Get ready to wow everyone with the best hot fudge sauce ever. Seriously.
This rich, deeply flavorful sauce was my go-to recipe at the fine dining restaurants where I worked. It may not be the fastest or simplest, but its depth of flavor and perfect texture make it well worth your time to make. It turns chewy in the fridge and melts into pourable perfection when warmed.
If you’re looking for another fudge sauce option, check out my quick fudge sauce—but trust me, taking the time to make this one as written will give you the ultimate hot fudge experience. For more sweet inspiration, explore all my dessert sauces. Now let’s get to it.
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The Best Hot Fudge Sauce, At a Glance
✔️Skill Level: Beginner
✔️Skills: Stirring, Simmering
✔️Type: Dessert Sauce
✔️Number of Ingredients: 11
✔️Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
✔️Cook Time: 25 minutes
✔️Yield: 32-36 cookies
Related Recipes: Quick Hot Fudge Sauce, Chocolate Syrup, Chocolate Ganache
Jump Straight to the Recipe
This is a superb hot fudge sauce recipe! I have made it twice now. I found I did not need to strain the sauce as it is pretty smooth as is. It is a very easy recipe to follow with big flavour!
Reader C. Teshima
What Makes This Hot Fudge the Best?
This ice cream sauce is not the best because it has the fewest ingredients. No, that prize goes to good old ganache which makes a fine ice cream topping, clocking in at 2 or maybe 3 ingredients.
But if you want classic fudge sauce, this recipe is the answer.
Here are the things that make this fudge sauce the best:
- Thick and chewy when cold
- Melts beautifully when warmed
- Deep, rich flavor that complements any ice cream, from vanilla to coffee
- Balanced with just the right amount of salt to enhance every bite
- Customizable flavors to suit your preferences
Once you try it, you’ll keep coming back. It’s that good. It is truly an old-fashioned fudge sauce with you’re going to want to make again and again.
When you do make this recipe, it will help me and other readers if you:
✅Rate the recipes using the stars in the recipe card
✅Leave a review when prompted in the recipe card
✅Leave a comment on the post
Thank you! ❤️
Divine!!! Is the word that best describes this Hot fudge sauce.
Laura Schrock from Food In The Myakka Kitchen
I was looking for a recipe for one this morning and stumbled upon this on on my Pinterest account and my word I will not be looking for another any time soon.
If you’re already confident in making fudge sauce, please feel free to head straight to the recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
NOTE: If you don’t need all the step-by-step instructions, feel free to jump straight to the recipe.
The ingredient list is actually relatively long, but the process is pretty straightforward. Here’s what you’ll need:
- butter: Adds richness and body. Use unsalted if possible; if using salted, reduce added salt by a smidge.
- sugar: Sweetens and gives the sauce its classic chewy texture. Substitute light brown sugar 1:1 if desired.
- corn syrup: Prevents crystallization and enhances chewiness. Light or dark both work. If you do not want to use corn syrup, a light-flavored honey would make an excellent substitute.
- heavy cream: Adds body, volume, and richness. Dairy solids brown during cooking, deepening the flavor.
- salt: Enhances flavors and balances bitterness from cocoa powder.
- milk: Increases volume with minimal fat and adds dairy solids for flavor.
- cocoa powder: This provides the bulk of the chocolate flavor. Use quality cocoa (Hershey’s or Ghirardelli). Save your cacao powder for raw applications. Either Dutch process or American cocoa will work just fine.
- water (or coffee): Helps form a cocoa paste to mix into the sauce. Coffee subtly deepens chocolate flavor.
- light rum: Enhances flavor without overpowering. Substitute with your favorite liquor, liqueur, or coffee if avoiding alcohol.
- vanilla: Rounds out the chocolate flavor. Any vanilla works well here.
- semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate: Adds extra chocolate flavor and cocoa butter for body.
How to Make Hot Fudge
This sauce comes together in two main steps:
- Chocolate and flavorings: Place chocolate, cocoa powder, rum (optional), vanilla, and water in a large bowl.
- Dairy and sugar:
Boil heavy cream, milk, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to concentrate flavors and reduce liquid. Aim for 224-225°F for the perfect consistency—runny when warm, thick and chewy when cold.
Jenni Says: Keep the mixture at a “lazy boil.” If it boils up or boils aggressively, moderate the heat a bit. I generally bring it to a boil over high heat and then reduce to medium or even medium low to keep that lazy boil going.
