I’ll take any excuse to pour hot fudge over ice cream, and this homemade hot fudge sauce is a thousand times better than the bottled stuff. It’s rich, silky, and deeply chocolatey, with just the right gooey texture that melts perfectly into a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My fudge sauce is ready in 15 minutes, made with simple ingredients, and tastes like it came straight from an old-school ice cream parlor.
Top Reader Review
“I enjoyed making this hot fudge and I enjoyed eating it along with my husband. It tastes like the best you can buy! Tomorrow I am making more to give as one of the gifts to a birthday girl friend. She will love it! Thanks.” -Carrie M.
Easy Hot Fudge
I make my hot fudge with cocoa powder, sugar, butter, salt, baking chocolate, evaporated milk, and a touch of instant coffee. The cocoa powder gives it a bold chocolate flavor, while the baking chocolate adds depth and that luscious texture. And yes, the instant coffee is the secret weapon–it won’t make your sauce taste like coffee, but it seriously amps up the chocolate flavor.
This is the kind of hot chocolate fudge I love to drizzle over brownies, swirl into milkshakes, or eat straight from the spoon. It stays smooth and scoopable even after chilling, and it reheats in seconds. I love gifting jars of this fudge sauce with a pint of ice cream or some homemade brownies; it’s always a hit.
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Use the Right Kind of Pot
I recommend using a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan when making hot fudge sauce. Thin or lightweight pans heat unevenly, which can cause the chocolate to scorch or separate. A heavy-bottomed pan distributes heat more evenly, giving you that silky, lump-free texture without the risk of burning.
Hot Fudge Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder *
- ⅛ teaspoon instant coffee
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)**
- 1½ ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
Instructions
- Sift together the cocoa powder, instant coffee, sugar and salt to break up any lumps.½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ⅛ teaspoon instant coffee, 2 cups granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Combine the sifted mixture, butter, baking chocolate, and evaporated milk in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Whisking the mixture continuously, bring to a boil and continue whisking for 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat when the mixture begins to thicken. Don’t let it burn.½ cup unsalted butter, 1½ ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, 12 ounces evaporated milk
- Allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes, then serve immediately or continue cooling before storing in containers for refrigeration.
- If reheating after being chilled warm the hot fudge in the microwave for 5-10 seconds at a time, until desired temperature has been reached.
Notes
- It’s very important to sift the dry ingredients together at the beginning of this recipe! If you don’t finely sift the powders together, chances are, you’re going to end up with unsightly lumps in the otherwise smooth and silky sauce.
- Remember to let the sauce cool for a while before you dig in! It’ll be tempting to just go for it, but remember that the sauce was brought to a boil, so it’ll be HOT! Just 2 or 3 minutes will leave the sauce warm and gooey instead of piping hot.
How to Make Hot Fudge Sauce Step-by-Step
Gather your Ingredients: Gather up everything you need to begin.
Sift the Dry Ingredients: Sift together ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, ⅛ teaspoon of instant coffee, 2 cups of granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to break up any lumps.
Boil the Sauce: Combine the sifted mixture, ½ cup of unsalted butter, 1½ ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate, and 12 ounces (1 can) of evaporated milk in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Whisking the mixture continuously, bring to a boil, and continue whisking for 6-7 minutes. Remove from the heat when the mixture begins to thicken. Don’t let it burn.
Cool and Serve: Allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes, then serve immediately or continue cooling before storing it in containers for refrigeration.
How to Store and Reheat
Before placing hot fudge sauce in an airtight jar, make sure it’s cooled down significantly. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 months!
If you need to reheat the sauce, no worries! It’s super easy to do. Just remove the lid from the glass jar and microwave the chilled sauce for 5-10 seconds at a time. Stir the sauce in between reheating intervals. Continue this process until the desired temperature of the sauce is reached.
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