Hot Fudge Recipe + Video
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This is a real Hot Fudge Recipe… no sneaky ingredients or shortcuts. Homemade hot fudge is thick, glossy, deeply chocolatey, and unapologetically rich. It pours warm, clings to a spoon, and settles into that perfect, velvety puddle over ice cream. Sweet without being cloying, smooth without being stiff. This is the kind of sauce that makes store-bought versions completely unnecessary once you’ve tried it.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE FOR HOT FUDGE
- Ready in about 10 minutes
- Smooth, glossy, and spoon-coating
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Perfect balance of sweetness and richness
- Stores and reheats beautifully
Hot Fudge Recipe
This is one of those recipes I’ve been making forever. The kind you don’t really think about until you realize you never buy hot fudge anymore.
Plus, it comes together fast. You whisk, it melts, it thickens, and suddenly you’ve got a saucepan of warm chocolate sitting on the stove. Dangerous territory.
This is not a drizzle-and-walk-away situation. This is a scoop-of-ice-cream, stand-at-the-counter, “just one more spoonful” kind of sauce.
It’s reliable. It behaves. And it turns even the most basic bowl of ice cream into something that feels like a real dessert.
Once you make this recipe for hot fudge, you’ll understand why we always have a jar in the fridge.
Looking for more delicious homemade toppings? Try my caramel sauce or strawberry syrup dessert topping! There’s even a version of crispy Magic Shell that can be made with a variety of flavors.
HOT FUDGE TOPPING RECIPE VIDEO
Want to see how to make hot fudge at home? Watch our quick recipe video 👇
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Milk Chocolate: Gives the creamiest, smoothest texture and classic hot fudge flavor. Chop up a quality chocolate bar if possible, but chocolate chips work too.
- Heavy Cream: Creates richness and body. This is not the place to lighten things up.
- Light Corn Syrup: Helps prevent crystallization and keeps the sauce silky.
- Butter: Adds gloss and rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Added at the end to preserve aroma and depth.
VARIATIONS
Dark Chocolate: Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate for a less-sweet sauce.
Extra Rich: Stir in another tablespoon of butter at the end.
Salted: Finish this hot fudge recipe with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Mocha Flavor: Add a small pinch of instant espresso powder.
Boozy: Stir in a splash of bourbon or Irish cream off the heat.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Pour over ice cream! Vanilla, chocolate, s’mores… you name it!
- Spoon over banana splits.
- Drizzle on brownies or cheesecake.
- Use as a dip for fruit or cookies.
- Add hot fudge sauce to affogato or poke cakes.
- Set up an ice cream party and let everyone make their own sundaes.
HOMEMADE HOT FUDGE FAQ
That’s normal! Don’t keep simmering. It thickens significantly as it cools.
Stick with granulated sugar and corn syrup when making this hot fudge recipe for the best texture.
The sauce does firm up but will soften quickly when reheated.
Up to 2 weeks in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.
Once you learn how to make hot fudge at home, you’ll never look back! This recipe works because it’s an emulsion built on controlled heat.
Sugar dissolves into the cream as it warms, while cocoa solids from the chocolate disperse evenly with constant whisking.
The corn syrup interferes with sugar crystallization, which is what keeps the sauce smooth instead of grainy.
Butter adds fat that enhances gloss and mouthfeel, while also stabilizing the mixture as it cools. Boiling briefly concentrates the sauce and activates starches in the chocolate, thickening it just enough.
Removing the sauce from heat before adding vanilla preserves volatile flavor compounds. As it cools, the fats resolidify slightly, giving you that classic, spoon-coating texture without becoming stiff.
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Whisk constantly. Stillness causes scorching, so don’t walk away!
- Don’t overcook. It continues to thicken once it’s taken off the heat.
- Use good chocolate. The flavor carries through.
- Reheat gently to maintain a smooth texture.
- Store in glass (ideally airtight jars) so it reheats evenly.
TOOLS NEEDED
- Medium Saucepan: Heavy-bottomed works best for even heat.
- Whisk: Constant movement keeps everything smooth.
- Measuring Cups: Balance matters here.
- Heat-Safe Jar: For storing leftovers (if there are any!)
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Dessert Recipes
TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Classic homemade hot fudge
- Thick, glossy, and smooth
- Ready in about 10 minutes
- Milk chocolate = creamiest result
- Thickens as it cools
- Stores well in the fridge
- Better than anything from a jar
Hot Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 8 ounces milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- COMBINE INGREDIENTS: Add the granulated sugar, heavy cream, light corn syrup, milk chocolate, and unsalted butter to a medium saucepan.
- HEAT AND WHISK: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly as the mixture heats and the chocolate melts.
- SIMMER: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then continue whisking for about 5 minutes, until the sauce looks glossy and slightly thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- ADD VANILLA: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully combined.
- SERVE OR STORE: Serve warm, or let cool slightly and transfer to a heat-safe glass jar.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published February 2014, updated and republished January 2026
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
Love to get your recipes!
Not sure if it went through so am commenting again, is this recipes missing something? It says double chocolate but only lists milk chocolate chips should it have cocoa in it?
Actually it is doubly chocolaty, compared to other hot fudge recipes. Good catch though. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
So sweet and delicious. I loved the texture. Will have to make this for my friends soon!
Is it okay to can the fudge sauce so I always have some on hand?
Perfect results every time!
This recipe is an absolute game-changer! So simple to make, yet so decadent and rich.
Hi Darcy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn