Hot Fudge Sauce is creamy, rich, and ridiculously good. Just five ingredients and 10 minutes for a homemade sauce that beats anything from the store!
Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Homemade is always the best, especially when it comes to hot fudge! I’ve never been able to find a store-bought version I love, so I decided to create my own. After some trial and error, I perfected it—and now my family won’t let me go back, ha!
Turns out, making hot fudge is easier than you’d think. One pot, a few simple ingredients, and 10 minutes later, you’ve got a thick, fudgy sauce that’s absolutely perfect!
Quick Tip
What’s the Difference Between Hot Fudge and Chocolate Sauce?
Hot fudge is thick and rich with butter and cream, while chocolate sauce is thinner and made with sugar and corn syrup.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Hot Fudge Sauce from scratch:
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: The cocoa powder makes all the difference! It gives a deep, rich chocolate flavor. Use leftovers in these chocolate cookies.
- Butter: Unsalted is best for full control over flavor since salted butter varies by brand.
- Heavy cream: For the best flavor, choose one with just cream as the ingredient.
- White sugar: Tested with both white and brown—white won out!
- Vanilla & salt: Enhance and balance all the flavors.
Quick Tip
No cream? Swap in evaporated milk!
Tips For Making Hot Fudge Sauce
- Whisk often to keep it smooth and prevent burning.
- Use low heat for a slow, even melt—high heat can ruin the texture.
- Let it sit if it seems thin; it thickens as it cools.
- Reheat gently in short microwave bursts or on low heat, stirring often.
- Store in a glass jar for easy reheating and pouring.
How To Use Hot Fudge Sauce
- Drizzle over ice cream or over a banana split!
- Blend into a milkshake—swap chocolate sauce for hot fudge.
- Layer into desserts like Brownie Oreo Ice Cream Bars, Mint Ice Cream Bars, or Ice Cream bars.
- Make a parfait with brownie chunks, ice cream, and hot fudge.
- Stuff into cookies—Fudge Brownie Cookies are a favorite!
Storage
Storing and Re-Warming Hot Fudge Sauce
- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Reheat: Microwave or warm on the stovetop over low heat.
- Freeze: Store in an airtight container, thaw in the fridge, then reheat.
- Smaller batch? This recipe halves easily if you don’t need a full batch!
More Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo cookie crust
- Bakery Style Chocolate Cookies with chocolate chips
- Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats triple chocolate!
- Edible Cookie Dough with miniature chocolate chips
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies with pudding mix in the dough
Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Medium pot heavy-bottomed
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder see note 2
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut butter into 8 slices and add to a heavy-bottomed medium pot over medium heat. Add sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cream. Whisk until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla, and taste. Add more salt if needed.
- Let cool slightly, then blend (in batches if needed) in a high-powered blender for 20–30 seconds until smooth. Pour into glass jars and refrigerate—the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very good, quick and easy! Better than using chocolate chip recipes!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Pat!
It was EXACTLY what I needed, perfect hot fudge recipe to make in a snap. Thank you!
So thrilled to hear you loved this! Thanks Victoria!