Delicious and simple-to-make chocolate fondue with lots of fun dipping ideas!
The Best Chocolate Fondue
One of my mom’s go-to desserts growing up was chocolate fondue. With a family as large as ours (9 total!), fondue was an easy treat that brought the whole family together. That, and my mom, was a self proclaimed chocolate addict. 🙂
Although my mom has always been a bit of a minimalist in the kitchen (very few gadgets/cookware), the one exception to that rule is her big fondue fountain. So when my boys had a night over with their grandparents and the fountain came out, they immediately fell in love with it. Once they came home they both kept asking incessantly that we get a chocolate fountain like their Grandma has.
While we don’t have fancy dipping tools or a cool 3-tiered fondue fountain, I have been able to please the boys with a simpler chocolate fondue and it’s now becoming a fun tradition in our home. It’s fun to take a longer time to eat a dessert and talk/laugh through the process of dipping and sampling. It’s also a little very messy in my home, but you win some and you lose some I suppose.
Speaking from experience, the recipe for this fondue is definitely kid-approved. Most fondue recipes use a lot of bittersweet and dark chocolate which I do love, but the kids? Not so much. This recipe is a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate. It IS sweet, but not sickly so.
And the great news is, if you aren’t serving this to kids and like a darker chocolate fondue mixture, the quantities in this recipe will work with whatever chocolate you decide to use! I like using two varieties of chocolate as it yields a richer and deeper final flavor.
Quick Tips
- Use REAL, high quality chocolate bars. Simply put, the better the chocolate you use, the better your fondue will end up. Unfortunately chocolate chips do not work great in fondue — the flavor isn’t quite right and they harden a lot quicker. Chocolate chips aren’t pure chocolate either, and that’s essential for a good fondue.
- Make sure the fondue fountain, and any other dishes the chocolate comes in contact with are completely dry and free of any water. Water will cause the chocolate to seize and ruin the fondue.
- Experiment! You can add a lot of fun variety to a fondue by experimenting with new chocolate flavors and types.
Favorite Things To Dip In Fondue
A better question, what can you NOT dip in chocolate fondue? 🙂 I’m of the opinion that everything tastes better with chocolate on it, so get creative here! Here are some of our 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 our favorite!
- Other treats: poundcake (store-bought or homemade), Rice Krispies treats (our favorite recipe here; just leave off the white chocolate and sprinkles), brownie bites, large marshmallows
More Dessert Recipes:
Easy Chocolate Fondue
Ingredients
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 1/2- 3/4 cup whole milk (depending on thickness preference, I use 1/2 cup)
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional (see note)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Flaky sea salt, for topping, optional
Dipping Ideas
- Fresh fruit: such as bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, clementines, etc.
- Cookies: oreos, piroette cookies, milanos,
Instructions
- Start by preparing all of the ingredients/treats you will be dipping in the fondue. The preparation of 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 or cream, and butter* 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 to serve it with 🙂
- If the fondue gets too thick (or starts to harden), reheat in the microwave in bursts of 15 seconds stirring in 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.
I just tried this chocolate fondue recipe, and it was a huge hit! The rich, creamy texture and perfect sweetness made it a delightful treat for our family gathering. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, which made the whole process a breeze. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe—can’t wait to make it again!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Kelly!
Can this be made the day before? I have five 9 yr olds Saturday that I will be taking to an event then back for fondue. I need to make this easy to get ready once back home. Thanks!
Yes! It will harden so just reheat gently (low heat) the next day
I’m going to try this in my mini crockpot for a treat at work. I’m sure we will all love it.
Hope you enjoy!
I used this for a date night idea and she broke up with me. I blame you Chelsea for this horrible recipe!!!! >:(
She probably found a new true love in this Fondue! 😉 Sorry about the break up!
I didn’t make your recipe but l’m seeking advice. I recently bought some chocolate cheese. It’s my desire to use it in fondue with my new (used) fondue burner pot. I can’t find any such recipe. It contains havarti cheese, sugar, butter, milk, cocoa powder, cream & some other texturing ingredients. It smells so good. Do you have any suggestions other than heat it & eat it? I would love to dip bananas, graham crackers, animal crackers and apples in it. I just don’t know what to add to it before putting it in the microwave and then into the fondue pot. Help me, please!
I volunteered to do a chocolate fondue for a ladies get together. I hadn’t used my fondue pot in years and didn’t remember how to keep the chocolate from hardening. I used your recipe and it was a great hit. I will keep your recipe
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Shirley! 🙂
Planning to make this for a family Valentine’s Day dinner this week! Do you have a recipe for a cheese fondue? Hoping to make a whole fondue meal 🙂
I don’t but it’s definitely something I will work on. But seriously you have to give this Chocolate Fondue a try, it’s truly incredible!
I just got a small Fondue with skewers and excited to try this one out.
I hope you love! 🙂
I used equal amount of dark and milk chocolate and heavy cream instead of milk+butter. Everyone loved the smooth texture and mellow flavor, specially with strawberries and clementines.
I am so happy to hear this! And yum with clementines! Thanks Neelam! 🙂
Easy and tasty recipe
Thank you!