Delicious and simple-to-make chocolate fondue with lots of fun dipping ideas!
The Best Chocolate Fondue
Growing up, chocolate fondue was one of my mom’s favorite desserts. With a family of 9, it was a simple dessert that brought everyone together. My mom, a big chocolate lover, always kept things simple in the kitchen—except for her fondue fountain.
Now, I’ve made a simpler version that doesn’t require any fancy fountains, just a microwave-safe bowl or pot.
This kid-friendly recipe uses a mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate, giving it a sweet but not too sweet flavor. If you prefer darker chocolate, the recipe can easily be changed to your taste with different chocolate varieties!
Ingredients
- Chocolate: I love using a mix of milk and dark but you can use your favorite combo. Break into small chunks for even melting.
- Whole Milk: Start with 1/2 cup for thicker fondue and add more for thinner.
- Unsalted Butter: Leave it out for a stronger chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of flaky sea salt on top gives an extra pop of flavor.
How To Make Chocolate Fondue
- Prep dippers: Prep fruit, cookies, or other treats by cutting them into bite-sized pieces for easy dipping.
- Melt: Melt chopped chocolate with milk and butter in small bursts in the microwave or in a pot over medium-low heat.
- Right thickness: If the fondue gets too thick, add more milk to thin it out.
- Stir in flavor: Add vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt for extra flavor.
- Serve warm: If it gets too thick, microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth again.
Quick Tips
- Use good, high-quality chocolate for the best fondue. Avoid chocolate chips—they don’t melt well and can clump up quickly.
- Make sure all dishes the chocolate touches are completely dry—water will cause it to clump up.
- Try different chocolate flavors for more fun!
Favorite Things To Dip In Fondue
A better question: What can’t you dip in chocolate? Everything tastes better with chocolate, so get creative! Here are some of my favorites:
- Fresh fruit: Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, bananas.
- Store-bought cookies: Oreos, Nutter Butters, Pirouettes (my favorite!), Milanos, Girl Scout cookies.
- Homemade cookies: These toffee pecan cookies are the best!
- Other treats: Pound cake, Rice Krispies treats, brownie bites, or big marshmallows.
Storage
Leftover Chocolate Fondue?
Store leftover fondue in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring in between, or heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it regains its consistency.
More Dessert Recipes
- 7 Layer Bars with a graham cracker crust
- Lemon Cookies with a 2-ingredient lemon glaze
- Carmelitas readers favorite
- Chocolate Cheesecake with an Oreo crust
- Tuxedo Creme Brulee perfect for V-Day
Easy Chocolate Fondue
Equipment
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped into small pieces
- 4 ounces milk chocolate chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup whole milk depending on thickness preference, I use 1/2 cup
- 1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter optional, see note 1
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Flaky sea salt for topping, optional
Dipping Ideas
- Fresh fruit such as bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, clementines, etc.
- Cookies Oreos, Pirouette cookies, Milanos
Instructions
- Start by preparing all the ingredients/treats you will be dipping in the fondue. Making the fondue goes quickly, so you want to have all the treats and skewers (if using) ready!
- To make the fondue, in a small bowl, combine the chocolate, 1/2 cup milk, and butter (if using) and melt gently in a barely simmering water bath or microwave on medium (50 percent) power for about 2 minutes.
- Stir until completely smooth.
- Add more milk if desired. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Serve this warm fondue immediately with whatever you’ve chosen for serving.
- If the fondue gets too thick (or starts to harden), reheat in the microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring between each burst for 10 seconds until melted and smooth again.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you for this recipe! We are hosting the dessert stop on a “progressive” holiday dinner in my neighborhood. There will be about 30 attendees. Would it work to keep this warm in a crock pot after getting it ready? Or do you have any other tips? We could just re-warm in the microwave, but I’m looking to potentially skip that step.