Hot Fudge - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Homemade hot fudge is silky smooth and full of intense chocolate flavor without being too sweet. It is made up of 3 simple ingredients and ready in just 10 minutes. This is the perfect topping for hot fudge sundaes, fruit, and your favorite desserts!

Is there really anything better than chocolate? Honestly, I can’t think of anything! And this hot fudge is so good I could eat it by the spoonful! It’s just a little too easy to eat, so make sure you have plenty of friends to share it with. If you are in the mood for all things chocolate, you should try this creamy Chocolate Lasagna, these cute and easy Homemade Reese’s Eggs, and this irresistible Mississippi Mud Cake.

Hot Fudge - The Recipe Critic (1)

Hot Fudge Recipe

This hot fudge recipe is a classic that everyone in the family will love. My favorite part about it is there is absolutely no corn syrup! This fudge sauce is perfectly creamy with just three simple ingredients. Get ready for the most decadent hot fudge sundae you’ve ever had because this is the best hot fudge sauce out there. It is so much better than store-bought, you will never pick up a jar at the store again.

For the perfect hot fudge sundae, try this homemade caramel sauce too. If you want to have tons of fun with a kid friendly ice cream recipe, you should try this snow ice cream recipe! It was a total blast to make with my kids. If you live in a warmer climate where you won’t have any snow, then try this ice cream in a bag. Another way we love eating this hot fudge is drizzled on top of these turtle brownies or with these cherry cheesecake brownies.

Ingredients

There isn’t much to this homemade hot fudge sauce, and yet it will be the best hot fudge you’ve ever had! It is so easy to make, and only has three ingredients. You could add other things like vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and salt if you wanted to, but those are not necessary. I think this recipe is perfect just the way it is! You can find the full measurements below in the recipe card.

  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate: You want to use a high quality chocolate, choose your favorite! I used Dove chocolate here. I like the dark chocolate Dove candies because they have a great rich flavor. You could use chocolate chips or bar chocolate too!
  • Butter: I use unsalted butter and it doesn’t matter if it is room temperature or right out of the refrigerator.
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is the real magic. It makes the fudge the perfect consistency and so creamy and rich.
Hot Fudge - The Recipe Critic (2)

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe

This recipe is so easy! I know some people who will make their hot fudge in the microwave, which I suppose you could do here too. You probably won’t get as thick of a mixture as you will over the stove, but it could be a quick option. I prefer to do it the old-fashioned way over the stove because it always turns out exactly the way I want it! Just make sure not to boil this mixture, it does not need to get that hot.

  1. Melt: In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and the butter together over low heat.
  2. Cook: Add the sweetened condensed milk and cook over low heat until thickened.
  3. Cool: Remove from heat and let cool. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in 15 second intervals, stirring between.
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Tips for Making Hot Fudge

There are a lot of hot fudge recipes out there, but this is by far the best one I’ve ever had. That doesn’t mean you can’t make it your own! Here are a few tips on how to make this hot fudge recipe.

  • Choosing Your Chocolate: Using high-quality chocolate will make a huge difference in the flavor of the hot fudge. You can use whatever your favorite chocolate is, just make sure you love the taste of the chocolate on its own.
  • Types of Chocolate: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate is best for this recipe. I think that using milk chocolate makes the fudge sauce too sweet. You can choose to use semi-sweet chocolate chips or a candy like Dove. I have also used bittersweet chocolate and thought it was incredible, you really can’t go wrong with this one!
  • What to Eat It With: Obviously, this hot fudge is incredible with ice cream! I have also dipped cheesecake stuffed strawberries in it and it was incredible. It acts like a fondue! You can keep it in a fondue pot to keep it from getting too cold and dip anything you like in it. It’s also amazing over fluffy pancakes or perfect waffles.
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Storing Leftovers

This hot fudge is so awesome to have in the refrigerator. I love being able to pull it out whenever I need it! Here is how to store leftovers.

  • In the Refrigerator: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
  • Reheating: Reheat gently to avoid burning the sauce. You can reheat it in the microwave 15 seconds at a time and stir in between.