Pour the hot dairy mixture over the chocolate and whisk until smooth. For an extra-smooth sauce, strain through a fine-mesh strainer. It’s optional, but worth it!
Jenni Says: For the smoothest texture, strain through a fine-mesh strainer. This is an optional step, but since it doesn’t take much time, I usually strain mine.
This sauce really is the best! The first time I made it exactly as written and it was so good it only lasted a couple days.
Reader Carolyn
Jenni Says: If you are not averse to having alcohol but don’t happen to have any on hand, use vanilla extract in place of the rum. I’ve done that before, and it’s delicious! If you want to make your sauce alcohol-free, substitute coffee for the rum.
NOTE: Since this hot fudge is dairy-based, it is not recommended to can this.
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If you want a non-dairy chocolate syrup that you CAN can, check out my chocolate syrup recipe.
Hot Fudge Sauce Q & A
Once fully cooled, store the sauce in a tightly sealed jar or container in the fridge. It’ll keep for several weeks, but let’s be real—you’ll finish it long before it goes bad! If it looks or smells off, toss it.
Since you add the boiled mixture to the alcohol mixture off the heat, none of the alcohol boils away. And even if you do boil it, while most will boil off, not all will. If for any reason you cannot have alcohol, you can substitute 2 Tablespoons of very strong coffee.
If you follow my advice to cook to no more that 225F, you shouldn’t have any issues. The fudge sauce will get chewy but not hard on ice cream. If you overcook and it does get too hard on ice cream, reheat the batch with a bit more cream or milk to loosen it up a bit.
When you pour your fudge sauce on your ice cream and it seems too thin, all running off and into the bottom of your bowl, scrape the rest of the sauce back into a pan, bring it to a boil, and let it boil for a couple of minutes to thicken it up. If using a thermometer, bring the sauce to about 225F.
It is not recommended to can dairy-based sauces. My advice would be to use a recipe specifically formulated for safe canning.
Graininess can occur if the dairy mixture is overcooked, leading to sugar crystallization. To fix this, add about 1/4 cup of milk or cream, heat until it just reaches a boil, then let it cool.
Caramelizing the dairy is technically an optional step. Your sauce will have more depth if you do caramelize the dairy first, so for more information, please read the next section.
Do I have to caramelize the dairy mixture?
While it’s optional, Tangela shares this comment:
Thank you so much for this recipe–I made a batch and LOVE it!
Reader Tangela
I **think** that I undercooked the dairy mixture–I was afraid of scorching it–I will bravely let it go another few shades darker next time in order to get the “chewy” factor.
I also made bomb hot chocolate using it!
Caramelizing the sugar/dairy does a couple of things:
- It evaporates out some of the water, concentrating the flavor and allowing for a thicker sauce and that old-fashioned chewy texture that is so incredibly addictive.
- The caramelized sugar and milk solids lend a deep, complex base flavor that you would not get if you don’t take this step.
If you want to use your instant-read thermometer to check doneness rather than just going by color, shoot for 224F/107C.
Here’s another comment in support of taking the time to caramelize the dairy in your hot fudge sauce so it really will be the best:
Gave this a try. followed directions. no alcohol.
Pinner Julie
I was nervous about the boil wait. But– Do THIS PART!!!
I couldn’t believe how creamy, rich and chewy-thick . Heated up serving 30 seconds in microwave from fridge–PERFECTION!!!
I WILL ONLY MAKE this very recipe!!! Thank You!!!
The Key to Perfect Hot Fudge Thickness: Temperature Matters
The hotter you cook your sauce, the thicker it will be upon cooling.
I generally go with the color of the dairy rather than whipping out my instant-read. Take the dairy to a light beige color, and it will still be fairly liquid (although thick) upon cooling. Take it to medium beige, and your fudge sauce will be more solid once chilled.
If you prefer to rely on temperature, which will yield a more consistent result, the magic temperature for cooking the dairy portion is 224-225F/106.7-107.2C.
Unless you plan on eating it straight from the jar with a spoon, always reheat the sauce before serving.
You can do this by immersing your container in a pan of hot water or in the microwave on medium power.
Jenni Says: When not using a thermometer, the color of the dairy matters:
Light Beige: pourable at room temperature and not quite so thick
Dark Beige: thicker at room temperature and chewy when cold
Other Delicious Dessert Sauces
Elevate all your desserts with one of these other dessert sauces:
- Strawberry Coulis: A vibrant, beautiful berry sauce perfect for drizzling over cakes or ice cream.
- Caramel Syrup for Coffee: Enhance your morning coffee with this rich, homemade caramel syrup.
