Jump to Recipe
This silky smooth Hot Fudge Sauce is made with basic ingredients you have in your pantry. It is delectable served over ice cream!
We also like to drizzle this homemade hot fudge sauce over Peanut Butter Pie, Mint Oreo Ice Cream Dessert, and Frozen Oreo Ice Cream Dessert.
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
I have tried many recipes for homemade hot fudge sauce over the years, but this one remains my favorite. Not only is it the one I grew up with (thanks for the recipe mom!), it also tastes amazing. But the thing that sets it apart from the others I’ve tried is that it stores really well.
All the other recipes I’ve made have turned grainy when they are stored in the fridge. They melt fine of course, but this one just stays smooth and creamy. So if you get a hankering for a spoonful, you don’t have to heat it up first. Much easier to sneak without your kids catching you. 😉
How to make homemade hot fudge sauce:
Combine sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large saucepan, then slowly stir in the evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 6-8 minutes, or until thickened. (It will thicken even more as it cools, so don’t overcook it.)
Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Continue stirring till butter is melted.
After the hot fudge has cooled to room temperature, pour into glass jars.
What is the difference between hot fudge sauce and chocolate sauce or syrup?
-Hot fudge sauce has a deeper, richer flavor that chocolate syrup. Hot fudge sauce is made with sugar, butter, chocolate, and cream or evaporated milk. Chocolate syrup is usually made with a simple mixture of corn syrup or sugar and chocolate.
-Hot fudge sauce is typically thicker when chilled, and liquifies when heated. Chocolate syrup is much thinner, even at room temperature or chilled.
How do I store my hot fudge sauce?
This hot fudge stores really well in the refrigerator, and doesn’t turn grainy. I like storing it in glass jars to I can just pop it in the microwave to heat it up when we need it. I know it lasts for up to two months, but it may last longer, we just eat it up before then!
Homemade chocolate sauce makes fun Christmas neighbor gifts! I found these cute little glass jars at Tai Pan Trading, and just knew I had to use them this year. Although I must admit, I am saving several for myself because I just love them. 🙂 You can also use little mason jars, or any other glass jars you can find.
I made up some cute tags to go with the hot fudge, so I am including the free printables for you. There are three pages.
Page one is the hot fudge labels, page two is the “Merry Christmas” tags, page three is the “To/From” tags. Just click on the link below to download and print the page or pages you need.
Free Printable Hot Fudge Christmas Gift Tags
Here’s a sample of what they look like: Hot Fudge Labels Merry Christmas Tags To/From Christmas Gift Tags
Need more free Christmas gift tags? Check these out:
- Free Printable Gratitude Christmas Gift Tags
- Holly Jolly Christmas Tags
ICE CREAM RECIPES PERFECT FOR CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
- French Vanilla Ice Cream
- Reese’s Ice Cream
- Tin Roof Ice Cream
- Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream
- Frozen Mud Pie
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (more or less)
- Dash of salt
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Combine sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large saucepan. Slowly stir in the evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 6-8 minutes, or until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Stir till butter melts. Cool slightly before pouring into glass jars.
- Serve warm, and store leftovers in the refrigerator. It heats up nicely in the microwave.
Notes
-I like my chocolate sauce rich, so I use the full amount of cocoa powder. You get a more milk chocolate flavored sauce if you use less cocoa.
-When I am making this just for my family, I cut the recipe in half and only boil it for 3-4 minutes. (Half a can of evaporated milk is about 3/4 cup.)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 140Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 58mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 2g
Serving size is 2 tablespoons.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a comment below and pin the recipe to Pinterest!
Recipe originally posted on 12/13/2012. Post updated November 2018.
FAQs
Grainy Fudge
If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon. You can use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar that sticks to the sides of the pot.
What's the difference between hot fudge and fudge? ›
Hot fudge is made by boiling together cream, sugar, chocolate, and sometimes butter—the traditional ingredients for fudge—into what is essentially just an undercooked, unset version of the confection.
