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This homemade hot fudge sauce recipe couldn’t be easier or more delicious. It’s sure to be your favorite ice cream topping all summer long.
When I was a kid, we briefly lived with my great grandmother, Lottie. She was a magnificent woman and an incredible cook. I was quite young – about 5 or so, but I have some pretty vivid memories of the time we spent in her home.
I remember sitting at her dining room table and coloring for hours with the crayons she kept in an old coffee can, and an old fashioned rotary phone that sat on her perfectly organized desk.
Her home was immaculate and I remember giggling every time she told me to keep my feet off of her davenport.
She had a drawer devoted to her beloved baking tools, and even went so far as to purchase a set of miniature tools just for me. She’d neatly pull my hair back and keep it out of my face with a babushka, and then put a ball of dough in front of me.
We’d sit at the kitchen table for hours, rolling dough and cutting perfect circles with the top of a glass. Then we’d fill, fold, and crimp each of the dough circles to create the most amazing pierogies.
On summer evenings, we’d all load up into the car and head to the ice cream parlor.
I was always a caramel sundae kind of girl, but I remember snagging bites of my dad’s Tin Roof Sundaes that were slathered in the most incredible hot fudge sauce. And even though I’ve never been much of a hot fudge kind of girl myself, Elle can’t get enough of all things chocolate.
And during the summers she is all about ice cream, especially when it’s topped with a bit of chocolate sauce, Reddi Wip, sprinkles, and – of course – a cherry.
Whether you’re out of the jarred stuff or just craving a rich, chocolatey, homemade treat for your favorite ice cream, this homemade hot fudge sauce should definitely be on your summer bucket list!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HOT FUDGE SAUCE
If you read my post on how to make caramel sauce, making your own hot fudge sauce is even easier!
Ingredients you’ll need
To make this recipe, you’ll want to grab:
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
If you bake a lot, you may already have a lot of these ingredients on hand. The one ingredient you may not have readily available is Dutch-process cocoa, so let’s talk about that one.
What is Dutch-process cocoa powder?
There are two main kinds of cocoa powder: natural cocoa and Dutch-process cocoa.
Dutch-process cocoa has been treated to reduce the acidity of the cocoa powder, which gives it a darker color and less bitter flavor than natural cocoa.
Using Dutch-process cocoa in this recipe will help give it that deep, rich color and help avoid any bitter flavor. It will be pure, sweet, chocolate goodness!
Making this recipe
If you can whisk things together and bring things to a boil, you can make this hot fudge sauce recipe! I promise.
I like to use a heavy saucepan for this recipe. It will help the sauce heat evenly and keep it from burning.
Add the cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and half of the chopped chocolate to the pan. Bring all of this to a boil, whisking it until the chocolate is completely melted.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep the mixture at a low boil for about 5 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
After 5 minutes, remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and the rest of the chocolate until it is nice and smooth. The sauce will thicken slightly and have a beautiful finish to it.
Let the fudge sauce cool a bit and it’s ready to serve!
WAYS TO USE THIS HOT FUDGE SAUCE RECIPE
There are endless ways to use your homemade hot fudge sauce. You may just find yourself making a new batch of it every week!
Of course it is perfect for drizzling over no-churn ice cream, but don’t stop there! Set up an ice cream sundae bar with this fudge sauce, some strawberry sauce, caramel, sprinkles and homemade whipped cream.
It’s pretty much a direct pass to becoming the coolest parent ever.
But no need to stop with ice cream! Try it for breakfast on top of Bisquick waffles or over a stack of Boston cream pie pancakes for a truly decadent breakfast treat.
I also love it over a slice of vanilla cheesecake or cheesecake bars.
When it comes to this sauce, you’re really only limited by your imagination!
STORAGE
Because of the dairy in this recipe, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.
Let the sauce cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container, such as a glass jar, in the fridge for up to one week.
The sauce becomes quite thick after it has been chilled, so you will likely want to reheat it slightly. I recommend doing so in the microwave; microwave it on low in 15-second increments, stirring until it is your desired consistency.
Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces quality bittersweet chocolate not unsweetened, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa, salt, and half of the chocolate. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the chocolate pieces are completely melted.
- Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add in butter, vanilla, and remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth.
- Allow the sauce to cool down before serving.
Video
Notes
- Makes about 2 cups.
- This recipe can be easily adapted to create new flavors. I added in 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract which yielded a subtle, smooth, minty flavor.
- To store, cool sauce completely and chill in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Recipe from Gourmet, February 2004 via Epicurious
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love ready family stories. What sweet memories you have of your great-grandmother.
And, this homemade hot fudge sauce looks AMAZING!
Wow, your photo’s look beautiful, I just want to reach in with a HUGE spoon and scoop some fudge. The recipe is fantastic!!!
I love hot fudge!!! I was just wondering, I’m not sure if we can find corn syrup in Melbourne are there any alternatives? Thanks ;)
I’m dying right now, I love fudge!!!
Thx for the story about pierogis. I grew doing the same with my grandmother. My mom and I still make them at Holiday time. That hot fudge is also stunning.
I loved being taken down memory lane. I’m dying over the fudge dripping down the side – amazing!!
I was craving hot fudge last night! This is awesome!
Thank you, Jamie ! For the recipe and story – imagine milk still being delivered in the 1980’s …..what I wouldn’t give for that!
I’ve been looking for a great hot fudge recipe – I think jars of it would make great gifts, and we love it at my house with peppermint stick ice cream, but I think it would be delish with the raspberry ripple ice cream your mom loved.
And my grandma called the couch a davenport too ! I think the dog was allowed on it but it was preferred that I was not – ha!
Thanks so much for your dedication to your website. I thoroughly enjoy it!
Funny, homemade hot fudge sauce reminds me of my grandmother, too. She makes an excellent one, that is pretty similar to yours. This blog is making me hungry! Looks delicious!
If you are looking for a low fat version that is really incredible: My family loves it
1/3 cup cocoa (regular or dark) 1 cup boiling water
1 Cup sugar 1 TBS Butter
2 TBS flour 1/4 Tsp. salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Blend sugar, cocoa, flour and salt. Add 1 cup boiling water and 1 TBS Butter. Heat over medium heat while stirring. Remove from heat when thickened. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla.
stores in fridge for up to a month