Fudge Sauce Recipe
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Homemade hot fudge is actually incredibly simple to make. I used to think that making it from scratch was too time-consuming and I’d rather just buy it. But once I started making it myself and using it in recipes and on top of my favorite ice creams, I started to prefer just making it instead!
The taste is ridiculously creamy and fudgy, it’s ready to use in under 10 minutes, and since it lasts quite some time in the fridge (or freezer!), we always have fresh fudge sauce at the ready when it’s time for sundaes.
When it comes to ice cream, I am an ALL IN type of gal. I want chunks, I want toppings, I want everything.
That includes all the sauces, cherries, sprinkles, nuts… Don’t hold back when it comes to my ice cream!
When I think about a solid ice cream sundae, I immediately think of hot fudge sauce. That contrast of cold, smooth ice cream with gooey, drippy chocolate sauce is everything this texture lover wants in a bite of ice cream.
I mean, it’s no surprise that some of the ice cream recipes that exist on my site are peanut butter ripple, birthday cake, praline, and peach. There are chunks in all of them, plenty of room for added goodies, and each spoonful has something to look forward to.
Once I learned that homemade fudge sauce is actually really simple to make, I had to try it myself, and I’ll never go back to the jarred stuff.
It’s SO smooth, it’s so creamy, and it’s full of rich chocolate flavor that just can’t be matched in a jar.
Homemade Hot Fudge ingredients
The list of ingredients for this fudge sauce recipe is pretty short. If you look at a jar in the grocery store, you’ll likely see lots of interesting additives for stability, viscosity, and preservation.
Not here! My hot fudge sauce ingredients are simple, and it’s highly likely you have them all in your kitchen right now.
For this hot fudge, you’ll need
- heavy cream
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- salt
- bittersweet chocolate
- unsweetened or Dutch processed cocoa powder
The type of cocoa powder is totally up to you. You can use natural unsweetened, special dark, or Dutch processed. I always have all 3 on hand (baker problems!), but usually reach for Dutch processed in something like this.
It’s smoother in taste than the other two options, but if all you have is traditional/regular/basic unsweetened cocoa powder, don’t feel like you need to make a special trip to the store. It’ll still be top notch!
HOW TO MAKE HOT FUDGE SAUCE
The next thing you’ll notice about this easy hot fudge sauce is, well, it’s actually easy.
While we do do some crazy things around here sometimes like cook sugar for salted caramel sauce, we also do some really basic things like melt ingredients in a saucepan and stir it all together.
And the latter is true in this recipe for hot fudge!
STEP #1
In a small saucepan, combine the cream, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter is melted and the mixture just starts to simmer.
STEP #2
Allow the mixture to simmer for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk or stir until chocolate is completely melted.
STEP #3
Add the cocoa powder then whisk or stir until mixture is smooth. Allow to cook while whisking for an additional 1 minute. Mixture should be smooth and glossy.
STEP #4
Remove the saucepan from the heat, allow to cool a bit, then use.
You can use your chocolate fudge sauce right away or you can let it cool and jar it up for later. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a month, but remember there are no preservatives, so you’ll have to keep an eye on it.
See? Isn’t that super easy?
How to use Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
Use this sauce on any of your favorite ice creams, including coffee ice cream, birthday cake ice cream, ice cream sheet cake, and peanut butter ripple ice cream. Use your sauce as an ingredient in my Oreo ice cream cake instead of store-bought.
How to store this Hot Fudge Recipe
Store your sauce in the refrigerator and heat as needed before using.
Can you freeze Hot Fudge Sauce?
This sauce freezes well! Thaw in the refrigerator or on the thaw setting in your microwave. You can also submerge your (tight-fitting!) lidded jar in warm water to help it thaw faster.
Hot Fudge Recipe FAQs
To thin your sauce, heat it, then slowly drizzle in some extra cream while stirring.
Chocolate sauce is typically thin and syrupy while hot fudge is thicker and more viscous. They can both be used in the same applications, but as far as recipes go, hot fudge is more useful in instances where you want a little more structure.
There can be a few reasons why your sauce is grainy:
HEAT WAS TOO HIGH: using too high of a heat setting can make the texture of your sauce grainy. Be sure you’re following the heating settings suggested in the recipe.
UNDISSOLVED SUGAR: if not all the sugar is dissolved before boiling, the fudge can become grainy. If this continues to be an issue for you, can try melting the chocolate separately and adding it after the sugar has dissolved completely.
If your sauce is still too grainy, you can try heating it low and slow on the stove again and stir it until the sugar crystals melt or it thins out. Add about 1 teaspoon of neutral oil if you’re still running into issues.
Now that you have the best hot fudge sauce in your repertoire, let’s explore some of the things you can put it on top of right away! Try my homemade fudgy brownies, chocolate bundt cake, or ice cream sheet cake are great places to start!
And don’t miss out on the hot fudge layer in my cookies and cream ice cream cake. It melts in your mouth alongside the ice cream and it is the perfect touch between bites of crunchy Oreos!
Homemade Hot Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240mL) heavy cream
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cut into 6-8 slices
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
- ⅓ cup (27g) unsweetened or Dutch processed cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the cream, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter is melted and the mixture just starts to simmer.
- Allow the mixture to simmer for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk or stir until chocolate is completely melted.
- Add the cocoa powder then whisk or stir until mixture is smooth. Allow to cook while whisking for an additional 1 minute. Mixture should be smooth and glossy.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, allow to cool a bit, then use. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Pour the leftovers into a jar and store in the refrigerator for about 1 month. When you are ready to use the sauce, you can reheat it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave (just be sure your jar has no metal parts on it). Hot fudge sauce freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or reheat in saucepan.
Notes
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
This was really simple to make and I loved that I could make it myself! Sundae Sunday was a success 🙂
Sundae Sunday! How fun! Thanks, Kait 🙂
My sauce is lumpy and grainy — what did I do wrong??
Hey, Michelle– it sounds like you maybe heated the hot fudge too quickly. Make sure you’re using the heat levels and times instructed!
Thanks, Jess!
Hi! I’m wondering if this would be something I could make ahead and can…??
Hi, Jenny– I have never canned anything, so I have no advice on whether or not this is something you are able to can. I keeps in jars well and can be frozen!
The first time I made this it was fantastic. I don’t know what happened but the second time it looked good but as it was cooling it looked clumpy and grainy. What could have happened?
Hi! It’s hard to say without having watched you make it. Clumpy/grainy hot fudge is typically the result of the sugar crystallizing too quickly, which can happen if you heat it too rapidly or stir it too quickly. You can try gently reheating it and adding a bit of cream to see if you can correct it.
Same problem as other commenters! I have been cooking/baking from scratch for years and can usually pinpoint my errors…. But I made this 3 times in a row (oh the wasted cacao, chocolate, and precious butter!!) and each time it’s lumpy. I was meticulous following directions and this last time, never stopped stirring. Making your Oreo ice cream cake for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow, so will need to find another fudge sauce recipe to follow. The cake is going well, though!!
Hey, Jenn– it’s impossible to say what went wrong without having watched you make it. Clumpy/grainy hot fudge is typically the result of the sugar crystallizing too quickly, which can happen if you heat it too rapidly or stir it too quickly. You can try gently reheating it and adding a bit of cream to see if you can correct it. I make everything on a gas stovetop.
Hi there, I made this sauce and it seemed to be smooth and working all the way until I added the cocoa powder – then the oil separated from the mixture and it became a separated (oil) and congealed like(chocolate part) texture. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong – the sugar was melted/dissolved and I heated it slowly. I tried it a 2nd time and the same thing happened when I added the cocoa powder – any suggestions?
Hi, Michelle– it’s so hard to know what went wrong without actually being there with you. My only guess is you may have put the cocoa powder in too quickly or not been patient enough with the heating of the mixture (too high of a temperature can be very problematic and cause separating).