- Spiced Pumpkin Caramel Sauce: A seasonal favorite that pairs well with a variety of desserts from cheesecake to ice cream
- White Chocolate Sauce: Smooth, creamy, and made with real cocoa butter, this sauce is ideal for adding a touch of sweetness to your treats.
- Real Butterscotch Ice Cream Sauce: A classic butterscotch sauce with deep, browned butter and caramelize sugar flavor
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask question in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
A Note About Measurements
NOTE: Most of my recipes are written by weight and not volume, even the liquids. Even though I try to provide you with volume measurements as well, I encourage you to buy a kitchen scale for ease of measuring, accuracy, and consistency.
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
Do You Love This Hot Fudge? Please Rate and Leave a Review. Thank You!
It will help me and other readers so much if you take a moment to rate and leave a review for this recipe.
You can use the stars to rate 1-5 (5 is best), and leave a review in the comments. It helps me make adjustments if any are needed, and comments help others decide whether the recipe is worth making.
Other ways to share include pinning, and/or sharing on your favorite social media platform.
Thank you so much for taking the time!
The Best Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter (1 stick or 112 grams)
- 8 oz granulated sugar (1 slightly generous cup or 224 grams)
- 11.75 oz by WEIGHT light or dark corn syrup, (1 cup or 329 grams)
- 16 oz heavy cream (1 pint, 2 cups or 448 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5.3 oz whole milk (about 2/3 cup or 149 grams)
- .67 oz cocoa powder (1/4 cup or 19 grams)
- 1.3 oz water (2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water or 36 grams)
- 1 oz light rum (2 Tablespoons or 28 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 8 oz excellent quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or good quality chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60%, 1 1/2 cups or 224 grams)
Instructions
Start the Dairy Base
- Place the butter, sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, salt and milk in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
Make the Chocolate Mixture
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, water, rum (or your preferred substitute), and vanilla into a thin paste.
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces (or use excellent quality chocolate chips or paillettes) and add to the bowl.
Caramelizing the Dairy (Optional but not really)
- When the dairy comes to a boil, regulate the heat to medium so it maintains a slow boil but doesn't boil up in the pan. Your sauce will be bubbling all over the surface but not frantically so. More of a lazy boil that doesn't boil up.
- Stir the dairy frequently–at least every 2-3 minutes–and boil until it reaches a light caramel color, about 20-30 minutes (about 15 minutes if making a half batch). You don't necessarily want the mixture to be super thick, but you do want it a few shades darker than when you started. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the ideal temperature to shoot for is 224F.
- Once the dairy is a lovely shade of deep beige, pour it into the bowl with the chopped chocolate and cocoa paste. Do this carefully holding the pot away from you a bit since the mixture is so hot. Allow it to sit for a minute or two and then whisk until smooth.
- Optional: Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer to make sure it is completely smooth.
- Allow the sauce to cool, and then store in jars in the fridge.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Fudge Sauce Variations
This sauce can be flavored in many ways. Here are some ideas to try:-
- Add a bit of orange zest and/or cinnamon to the boil
-
- Switch out the rum for orange liqueur.
-
- Use your favorite alcohol–a liquor or liqueur.
-
- Add some peppermint extract.
-
- Whisk in powdered freeze-dried raspberries or other freeze-dried fruits.
-
- Add some heat in the form of chipotle pepper or smoked hot paprika
Storing
Keep sauce tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It will probably be good for longer than that, but use your best judgment. You can freeze the sauce for longer storage. This sauce is not suitable for canning unless you are well-versed in canning dairy products.Nutrition
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Enjoy the best hot fudge sauce. Every single bite of it.
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This recipe is awesome!! truly never had anything fudge that tasted this smooth! A+, well done! thank you for the recipe.
The only change I made was replacing the corn syrup with organic brown rice syrup. (corn allergy)
This recipe is THE replacement to my previous fudge sauce recipe.
I’m thrilled you love it! And very good sub with the brown rice syrup too. ❤️
If I want to make this without the rum, do I need to adjust any other ingredients?
It calls for 2 Tablespoons of rum, so you won’t have to make many adjustments. If looking for a non-alcoholic version, I generally increase the vanilla by a little and replace the rum with some strong coffee. Enjoy!
Hi!
I have made this before and it is DELICIOUS!
My question is, if I use it in an ice cream cake as a layer, will it freeze hard or stay somewhat pliable?
