Hot Fudge Sauce in 15 minutes
Homemade hot fudge sauce is the perfect topping for ice cream. It’s simple to make from scratch and is ready in less than 15 minutes.
Ice cream season (aka summer) is here and the best topping is homemade hot fudge sauce. This thick, yet smooth, sauce is decadent. It has a rich chocolate flavor, which pairs well with almost any ice cream flavor. I suggest adding some chopped nuts or fresh fruit to enjoy the sauce even more!
Why this recipe works: It uses good quality bittersweet chocolate and dutch-process cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor. Brown sugar and granulated sugar also improves the sweet flavor while butter and heavy cream make the sauce thick and rich.
How to make homemade hot fudge sauce
- Add heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, sugar and salt to a saucepan. Heat the ingredients over medium heat and bring to a simmer for 1 minute.
- Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until no clumps remain.
- Return the saucepan to low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Whisk in vanilla. Remove sauce from heat and transfer to a serving jar or storage container. Serve warm.
How to reheat hot fudge sauce
To reheat hot fudge sauce on the stove, place the sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk frequently until heated through. To reheat hot fudge sauce in the microwave, place the sauce in a microwave-safe container. Heat on 50% power level and stop to stir every 15 seconds until heated through and warm.
Helpful tips
Hot fudge sauce is all about the ingredients. The better quality chocolate you use, the better tasting fudge sauce you will have. I prefer Callebaut chocolate or Guittard chocolate. Don’t use chocolate chips. Instead chop the chocolate yourself. It will melt more quickly and evenly.
The right cocoa powder is also crucial. Dutch-process cocoa (aka alkalized cocoa) has a darker color and more mellow flavor. It also dissolves more easily in liquids, which is important for making hot fudge sauce. I prefer Guittard dutch process cocoa, but King Arthur Flour also makes a good one. Natural cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s or Ghirardelli) is more acidic and often paired with baking soda in recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it will affect the texture and taste. Natural cocoa powder doesn’t dissolve into liquid as well as dutch-process cocoa. As a result, the sauce will not be silky smooth. Also, natural cocoa powder has a more acidic taste than dutch-process cocoa.
Hot fudge sauce is thicker and more rich than chocolate syrup, which is a thin drizzle consistency.
Add a tablespoon of milk to the sauce when reheating. Continue adding a tablespoon of milk until desired consistency is reached.
When stored properly, hot fudge sauce will last for up to 4 months. Store sauce in an airtight container such as a mason jar in the refrigerator.
Related recipes
This old-fashioned hot fudge sauce is asking to be served at an ice cream sundae bar. You can serve this sauce over no churn chocolate ice cream, which is perfect for any chocoholic. I also like this sauce on strawberry ice cream for a chocolate-covered strawberry moment. This sauce is also used in between layers of ice cream cake!
Aside from ice cream, you can pour hot fudge sauce over brownies or slices of cake.
Set up your ice cream sundae bar and impress everyone with this homemade hot fudge sauce (it’s so much better than store bought). Serve it alongside chopped nuts, fresh fruit, whipped cream and whatever other ice cream toppings you love. If you try this recipe, leave a review by tapping the stars and tag @ifyougiveablondeakitchen on social media.
Get the Recipe: Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces (⅓ cup or 57 g) bittersweet chocolate , chopped into pieces
- 1 ¼ cups (125 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, sugar and salt over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer for about 1 minute.
- Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Remove saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder.
- Return saucepan to low heat and bring to a simmer whisking constantly until glossy, about 30 seconds. Whisk in vanilla and remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl, sauce boat or jar with a lid for storage. Serve warm.
- To reheat, warm in a saucepan over low heat and frequently stir until warm. Alternatively, microwave the sauce on 50% power level stopping to stir every 15 seconds until warm.
