This easy hot fudge sauce requires only 3 ingredients and comes together in about 5 minutes! It was a staple at my house growing up, and we especially loved it during the holiday season over peppermint ice cream. You could also use it as a fondue to dip apple slices, strawberries etc.
Ingredients Needed
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Butter
- Chocolate – because the sweetened condensed milk is already sweet, you’ll want to use a darker chocolate. Semisweet works great, but I prefer dark or even bittersweet, myself. I would avoid milk chocolate. You can use a baking bar, or simply chocolate chips.
How to make Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
Literally just melt all the ingredients together. That’s it! it just takes minutes for the most delicious, smooth, chocolaty sauce.
Storage and Other Tips
- Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. It will thicken into a fudgy consistency that’s delicious eaten cold from the fridge with a spoon (just guess how I know that.) To warm back up, just heat in 20-30 second intervals in the microwave until warm and smooth. You can also place it in a pan on the stovetop again and gently warm that way.
- This is a great recipe to make for holiday gifts. I package in mason jars- just be people know that it hasn’t been pressure canned, so it needs to be refrigerated, and to warm it up to use it.
Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
This quick hot fudge is destined to become your new go-to for topping ice cream! Chocolate, butter, and sweetened condensed milk blend together to make an ideal thick, chocolatey fudge sauce perfect for drizzling on a sundae or dipping your favorite fruit.
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 3 squares of baking chocolate, or about 1/2 C chocolate chips. Avoid milk chocolate as it's too sweet, however both dark and bittersweet are awesome. Semisweet works as well, though I prefer something darker.
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- If you’re using baking squares, chop them up into small pieces so they melt easier. I chop the butter up into small chunks too.
- Combine chocolate, butter, and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan. Place pan over medium heat and melt, stirring continuously, until everything melts together.
- Serve over ice cream, or as fondue with your favorite fruit. This sauce will thicken upon standing, so if you're using it for fondue, you may want to put it in a warmed container.
Notes
- One batch yields 1 3/4 cups (14 fluid ounces) hot fudge.
- If you have leftovers, store 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. If you want to use it as sauce again, simply microwave at 15-30 second intervals, stirring each time, until desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition
Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 62mg, Potassium: 83mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 244IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 150kcal
Cost: 5
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Questions & Reviews
I just made this! It is sooo good im not sure its going to last long enough to put in the fridge! 🙂 you guys are the best ever!! Not sure why I waited so long but now i have a new "secret" to bring to the potlucks! Thanks Ladies!
HELLO AND THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GIVE US SUCH WONDERFULNESS
!!! (MAYBE NOT A WORD BUT YOU GET IT…LOL) I HAVE ALSO TRIED THIS WITH WHITE CHOCO (BROWNIES AND STRAWBERRIES AND ICECREAM)AND BUTTERSCOTCH ICECREAM, THAWED PEACHESWITH VILILLA WAFERS CRUNCHED) CHIPS AND IT IS GREAT….THE BUTTERSCOTCH IS VERY SWEET BUT WITH SOME OF THE LESS SWEET VANILLA ICECREAMS IT IS JUST GREAT.
I just made a bunch of jars of this for giving away and found the cutest jar tags on Lolly Chops blog. The go right on the top and are adorable! Check it out and skip the drive to the store!
I need to stop licking the spoon on this stuff…. I'm gonna barf LOL…. sooooo gooooooood:)You guys are right. Butter is way better. Thanks!!
Joelle- they're fine at room temp for a day or two. If you're going to be storing them longer then just pop in the fridge.
Either works fine!
cool thanks. What about the baking chocolate vs the chips?
Angela- definitely use real butter. In fact, when cooking in general, unless margarine is specifically called for, you'll always get better results with butter. Enjoy!
Also, does it matter if you use margarine or butter in these things? Do you think it tastes richer or different at all with the butter? I don't know what the difference is….
Do you think it makes a difference if you do the baking chocolate vs the chips??? Which one is yummier, or does it come out the same?
I just wanted to let you know, which I am sure you already do, that this sauce makes the BEST milkshakes! I am enjoying one right now. So yummy! You girls are awesome THANKS!