Hi, Jeanette! So glad you love this sauce–me too! It will definitely get firm but there’s too much sugar in it to get really hard. You should be able to slice it, especially with a serrated knife. Just keep the layer fairly thin since it could easily overpower other layers. Enjoy!
thank you for responding so quickly!
My pleasure! I try never to leave anyone hanging. Let me know how the cake turns out, Jeanette!
Can you use Frys Cocoa in this recipe? Also, you stated you use Hersheys. But what kind of Hershey’s? Is it the Hersheys natural cocoa unsweetened powder or the 100% cacao unsweetened brand? Don’t want to make this and ruin the recipe due to the type of cocoa.
Hey, Corrie! Honestly, any cocoa powder you like will work. You’re right to check though. I would choose cocoa powder over cacao since most health benefits of using a raw cacao are going to be boiled away. I’ve made this with everything from Hershey’s and Nestle 100% cocoa powder to fancy brands like Valrhona when I was at the restaurant. I’ve never had a bad batch. I really hope you enjoy it. Oh, and just to make sure you saw: if you choose to use honey or another liquid sweetener over corn syrup, you may need to increase the cocoa powder and the chopped chocolate by a little bit so the overall flavor is balanced. Enjoy!
So yummy, made great holiday gifts! How much is a serving per your nutritional analysis?
Hey Deb! So glad you like the sauce, and I hope your giftees love it to. I’m pretty sure I based the nutritionals on a 2 Tablespoon serving.
I just made this twice, and am THRILLED to say the least! The first time I followed the recipe using Ghirardelli 48% cacao chocolate chips. It tasted great, even cold, like tootsie rolls. The second time I used 60% cacao Ghirardelli chips and coffee instead of water. WOW! It’s rich and velvety and chewy and decadent! I am so impressed with the results! Both times I weighed everything. (I actually prefer using weight rather than volume, as it’s more exact) and I patiently brought it to 224/225 both times, using an instant reax thermometer. I used light rum and vanilla as listed in the ingredients both times. This is TO DIE FOR fudge sauce! THANK YOU!
Oh, MaryLou, I am so happy!! I love your description–you so accurately capture it: rich and velvety and chewy and decadent! I’m also glad you are comfortable using a kitchen scale. It really is best for getting the most accurate and consistent results. Thank you for taking the time to send some feedback–enjoy every bite!
If you love chocolate you will love this recipe . Definitely lives up it’s title.. This is the best recipe for the best hot fudge sauce ever. It’s the only one I make anymore.
I am so glad you’ve adopted this as your favorite, Pam! And thank you also for the review–I appreciate it!
I usually make a 2-minute blender hot fudge but I wanted to try to get that “chew” that you find in icecream shops. This taste good but I don’t feel a “chew” to it. I have one of those glass top stoves and it is very difficult to just temperature. It would be helpful for me if I knew the temperature to cook the mixture to. I used dark corn syrup in a dark pan so I couldn’t really go by color, just time
The chew doesn’t happen until you chill it, either in the fridge or by pouring it on ice cream. If it doesn’t have it, heat it back up and simmer some more. I’d say take it to 230-232F. Enjoy!
This would be a great treat for the holidays.
Absolutely! It keeps for a good long while in the fridge, too!
Can I omit the rum? Also, can this fudge be used as a chocolate fudge frosting for a cake?
I address substitutions for the rum in the post. I either up the vanilla or add some coffee. I have never tried whipping it to see if it would work as a frosting, but if you decide to give it a shot, please report back. Enjoy!
This looks so good! What a great topping to have on hand!
It’s a great one, and it keeps well for a long time in the fridge, too!
This has been my go to hot fudge recipe since September 4, 2021 (when I first sent a review for your recipe). I indulge in ice cream every 6 weeks and make your hot fudge each time without fail. My favorite substitution has been Grand Marnier (orange liqueur) instead of rum. Lord have mercy! Stirring the sugar mixture, and watching it caramelize, then pouring this into the chopped chocolate is mesmerizing and cathartic. This is a fantastic recipe.
It’s like alchemy, isn’t it, Janice?! So glad you love this sauce and I am so on board with the orange variation. Chocolate and orange is a magic combination. I really appreciate your letting me know how much you enjoy the sauce!
I was sceptical about the alcohol but when you said it was necessary to bring out the “alcohol-based” ingredients, I gave it a try. I didn’t have rum but I used vodka. It worked just fine. This sauce is so rich and thick and yummy. I plan to use it for an ice cream cake.
Confused, as 4 oz butter is not 112 g. Should it say 8 oz butter?