How long does homemade hot fudge last? ›
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy on top of ice cream, in a chocolate or Oreo milkshake, in a dessert crepe, fondue, or with a spoon!
What makes hot fudge taste different? ›
Hot fudge is the thickest and richest
It's the addition of heavy cream (in place of water or milk) and butter that creates hot fudge. Cream and butter give hot fudge its lush texture, flavor complexity, and dense richness. In addition to cocoa, chunks of chocolate are sometimes added for even more chocolatey goodness.
What is the secret to good fudge? ›
Tips for Making Fudge
- Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
- Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
- Beat Thoroughly.
Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.
What is McDonald's hot fudge made of? ›
Hot Fudge Topping
Ingredients: Sugar, Water, Nonfat Milk, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa (processed With Alkali), Corn Syrup, Salt, Disodium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids. Contains: Milk, Soy.
Does hot fudge melt ice cream? ›
Hot fudge is, well, hot!
This is not a genius observation by any means, but hot fudge starts melting the ice cream way too quickly, turning the sundae into a soupy mess. That nice contrast of warm and cold is gone.
Is hot fudge shelf stable? ›
Unopened store-bought hot fudge topping can last up to one year past the 'best by' date on the packaging if properly stored. Once opened, you should aim to consume it within a month, although it can last up to three months in the refrigerator.
Why does hot fudge get hard when it cools? ›
Corn syrup is really the secret ingredient to making the best hot fudge, because without it, the chocolate and butter would harden up as the sauce cools. If you prefer not to use corn syrup, try golden syrup, which is made from cane sugar and works just as well.
If you have leftovers (but let's be honest, you'll have to quadruple the recipe to have leftovers) then put it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will harden into a soft, gooey fudge like consistency. Then keep a spoon handy on the counter and dip it in every time you pass by.
Does homemade hot fudge have to be refrigerated? ›
Tips for Storing Homemade Fudge
If you intend to enjoy your fudge relatively quickly, it's best stored at room temperature short-term. If you plan to keep your fudge for longer, the freezer will be your best bet.
What happened to Trader Joe's hot fudge sauce? ›
Trader Joe's Is Discontinuing Its Fudge Sauce And Fans Aren't Pleased. There's always a new and exciting product with flashy packaging sitting on the shelf at your favorite grocery store that's just begging you to take it home and give it a try.
Why is hot fudge so good? ›
In fact, hot fudge sauce is just a fudge that never sets! Cream or milk, sugar, and butter are slowly boiled down until slightly thickened and light caramel-colored. This boiling-down process not only gives the sauce it's great gooey texture, but also contributes that special “fudgey” taste to the chocolate.
Is Smuckers hot fudge good? ›
This mouthwatering hot fudge sauce is fantastic on its own and even better with other Smucker's toppings.
How do you fix grainy hot fudge? ›
The trick to fixing graininess is to melt the sugar crystals to give them another chance at setting properly. Just add a little liquid to make sure the mixture doesn't burn while you try to reset the crystals.
How do you fix soft grainy fudge? ›
OMG My fudge is grainy, what do I do? -
Pop the grainy fudge back into the pan along with some water and a little cream and melt the fudge back down to a liquid and re-boil it to temperature. Heat slowly to begin with and make sure the mixture goes completely smooth before bringing it to the boil.
How do you get rid of grainy texture in sauce? ›
A squirt of lemon comes to the rescue of ruined sauces in a pinch. All you have to do is cool the broken sauce, add a tablespoon of lemon juice (or white wine, if you don't mind the flavor), and whisk vigorously. This trick works best if you haven't already added acid to the sauce.
How do you fix grainy hot chocolate? ›
This may seem counterintuitive, but the way to fix seized chocolate is to add 1 teaspoon of boiling water at a time, then mix vigorously until it becomes smooth once again.
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
To/From Christmas Gift Tags 
