Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (2024)

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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 Recipe - Creations by Kara (1)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. 😉

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (2)

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 Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (3)

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.

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (4)

Free Printable Hot Fudge Christmas Gift Tags

Here’s a sample of what they look like: Hot Fudge Labels Merry Christmas Tags Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (6)To/From Christmas Gift Tags

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (8)

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

Yield: 2 cups

Hot Fudge Sauce

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (9)

This silky smooth Hot Fudge Sauce is made with basic ingredients you have in your pantry.

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

  1. 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.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Stir till butter melts. Cool slightly before pouring into glass jars.
  3. 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:

16

Serving 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.

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by Kara (2024)

FAQs

Why is my homemade hot fudge sauce grainy? ›

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.

What is fudge sauce made of? ›

Heat Ingredients: Combine sugar, light corn syrup, heavy cream, salt and water to a saucepan and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring well. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Add Chocolate Mixture: Pour the chocolate mixture into the syrup and stir until smooth.

How long does homemade hot fudge last? ›

Hot Fudge Recipe

Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before using (it will thicken as it cools). Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until it's pourable but still thick.

What is the secret to non grainy fudge? ›

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.

What makes hot fudge taste different? ›

In the simplest terms, it all comes down to viscosity — hot fudge is thicker than both chocolate sauce and chocolate syrup, with a richer, more decadent chocolate flavor.

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.

How do you thicken hot fudge? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

Should fudge sauce be refrigerated? ›

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.

What is in Mackinac Island fudge? ›

Ingredients. Milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, skim milk, high fructose corn syrup, whey, water, chocolate liquor, hydrogenated coconut oil, peanut oil, alkalized cocoa, mono and diglycerides, buttermilk, butter, natural flavors, soy lecithin, pectin, salt, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, annatto (color), vanilla.

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.

Can you reheat hot fudge sauce? ›

You can chill it and reheat it as many times as you want and it will still not split on you and remain the shiny glossy fudge sauce. Take out a little, microwave it slightly to get it to a slightly pouring consistency and then directly put in on your ice-cream!

What happens if you boil fudge too long? ›

Candy that isn't cooked long enough will end up too soft; overcooking makes fudge crumbly or hard. High-quality fudge has many small crystals. If the process of crystallization begins too early, fewer crystals form and they become much larger.

Is there a way to fix grainy fudge? ›

If you discover that your mixture is grainy, some quick thinking will save the entire batch. Pour the fudge back into your pan, and add about a cup of water to it, along with a tablespoon or two of evaporated milk, whipping cream, or whatever cream you're using.

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.

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