Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
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Quick and Easy Hot Fudge Sauce! A homemade recipe made with a few simple ingredients that’s sure to satisfy those chocolate cravings. It’s perfect for drenching over a hot fudge sundae or fresh fruit, smothering brownies, garnishing a pie, dunking churros or eating straight from the fridge by the spoonful!
New Go-To Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
I’ve tried many hot fudge sauce recipes over the years and I have even shared a few others here. But as time goes on and I try new favorites, or find something easier I love to share them with you here.
This fudge sauce is made with just six simple ingredients! And you can have it ready in about 10 minutes (just plan an extra 10 to cool if you don’t want it smoldering hot).
It’s richly chocolatey, perfectly sweetened, silky smooth and luscious, and it makes for the ultimate molten topping over a refreshing dessert creating a tantalizing hot and cold duo.
Possible Variations
This chocolate sauce made with pantry staples and it’s a versatile recipe as well.
- You can swap bittersweet chocolate chips with semi-sweet or dark.
- Brown sugar can be replaced with white sugar.
- If you are out of vanilla you can even skip it here (there’s usually some in the chocolate chips).
- Make a salted fudge sauce by increasing the amount of salt added and go for sea salt. You can even just garnish flaky salt over the fudge sauce when serving.
Then the best way to enjoy it is the traditional way, poured generously over a bowl of fresh scooped ice cream. Flavors like vanilla, strawberry, cherry, pistachio or chocolate will always complement it well.
But if you want a bit of a healthier option then drizzle a little of this chocolate fudge sauce over fresh strawberries, bananas, raspberries, mangoes or peaches to give them a decadent chocolate upgrade.
Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Brown sugar
- Bittersweet chocolate chips (60 to 70% cacao)
- Evaporated milk
- Unsalted butter
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Hot Fudge Sauce from Scratch
- In a medium saucepan stir together brown sugar, chocolate chips, evaporated milk, butter and salt.
- Bring to a light boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula (scrape pan and bottom edges). Then let simmer about 1 minute while whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes to thicken slightly before using.
FAQ
How long does homemade hot fudge sauce last?
- Homemade hot fudge sauce should keep about 2 weeks in the fridge.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Keep it stored in an airtight container.
Is hot fudge sauce gluten free?
Each recipe will vary as to whether or not it’s gluten free. Some fudge sauce recipes even contain white flour so they won’t be.
This recipe is made with naturally gluten free ingredients but be sure to check the labels of the products you are using to ensure it’s gluten free.
How do you make a hot fudge sundae?
- In a bowl pile together scoops of ice cream.
- Top with warmed fudge sauce.
- Garnish with chopped nuts (peanuts, pecans, almonds or walnuts), sweetened whipped cream, and maraschino cherries.
- Remember to have all ingredients ready before beginning and work quickly, it melts fast!
Can I use sweetened condensed milk?
- I don’t recommend using sweetened condensed milk in this recipe as it has added sugars and will throw the recipe off making it way too sweet. It is not the same as evaporated milk.
- If you don’t have evaporated milk however there are other recipes out there that use sweetened condensed milk or cream as the base instead of evaporated milk.
How to Reheat Fudge Sauce
- Reheat the amount you’d like to use up in a microwave safe dish in the microwave.
- Heat in 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through.
Helpful Tips to Thicken Chocolate Sauce
- Allow sauce to simmer for a minute so it thickens.
- Use chocolate chips not chopped chocolate bars.
- Let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
- For a super thick fudge sauce you can even serve it could straight from the fridge.
More Tempting Dessert Recipes to Try
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Easy Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips*
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan stir together brown sugar, chocolate chips, evaporated milk, butter and salt.
- Bring to a light boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula (scrape pan and bottom edges). Then let simmer about 1 minute while whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes to thicken slightly before using.
- Once cool store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- *For a sweeter hot fudge sauce use semi-sweet chocolate chips or increase sugar by up to an additional 1/2 cup. As is this is a slightly darker fudge sauce.
- To reheat: Spoon desired amount into a microwave safe dish, reheat in 20 second intervals stirring between each until warmed through and a pourable consistency.