Best Hot Fudge Recipe

This easy Hot Fudge recipe makes rich, smooth, fudgy, decadent hot fudge sauce in just minutes! Take your ice cream game to the next level with this homemade hot fudge and you’ll never buy store bought again! So much better!

Planning an ice cream party? Make sure to check out my No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce and Strawberry Sauce too!

Homemade Hot Fudge

The Ultimate Hot Fudge Sundae

If you’ve never made hot fudge before, make it and then treat yourself to a hot fudge sundae. Trust me, no sundae is as good as one you make at home with homemade hot fudge sauce.

A couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, a generous drizzle of hot fudge, some crushed nuts and a cherry. Go all in and make some fresh whipped cream for a sundae no one will forget.

Serve warm because when cold, the hot fudge sauce is super thick and definitely not pourable. As the hot fudge hits the cold ice cream, it thickens and sets up.

What You’ll Need

There are 7 ingredients in this hot fudge sauce recipe and I’m breaking down each one for you here. You can find the full printable recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a quick look at what you’ll need:

• unsalted butter – give this sauce richness and shininess as well as flavor.
• bittersweet chocolate baking chocolate – you can use unsweetened or semi-sweet depending on your preference. It’s also okay to use ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips instead.
• evaporated milk – half and half can be used instead.
• granulated sugar – sweetens the hot fudge. If you end up using unsweetened baking chocolate, I’d add a couple extra tablespoons of sugar.
• unsweetened cocoa powder – use anywhere from 6 to 8  tablespoons, depending on how chocolate-y you want the hot fudge. I prefer the full 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) whereas my kids prefer about 6 tablespoons.
• salt – to balance out all the sweetness.
• vanilla extract – for flavor. Use the best quality vanilla extract available for best results.

How To Make Hot Fudge Sauce

1. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring frequently.
2. Whisk in the evaporated milk (or half and half if that’s what you’re using).
3. Whisk in the granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt until combined.
4. Keep over medium low heat, whisking frequently, about 5 to 6 minutes until mixture comes just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
6. Serve hot fudge sauce warm over ice cream or allow to cool, transfer to a heat safe jar or container and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Hot Fudge FAQs

Can this hot fudge be made in advance? Yes! In fact, when we’re having summer parties, they almost always include an ice cream bar. I like to make up a batch of this hot fudge recipe, some strawberry sauce and caramel sauce the week before to serve at the party. This sauce is good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Can you really use half and half OR evaporated milk? Yup! They are interchangeable in this recipe just like the baking chocolate and chocolate chips are. In fact, when I filmed the video, I made one version with evaporated milk and bittersweet chocolate and the other version with half and half and semi-sweet chocolate chips because I wanted to show the difference.

Turns out, it’s impossible to tell which is which, they’re both delicious! (In case you’re wondering, the jar in the front is half and half and the one in the back is with the evaporated milk.)

How do I reheat the sauce? Remove the desired amount of refrigerated hot fudge and place in a microwave safe container. Heat in 15 second increments at 50% power until warm and pourable.

Variations To Try

I’ve made this recipe so many different ways that I want to share a couple easy modifications you can make that won’t really impact the end result and might be easier depending on what ingredients you have on hand.

Chocolate. I like to use the bittersweet baking chocolate in this recipe because it melts so silky smooth. You can also use unsweetened chocolate or semi sweet chocolate. If you only have chocolate chips on hand, that works too! Use two-thirds cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the bittersweet chocolate.

Milk. I always have evaporated milk on hand and I love it in this recipe because it goes in at room temperature and makes this hot fudge sauce come together so quickly. If I don’t have any evaporated milk, I’ll use half and half. The same amount is needed, 1 cup.

Special Tools Needed

Here are the tools that I recommend having for this recipe:

• heavy bottomed sauce pan – you want a nice deep sauce pan. A heavy bottom pan will provide more even heat distribution, preventing hot spots and scorching.
• liquid measuring cups for the evaporated milk or half and half – I use this fun beaker set and LOVE It!
• jars to store the hot fudge sauce in – any heat-proof, airtight glass jar will work. I keep a bunch of canning jars on hand and use those most frequently when making homemade sauces like this one.

More Chocolate Recipes To Try

1. Chocolate Pound Cake
2. Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
3. The BEST Chocolate Chip Pancakes
4. Chocolate Mint Brownies
5. Chocolate Cheesecake

How To Make Hot Fudge