• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Emma Duckworth Bakes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • French Recipes
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • French Recipes
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauces, Curds & Jams

    Easy Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

    Published: Jun 29, 2022 · Last Modified: Aug 29, 2022 by Emma · 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    Fudge sauce pinterest pin.

    This incredible Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce is rich, smooth and fudgy. Made in just five minutes, it's the perfect chocolate fudge topping for all your ice creams. You'll never buy store-bought again.

    Hot fudge sauce dripping over the sides of a filled jar on a plate.

    We're right in the middle of ice cream season and there is no more perfect way to top your ice cream than with a couple of spoonfuls of this Easy Chocolate Fudge Sauce. Caramel Brownie Ice Cream, Creme Brulee Ice Cream or my Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream are the perfect choice to make sundaes with.

    This homemade fudge sauce is made in under five minutes and only needs 6 ingredients. It's such a simple recipe that produces the ultimate dessert topping that's perfect every time. Rich, decadent and gooey you'll be eating this straight off the spoon!

    Spoonful of hot fudge sauce dripping into a jar.
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Hot Fudge ingredients
    • Equipment you'll need
    • How to make Hot Fudge Sauce
    • What's the difference between hot fudge and chocolate sauce?
    • Ways to use Hot Fudge Sauce
    • Recipe tips
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More chocolate-forward recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Comes together in a flash. It's the weekend and you have guests coming over at short notice ... this recipe will get you out of trouble fast. Make it in ten minutes and you can drizzle it all over those ice cream tubs in your freezer.
    • Simple to make. It's literally one of the simplest recipes to make - which means one thing .... it'll be on repeat in your house!
    • Family favourite dessert topping. From young to old, everyone loves this sauce! It's nostalgic, comfort food at its best!
    • Perfect holiday gift. Make a big batch and package up in cute mason jars. With a gift tag, ribbon and sprig of holly, you have the most gorgeous gift

    Hot Fudge ingredients

    It takes just 6 ingredients to make the fudge topping. The result is a luscious, smooth, thick old fashioned hot fudge sauce that you'll find any excuse to spoon over your favourite dessert. I've made a few notes on a couple of the ingredients below.

    individual ingredients to make fudge sauce on a bench top.

    Butter - I recommend unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt added to the recipe. If you decide to use salted butter, omit the salt to start off with and then season to taste.

    Dark chocolate - 70% dark chocolate provides the perfect balance to the sweetness of the evaporated milk and sugar. I find it makes the hot chocolate sauce perfectly rich and chocolatey without making it too strong and bitter. That being said. If you want to play around with your chocolate- for example using a 90% dark chocolate or going for milk chocolate, then let me know how you go!

    What is evaporated milk?

    Evaporated milk - is a major part of this homemade fudge sauce. But what exactly is it? Fresh homogenised milk is cooked down to remove 60% of its water. During this process, it turns slightly darker due to the Maillard reaction and thickens to double cream consistency. Once it's in its concentrated form, the evaporated is then chilled and canned into sterilised containers.

    In this form, it's more stabilised than regular milk and won't curdle when cooked at high temperatures. That makes it the perfect ingredient for making this hot fudge sauce recipe.

    Equipment you'll need

    Saucepan: Non-stick medium to large saucepan is best to make this sauce in.

    Wooden Spoon: I use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce constantly, alternatively, you could use a rubber spatula.

    How to make Hot Fudge Sauce

    5 minutes is all you need to make this recipe. Literally, blink and it'll be done!

    *Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

    Collage showing the ingredients melting into a saucepan to form chocolate fudge sauce.

    1. Add ingredients to the saucepan. They all go in at the same time - sugar, butter, evaporated milk, chocolate, vanilla extract and salt. Description here (Image 1)

    2. Heat until thickened. Set the pan over medium heat (any higher and it might catch on the bottom) and stir constantly until the chocolate and butter have melted and all the ingredients have combined (Image 2).

    It'll look absolutely luscious - but we're not quite finished. It needs a couple more minutes on the stovetop to thicken perfectly. If you need to reduce the temp to medium-low, then do - you don't want the mixture to boil.

    Chocolate sauce being drizzled into a jar.

    You'll visibly see the chocolate sauce thickening and when a spoon is dipped in it, the sauce doesn't run off so quickly. It will feel gooey and leave a slight trail when poured. Pour it straight into a jar and use immediately or set it aside to cool to room temperature (Image 3 & 4).

    And I'm here to say...that is it! Isn't this the easiest hot fudge sauce recipe ever?!!! I mean. Seriously. Two simple steps and you have a jar of pure joy for kids and adults alike!

    Fudge sauce being spooned from a jar.

    Even when cooled to room temperature, the sauce will stay thick but spoonable. You can pour it from a jug easily. Once refrigerated it will cool right down but not go hard. As you can see in the image below, you can spoon out your desired amount easily.

    Looking down onto a jar of cold hot fudge sauce.

    What's the difference between hot fudge and chocolate sauce?

    The difference between the two lies in the texture and taste. Hot fudge sauce is thicker in consistency and more intense flavour. When cold in the fridge it thickens to a spoonable consistency that needs heating to loosen and pour over ice cream.

    Chocolate sauce on the other hand is pourable whether refrigerated or at room temperature. With a runnier consistency, it's easily mixed into a liquid, such as milk to make milkshakes.

    Spoon with chocolate sauce dripping off it on a plate.
    Graham crackers on a plated loaded with chocolate sauce and marshmallow ice ream.

    Ways to use Hot Fudge Sauce

    Where do I start? There are so many ways to enjoy this sauce. The obvious is with a spoon straight from the jar! It's that good!)

    But seriously, you can drizzle it over your breakfast pancakes or waffles, ice cream cake, or your favourite brownie or pie like my Chocolate Mini Tarts. For the ultimate indulgence, layer it with ice cream, like my Raspberry Chocolate Ice Cream and whipped cream for an epic ice cream sundae. (Doing this reminds me of the epic Ice Cream Parlour in Harrods that we went to a couple of years ago! It was every bit as indulgent as you can imagine!)

    My kid's favourite is when I blend it with ice cream to create a thick shake. Seriously dreamy. You can also dip fresh juicy strawberries into the sauce for Valentine's Day treat; who am I kidding ... a year-round treat! With 4th July celebrations coming up, serve on top of a scoop of Marshmallow Ice Cream, and graham crackers for the ultimate s'mores treat.

    If these aren't enough reasons to always have a jar readily available in your fridge at ALL times, then I don't know what is!!

    Recipe tips

    1. Stir constantly. The sauce thickens pretty quickly and stirring it constantly prevents it from sticking and possibly burning.
    2. Keep the temp on medium to low. Don't let the mixture boil. Like when making custard, if it boils then the sauce will separate and go grainy in texture.
    3. Make a big batch. The recipe is perfect for scaling up. Store an extra jar in the freezer and you'll always have some on tap!
    Fudge sauce spooned over raspberry ice cream in a bowl.
    Raspberry Ice Cream Sundae topped with fudge sauce.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can Hot Fudge Sauce be made in advance?

    Absolutely. That's the beauty, make this the best hot fudge sauce. Once it's cooled just pop it into a jar and refrigerate. You'll have it on hand for whenever you have a chocolate craving or want to elevate your ice cream dessert.

    How to store fudge sauce?

    To store: Once cooled, seal the sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate. It'll last for up to one month.
    To freeze: You can even freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe container. Pop in the fridge to thaw completely.

    How do you reheat chocolate fudge sauce?

    Reheat in the microwave at 10-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
    Alternatively, pour the sauce into a small saucepan and reheat on low heat on the stovetop.

    More chocolate-forward recipes

    • Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
    • Chocolate Semifreddo
    • Italian Chocolate Torte

    If you tried this recipe for Hot Fudge Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how you go in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Also, please leave a star rating whilst you're there!

    Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter, so that you don’t miss out on more delicious food, tips and news but also the chance to download your FREE DESSERT E-BOOK! Happy baking friends!

    📖 Recipe

    hot fudge sauce spilling over the edge of a glass jar.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.75 from 4 votes

    Easy Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

    This incredible Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce is rich, smooth and fudgy. Made in just five minutes, it's the perfect chocolate fudge topping for all your ice creams.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time5 mins
    Total Time10 mins
    Category: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 105kcal
    Author: Emma Duckworth

    Equipment

    • Saucepan

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 100 g granulated sugar
    • 1 can evaporated milk, 12oz/354ml
    • 60 g unsalted butter
    • 150 g dark chocolate 70%, coarsely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Add ingredients to a saucepan. Add the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, dark chocolate and vanilla into a medium-based saucepan.
    • Heat until thickened. Set over medium heat, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Heat for approximately five minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
      Remove from the heat and pour into an airtight container. Use straight away whilst it's hot. Or leave to cool to room temperature, cover with a lid and refrigerate. As it cools, the fudge sauce will thicken even further.

    All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.

    Notes

    Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
    To Store: Once cooled, seal the sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate. It'll last for up to one month.
    To Freeze: You can even freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe container. Pop in the fridge to thaw completely.
    TIP 1: Stir constantly. The sauce thickens pretty quickly and stirring it constantly prevents it from sticking and possibly burning.
    TIP 2: Keep the temp on medium to low. Don't let the mixture boil. Like when making custard, if it boils then the sauce will separate and go grainy in texture.
    TIP 3: Make a big batch. The recipe is perfect for scaling up. Store an extra jar in the freezer and you'll always have some on tap!
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 0.04mg
    Have you tried this recipe yet?Mention @emmaduckworthbakes or tag #emmaduckworthbakes! I’d love to see what you are getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Everyday Sauces, Curds & Jams

    • Easy French Almond Cream (Frangipane)
    • Crème Légère (Lightened Pastry Cream)
    • French Chantilly Cream (Crème Chantilly)
    • Simple Pear Compote

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Ang

      December 26, 2022 at 6:07 am

      4 stars
      Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it to use drizzled over caramel cheesecake. The recipe is well described. As the sauce is thickening keep a close eye on it as it will appear to want to bubble over the sides of the saucepot. I think it is necessary to use 70% dark chocolate to offset the taste of the evaporated canned milk which would be more prominent with anything less. I used Grand Marnier towards the end of the cooking process for the same reason. It's a quick and easy to come together sauce. Thank you again for sharing it.

      Reply
      • Emma

        January 09, 2023 at 3:51 pm

        Hi Ang - thanks for the comment. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Smiling lady standing in front of bookshelves

    Welcome to Emma Duckworth Bakes, a destination for approachable, delicious baked goods, sweet treats and desserts that you can re-create at home. A self-taught baker with a passion for seasonal homemade treats shaped by European influences.

    Learn more about me →

    Cookbook Cover
    Packed full of delicious bakes

    Brownies & Bars

    • Chocolate Granola Bars with Hazelnuts
    • Easy Triple Chocolate Brownies
    • Easy Lotus Biscoff and White Chocolate Blondies
    • Decadent Small Batch Brownies filled with Caramel Sauce
    • Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
    • Espresso Millionaire Shortbread Bars
    Dear Coco: Artisanal Coffee by The River Thames, London

    Featured On

    Featured In Image

    My Personal Favourites

    • How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce
    • Traditional French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau Au Yaourt)
    • Brown Butter Madeleines dipped in Espresso Glaze
    • Easy No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
    • Easy Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
    • The Best Cherry Scones

    Footer

    About

    About Me

    Food Photography

    Dear Coco Street Coffee

    ↑ back to top

    SUBSCRIBE

    Information

    Contact

    Work With Me

    Privacy Policy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Emma Duckworth Bakes