Other Chocolate Treats to Try

If you are a chocolate lover, these recipes are for you! There is never a bad time to whip up a chocolate treat and these are some of my favorites. The best part is they are all really easy and something the whole family will love!

Desserts

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake

1 hr 25 mins

Desserts

Better than ANYTHING Cake

45 mins

Desserts

Chocolate Pie

6 hrs 15 mins

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Hot Fudge Sauce

By: Alyssa Rivers

Homemade hot fudge is silky smooth and full of intense chocolate flavor without being too sweet. It is made up of 3 simple ingredients and ready in just 10 minutes. This is the perfect topping for hot fudge sundaes, fruit, and your favorite desserts!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and the butter together over low heat.

  • Add the sweetened condensed milk and cook over low heat until thickened.

  • Remove from heat and let cool. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in 15 second intervals, stirring between.

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 2mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 0.004mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Hot Fudge - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Is Sanders no longer making hot fudge? ›

Sanders resumes production of its beloved dessert toppings after nearly year-long pause. Sanders will once again produce its famous dessert toppings after taking a pause last year because of manufacturing challenges.

Why does hot fudge taste so good? ›

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.

What is the world's best fudge? ›

Mackinac Island Fudge – The Best Fudge on Earth
  • Original Murdick's Fudge.
  • Joann's Fudge.
  • Ryba's Fudge Shops.

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.

Why is Sanders hot fudge hard to find? ›

The famous and much-loved toppings have been scarce and hard to come by since last fall because of a production pause. Shipments to grocery stores and retail outlets also ceased during that time.

Who bought Sanders hot fudge? ›

In 2018, Sanders® became a division of Kar's Nuts, a leading manufacturer of nut and trail mix snacks with its own rich Detroit history dating back to 1933. Sanders® products are currently sold in leading retailers nationally and online at sanderscandy.com.

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 happened to Trader Joe's hot fudge sauce? ›

Trader Joe's Is Discontinuing Its Fudge Sauce And Fans Aren't Pleased. There's always a new and exciting product with flashy packaging sitting on the shelf at your favorite grocery store that's just begging you to take it home and give it a try.

Why is my hot fudge sauce grainy? ›

Graining can be caused by stirring the fudge mixture during the cooling process or not adding enough fluid to dissolve the sugar. The trick to fixing graininess is to melt the sugar crystals to give them another chance at setting properly.

What makes Mackinac Island fudge different? ›

To obtain the world famous taste, the fudge is slowly cooked in traditional copper kettles over a gas flame. Once the desired temperature is reached, the mixture is poured onto marble slabs for a cooling period and then hand-paddled into loaves.

What city is known for fudge? ›

As Mackinac Island evolved from a center of fur trade into a summer resort destination, Victorian-era vacationers began to identify the island with sweets. At first, the most common candy was maple sugar harvested by Native Americans.

What state is famous for fudge? ›

But there's one kitchen that knows a recipe for keeping warm. Original Murdick's Fudge has been in operation since 1887, when it first opened its doors on Michigan's Mackinac Island. "Fudge is Mackinac Island, synonymous with Mackinac Island," said owner Bob Benser.

Why does 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.

Do you warm up hot fudge? ›

Rather than microwaving the fudge, try a hot water bath on the stove. Yeah, it's slower, but you also won't burn the bejeezus out of the sugar at the edges. Taste occasionally while stirring until you get that pleasingly warm mouthfeel. Stirring frequently* will help distribute the heat.

Is hot fudge shelf stable? ›

Unopened store-bought hot fudge topping can last up to one year past the 'best by' date on the packaging if properly stored. Once opened, you should aim to consume it within a month, although it can last up to three months in the refrigerator.

What happened to Sanders candy Company? ›

In 2021, Kar's and Sanders were united under the corporate name Second Nature Brands, acquired in 2022 by UK-based private equity company CapVest Limited.

Who makes Sanders chocolate? ›

About Sanders:

Sanders is a classic national brand featuring premium chocolates, dessert toppings and baked goods using original recipes dating as far back as 1875. Started by Fred Sanders in Detroit, Michigan, the brand is now owned by Morley Candy Makers, Inc., with its own rich history dating back to 1919.

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