I want to make this (and the buttermilk syrup) for teacher gift's this year for Christmas…
however, I can't exactly package Ice Cream with it! LOL
I Nmight just get gift cards and state that it's for ice cream 🙂
I saw this recipe and immediately thought of another i had seen awhile back, It is called Brigadeiro and you can make it almost the same way, The recipe calls for unsweetened chocolate powder and a full can of condensed sweetened milk as well as more butter, If you refrigerate it for an hour or so then form it into balls and coat it with chocolate crumbs or I always pour it over some cake instead of using a frosting.
I just heated up a couple of teaspoons of this suace and dipped my fresh strawberries in, YUMMY! thanks for the recipe.
I just made a quadruple batch of this for gifts. Let's just say I'm going to have a hard time giving it away! It's so yummy. And so easy! Thanks for the recipe!
Trimble -Thank you! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for 😉 I'm now staring at 16 cute little jars full of hot fudge sauce! I just put all the ingredients in a glass bowl and popped it in the microwave and hit the soften/melt button and it worked like a charm. Tomorrow I'm going to hit Michael's to see if I can find some cute tags or stickers for the jars. Thanks for a great recipe!
No problem at all Sara, it was my fault for putting this off until the last minute and needing the answer too quickly. BTW- have you tried this with peanut butter chips? My son is allergic but I'm certainly not! 🙂
Trimble- you beat me to it! I'm glad you got everything figured out, sorry I wasn't able to get on here and answer your question sooner!
In answer to my own question and in case anyone else is wondering (or trying to work on a small budget, as I am), you can get the short jars (8 oz) in a pack of four at Wal-Mart for $3.79. Also, the recipe fills two of these jars. And in case you're wondering, you can get about 2 cups out of a regular size bag of chocolate chips. I had to purchase everything (except the butter) at regular price because I didn't plan ahead and the total cost per filled 8 oz jar was still only $2.01! Thanks ladies for helping me give presents to my husband's office friends without breaking the piggy bank!
Were you able to find the short mason jars at Walmart also? If so how much were they? I'd also like to know how many jars you can fill with one batch – thank you!
Any idea how many jars one recipe will make (the shortest ones)? Thank you!
I made a triple batch of this indescribable fudge today. I chose to melt the ingredients on the stove but the recipe is so easy and quick. I have already put them in the little mason jars for Christmas gifts. For now I will leave the jars in the refrigerator and when it's time to deliver these beautiful gifts I will put them in my little cooler and deliver them personally.
One last comment;if you shop at Walmart you can make this so cheap. I used the El Mexicano brand sweeten milk and it's texture and taste was better than the more expensive brand.
If I wasn't a diabetic I would just leave the spoon in the jar like Sara indicates she does!
I will NEVER buy store bought chocolate fudge again because this tastes better than anything I have ever tasted.
I'm sorry, I keep forgetting to answer that question! I'll go add it to the post for future reference. Immediate refrigeration isn't needed for the fudge sauce or the caramel sauce. If they are going to be stored overnight or for extended periods of time, then pop them in the fridge, but they will be fine at room temp for most of a day. After being refrigerated this sauce will be thick and fudge like (try it with a spoon!) so just remove the metal ring from the jar and reheat in the microwave until soft again.
I have the same question as a few others… If I give this away in jars, how should they store it? Would it work to store in the fridge and they can reheat in the microwave? Or keep at room temp? Same for the caramel sauce?
Okay I notice everyone is asking for the recipe for the caramel sauce. I however would like the recipe for Puffed French Toast.
Is West Jordan, Utah close to where you are? 🙂
Mmmmm mmmmmm – that's some good stuff!
Sounds delicious! I am in the process of making it right now! Could you please give us instructions on refrigeration, shelf life, etc? Thanks!!
Does baking chocolate include the unsweetened kind?
P.S. We love your site!
Lisa
Just found your blog today…love it! Staying!
Do you have to heat and seal the jars like in a traditional canning method? How long will they stay shelf stable? Refrigerate? Thanks so much for all the great recipes and tips! Jeanette