ve been buying hot fudge sauce at the grocery store all these years, it’s time you whipped out a saucepan to make it yourself!
This homemade hot fudge requires just five ingredients and 20 minutes to prepare, and a batch lasts for up to two weeks in the fridge. I also simplified this recipe by using chocolate chips (although you can use chocolate bars, if you prefer!) and it only requires one saucepan.
You can drizzle this hot fudge sauce over a scoop of no-churn ice cream or Oreo ice cream, use it to make ice cream sundaes or banana splits, add it to chocolate milkshakes, or spoon it over molten lava cakes. It’s a quick and easy recipe that pairs perfectly with so many desserts!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chocolate Chips: To keep this recipe as simple as possible, I opted to use semi-sweet chocolate chips. However, semi-sweet chocolate baking bars would work just fine too.
- Evaporated Milk: Not to be confused with sweetened condensed milk, which is very sweet and syrupy. Evaporated milk is a little bit richer than regular milk, but has a similar consistency to it.
- Granulated Sugar: Just ½ cup is added to the sauce for a little extra sweetness. Feel free to reduce the sugar slightly if you prefer though.
- Unsalted Butter: Makes for an even richer fudge sauce. You may use salted butter instead, but if you do, just make sure to omit the salt in the recipe.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness of the sauce and also enhances the chocolate flavor.
How To Make Hot Fudge Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the fudge sauce for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the hot fudge sauce into a heat-proof bowl. (This will prevent it from overcooking in the hot saucepan.)
- Let cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you must use actual chocolate in this recipe. Cocoa powder cannot be substituted.
It will last up to two weeks in the fridge. Just make sure to let the sauce cool completely on your counter before sealing it in an airtight container.
Absolutely! Dark chocolate chips would also work in this recipe; they would make a richer and less sweet sauce. You could probably use milk chocolate chips, but I would recommend reducing the sugar so it’s not too sweet.
Recipe Tips
- It’s important that you let the sauce cool in a heat-proof mixing bowl and not in the saucepan you cooked it in. If the hot fudge remains in the saucepan, it will likely scorch on the bottom.
- This recipe will yield 3 cups of hot fudge sauce. Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you prefer less, or double it for a larger batch!
- The sauce thickens up considerably in the fridge. To bring it back to a pourable consistency, simply reheat it gently in the microwave.
Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (340 grams)
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk!)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula around the bottom and sides of the pan, until the mixture comes to a light boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for 2 minutes, making sure to stir constantly so the mixture doesn’t burn.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the hot fudge sauce into a heat-proof bowl. Allow to cool slightly, stirring a few times while it’s cooling.
