This easy hot fudge sauce is thick, rich, and exploding with chocolate flavor. The simple ingredients come together in just ten minutes, and in the end, you have the best hot fudge you will ever taste!
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If you are an ice cream eater then chances are you have enjoyed a bowl of ice cream topped with some decadent hot fudge. But you may not know just how easy it is to make or how much better it is when you make it yourself.
This hot fudge recipe is so simple! And the quality ingredients make it really delicious! I recently gifted jars of hot fudge to some friends and family, and later my neighbor sent me a text. She said that she has never been a fan of hot fudge, but she and her husband were eating ice cream and he poured this hot fudge on his. She tried a bite of his ice cream and thought it was so amazing that she stole his bowl!
You are going to love this! And if you want your friends to be blown away with your cooking abilities, you might just give them a jar too. They don't have to know how easy it was.
What Ingredients Make This Recipe Great
This recipe has seven ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry. Let's take a look at why these ingredients make the best hot fudge sauce.
- Heavy cream - It does not matter for this recipe whether you use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. They are virtually the same, though the latter has a higher fat content. Heavy cream is what makes this fudge sauce thick and creamy.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate - Select high-quality baking chocolate for best results. I like Baker's or Ghiradelli. The cocoa butter that is found in chocolate bars helps to contribute to the creaminess of the fudge.
- Cocoa Powder - I prefer to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This type of cocoa powder uses alkaline to wash the cocoa, resulting in a mellow chocolate flavor that melts really easily. This post by Sally's Baking Addiction does a great job of explaining the difference between Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder. If you do not have Dutch-processed cocoa then you can substitute natural cocoa powder.
- Sugars - Here is where the magic happens! Granulated sugar gives the hot fudge wonderful sweetness without too much moisture. By adding some brown sugar as well, we also get delicious caramel undertones.
- Butter - We use butter to add the fat content that we need for rich hot fudge. It adds much more creaminess than we would get from using oil.
- Vanilla Extract - Vanilla adds a little boost of flavor that rounds out the sauce. If you wish, you can substitute 2 tablespoons of whiskey or rum.
Decadent Sauce in Four Simple Steps
- Whisk together the sugars and the cocoa powder. This is an important step that helps the cocoa powder dissolve into the fudge, instead of forming cocoa clumps.
2. Add in the heavy cream and baking chocolate and cook over medium heat. Treat this process gently and allow it to rise in temperature slowly. Once it starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and set your time for 3 minutes. Stir frequently. The chocolate will melt and the sauce will thicken.
3. Add the butter chunks and stir until it melts, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes, then transfer to your favorite storage container and refrigerate.
Can you believe how simple that was? Now the only thing left to decide is how will you use your hot fudge. If you are like me, you may just have to make a second batch because I want this sauce on everything!
Ideas for Using Hot Fudge
- Mississippi Mud Pie
- Swirled into ice cream, like Tin Roof Ice Cream
- As a topping with whipped cream
Frequently Asked Questions
If the baking chocolate gets overcooked then it will turn grainy. This recipe uses both baking chocolate and cocoa powder to help prevent this from happening, but if you let the chocolate boil for a while then you could still end up with grainy sauce. Next time, turn the heat down to low as soon as the mixture starts to bubble.
Chocolate sauce usually has water, which results in a thinner sauce. Corn syrup is often used as the sweetener. Hot fudge is thicker due to the use of cream and butter, and is usually sweetened with sugar.
Hot fudge can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and is good for 30 days. I store mine in a glass jar. If you don't have a mason jar, an empty jelly jar works great!
Spoon your desired amount into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 15 seconds. Stir, and heat again for another 15 seconds. Depending on the amount of sauce you are reheating, you may have to add additional intervals, heating until it is warm.
Easy Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, broken into squares
- ½ cup salted butter, sliced into chunks
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder together.
- Add heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate and heat over medium heat, stirring continuously until the chocolate has melted and the mixture just begins to bubble (but before it turns to a full boil). Reduce to low heat and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add butter and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Set aside to cool, then transfer to a mason jar or airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.
- To Serve: Portion the desired amount into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 15-second increments stirring after each time, until the sauce is warm.
This is so, so good! I made it to do the swirl part of your Tin Roof ice cream recipe and I highly recommend both recipes! I confess, I had a few spoonfuls of this sauce while waiting on the ice cream to freeze.
I can totally relate to sneaking some fudge straight from the spoon!