Hot Fudge Sauce {Chocolate Fudge Sauce}

Quick and easy hot fudge sauce recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in 10 minutes. Rich, smooth, creamy, glossy, full of chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter.

This is the creamiest, and most delicious sauce ever. It is so quick and easy to whip up and makes the most decadent addition to our family sundae bar. I love to watch my family take out a big spoonful of this thick, smooth chocolate and patiently wait to see the thick fudge slowly become a drizzle on top of their ice cream creations with eyes wide, and mouth watering at the sight. I love when moments feel magical, and this homemade sauce really does add that. This Easy Chocolate Gravy, Easy Chocolate Ganache {2 Ingredients}, and Nutella Syrup {2 Ingredients} all have a thinner consistency and make for excellent drizzles on top of desserts as well.

How to make easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe from scratch?

1. Cook and stir ingredients- Including sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips.
2. Remove from heat- Add butter, warm heavy cream, vanilla extract.
3. Mix- Until fully melted.
4. Serve hot- With pancakes, waffles, crepes e.t.c. Enjoy.

Key ingredients

• Sweetened condensed milk- Must be full fat.
• Chocolate chips- Semisweet is best.
• Butter- For a rich flavor. Unsalted is best.
• Vanilla- For flavor. 

What is the difference between hot fudge sauce and chocolate sauce?

Chocolate sauce has a much thinner consistency. Hot fudge is quite similar in texture to ganache, however the flavor profile is slightly different in that this has a buttery, rich, sweet milky flavor.

What to serve with hot fudge topping?

• Waffles- Such as Chocolate Waffles {Cake Mix Waffles}, Lemon Blueberry Waffles {Fresh or Frozen Berries), or Easy Waffle Cake
• Pancakes- Like these Fluffy Chocolate Pancakes {With Fudge Sauce}, Pumpkin Pancakes, Chocolate Chip Pancakes {With Chocolate Syrup}, or Fluffy Cinnamon Pancakes.
• Cake- Such as Mexican Chocolate Cake {With Cake Mix}, Chocolate Pound Cake {With Cake Mix}, Homemade Funnel Cake, or Marble Cake Recipe {From Scratch}.
• Ice cream- Like this Snow Ice Cream Recipe, Healthy Chocolate Banana Ice Cream, or atop this Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich.
• Brownies- Such as Gooey Brownies {Chocolate Cherry Brownies}, Caramel Brownies (With Brownie Mix), or Cheesecake Brownies {Cream Cheese Brownies}.
• Pie- Like this Easy Chocolate Cream Pie {No Bake}, Banana Cream Pie {No Bake}, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie {No Bake}, or this No Bake Oreo Pie.
• Bars- Such as Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars {4 Layers}, Chocolate Coconut Bars {Macaroon Bars}, or Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars Recipe.

Variations for chocolate fudge sauce with condensed milk

Add other extracts- Such as almond, bourbon, maple, mint, or caramel.

Add spices- Such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger.

Use dark chocolate or milk chocolate- The sweetness level will be different of course, but either will work.

Add some espresso powder- Because this will enhance the chocolate flavor. This is not the same as ground coffee. Espresso powder will dissolve into the sauce, whereas ground coffee would remain and just leave coffee grounds in your sauce. Yuck!

Add flavored creamers- Instead of heavy cream. Hazelnut and caramel ones are delicious. Seasonal creamers are also fun around the holidays.  

Make it spicy- Add cayenne for a spicy Mexican chocolate flair.

Add peanut butter- Melt in a swirl of peanut butter for a "Reese's" version.

Top with a dash of salt- To make a salted chocolate version.

Tips and techniques

Use high quality chocolate chips- Because they provide the best flavor and smooth texture.

How to thin sauce? How to make sauce thicker? To thin the sauce, simply add more heavy cream. To thicken the sauce, add more chocolate chips.

Use unsalted butter- To prevent the sauce from becoming too salty.

Cannot replace condensed milk with evaporated milk- One is sweetened and one is not, so they will produce very different outcomes.

When reheating, be careful- Don’t overheat and burn the sauce. Heat it at 30 second increments and mix each time. If it’s become too thick, thin it with some creamer or heavy cream. 

Why is my sauce grainy? This means that the sauce is over-cooked and possibly burnt. Unfortunately, you will need to start over.

Use a nonstick pan- Because this prevents the sauce from sticking to the bottom and burning.

Stir constantly- Because this prevents the chocolate from burning on the bottom of the pot, and allows all of the ingredients to come together in a smooth consistency.

Remove from heat before adding remaining ingredients- This allows for the best, smooth texture to develop and maintains the integrity of the vanilla extracts providing more flavor.

Storage 

Refrigerate- In a sealed glass jar for up to 5 days.

Freeze- In a freezer safe jar for up to 1 month.

Reheat- Thaw in the fridge or at room temperate, and then reheat in the microwave.

More homemade dessert toppings

• How To Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
• Chocolate Whipped Cream {3 Ingredients}
• How to Make Homemade Stabilized Whipped Cream
• How to Make Strawberry Pie Filling
• How To Make Lemon Curd {4 Ingredients}

Recipe