This irresistible hot fudge recipe delivers pure chocolate bliss in just 15 minutes. Silky-smooth, rich, and perfectly thick, this homemade sauce transforms ordinary desserts into extraordinary treats.
Whether you’re drizzling it over ice cream or using it as a decadent dip, this 5-minute prep recipe promises restaurant-quality results. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you’ll never reach for store-bought fudge sauce again.
Ingredients Section
- Semi-sweet chocolate: 10 ounces, premium quality, finely chopped for smooth melting
- Cocoa powder: 1/3 cup unsweetened, sifted to prevent lumps
- Sugar: 1/2 cup granulated, ensures perfect sweetness
- Corn syrup: 3/4 cup light, creates silky texture
- Heavy cream: 1/3 cup, brings richness to the sauce
- Salt: 1/8 teaspoon, enhances chocolate flavor
- Water: 1/3 cup, helps achieve desired consistency
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon, adds delightful aroma
- Butter: 3 tablespoons, creates glossy finish
Instructions Section
- Chocolate preparation: Melt chocolate in microwave at half power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth
- Cocoa mixing: Blend sifted cocoa powder into melted chocolate until well combined
- Syrup creation: Combine sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt, and water in saucepan over medium heat
- Heating process: Stir constantly while bringing to simmer, continue for 4 minutes
- Final touches: Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter, then stir in chocolate mixture until silky smooth
- Serving: Pour warm sauce over your favorite ice cream and enjoy!
Storage Tips
This hot fudge sauce stays fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready for another ice cream sundae, just warm it up! Pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and give it a good stir, or heat it gently on the stovetop.
The sauce might get a bit thick after cooling – that’s totally normal! Just add a tiny splash of warm cream or milk while reheating if you want to thin it out.
Serving Suggestions
While this rich chocolate sauce is amazing on plain vanilla ice cream, you can make your desserts extra special! Try it drizzled over brownies à la mode, swirled into milkshakes, or spooned over banana splits.
For a cozy winter treat, stir a spoonful into hot milk for quick hot chocolate. Kids love dipping fresh strawberries or marshmallows in slightly cooled fudge sauce too!
Quick Tips for Perfect Results
Take your time when melting the chocolate – slow and steady wins the race! Using 30-second intervals helps prevent burning.
When mixing in the cocoa powder, don’t worry if it looks super thick at first – this is exactly what you want! For the smoothest sauce, make sure to sift that cocoa powder and keep stirring as you combine everything. Your sauce might look a little thin while hot, but it’ll thicken up nicely as it cools down a bit.
Simple Substitutions
Out of light corn syrup? You can use dark corn syrup instead – it’ll just give your sauce a slightly deeper flavor. Feel free to swap the semi-sweet chocolate with dark chocolate if you like a less sweet sauce, or try milk chocolate for a sweeter touch.
If you’re out of heavy cream, half-and-half can work in a pinch, though your sauce might be a tiny bit thinner.
Hot Fudge
Equipment
- Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 10 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder measured, then sifted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons butter chopped
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl (or double boiler on the stove, stirring constantly) melt the chocolate on half power, in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Remove from microwave and stir in the sifted cocoa powder until smooth. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and water. Stir constantly and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Serve warm, over ice cream.