4 oz = 112 grams. 1 oz = 28 grams, so 4 ounces is 112 grams. Enjoy the sauce!
This sauce is nothing short of AMAZING! It truly is the best in the world. Do yourself a favor and make it! You will be so glad you did. I boiled to 222 degrees. Very pleased with the texture. Thank you for this recipe which I know I will be making many more times!
Oh, Patti, yay! I am thrilled you like it!
Hello Jenni, could I use milk chocolate in this recipe instead of dark?
Hey, Magda. Yes, you can. It will be a touch sweeter, and a touch less chocolatey. If that’s good for you, go for it. If you don’t want to lose any of the chocolatey-ness, add an extra Tablespoon or so of cocoa powder. Enjoy!
Been searching for a hot fudge sauce to be my annual holiday gift for a group of friends that celebrate together each year. I believe this is it. My addition: I find the flavors of chocolate and coffee to be nearly inseparable, so added 1 Tbl good quality espresso powder to the cocoa powder slurry – add more or less to your taste. Thanks for your straightforward approach seasoned with common sense. Much appreciated!
Thank you, Glenn, and I hope all your hot fudge recipients will be so happy! And I fully support your espresso powder addition. I put it in almost everything, including this sauce when I make it for myself. I need to add that as an optional but much-appreciated addition. I also appreciate your taking the time to let me know. So many come and go, and I never hear from them. Take care, and happy hot fudge making (and giving)! 🙂
Next time I’ll use the best chocolate I can find. This time I used organic cacao, which has always served me well. My mistake was using Tollhouse semi sweet chocolate chips. No one could taste chocolate at all. It was just very sweet. I used a scale and opted for light corn syrup. I didn’t have rum, so I used vodka. Other than using Tollhouse chocolate chips, is there anything that I have listed here that may have taken away from the chocolaty flavor?
That’s so interesting to me (frustrating for you, I know!) that you couldn’t taste the chocolate. You haven’t listed anything that’s beyond the pale for making this sauce. Maybe you cooked the dairy until it was a little more caramelized and that flavor masked the chocolate, or melded with it so well you ended up with a “hybrid flavor?” I’ve never made this with cacao before, only cocoa powder. At the restaurant, we used Valrhona, but at home, I generally use Hershey’s or maybe Ghirardelli. Thank you for letting me know. I may make a small batch and try to replicate what happened to you. Because fudge sauce should certainly taste deeply chocolatey.
can this somehow be canned so it doesnt go bad? I see it in canning jars but no processing info. Thanks for recipe.
Hi, Jocelynn.
I am not a canner, but from what I understand, it can be a safety issue to can dairy-based sauces. Since I am no expert, I do not give canning instructions. Other readers have said they have successfully canned it, but I don’t know for how long and if it kept it from spoiling at room temperature. Your best bet is to make a recipe that has been optimized for canning. If you want to make this sauce (and it really is delicious), know that it stays good in the fridge for several weeks, and you can extend that time by freezing it. It won’t freeze solid since it contains so much sugar, but you will definitely be able to keep it longer if you freeze it. Hope that helps. 🙂
I like the recipe. The annoyance of having to scroll through out of context instructions, comments and advertisements just to see if I have all the ingredients insures that I will not use your page, buy products from your ads or use the recipes. Utterly annoying that this is
de rigueur for bloggers.
You do you, Cherry Ann. I provide free recipes and run ads so I can live. This is my livelihood. You can complain, or you can use the “Jump to Recipe” button, conveniently located at the very top of the post, to bypass the “out of context instructions, comments, and advertisements” and go straight to the recipe. Have a nice day.
I substituted Kahlua because I didn’t have light rum. It is really delicious! I do see where rum could be better, going to make it again, and again, and again….. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you’re putting this recipe on repeat!
It is very yummy. Actually I found it to be delicious even before I added the chocolate! I have two questions:
1. If I wanted it to be a bit less sweet (I know this would put me in the minority), could I reduce the sugar or the corn syrup?
2. Can I freeze it to extend the shelf life?
This sauce really is the best! The first time I made it exactly as written and it was so good it only lasted a couple days. The second time I made it, I only had 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream so I used a half cup Baileys Irish Cream for the rest of the required amount of cream. All other ingredients were exactly as written. I liked this version even better than the first. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. This is now my go to fudge sauce recipe and I will be gifting jars of this sauce for Christmas presents this year! Thank you, you rock!
Hi Jenni! Thank you SO much for this awesome recipe! I see a few people asking for temperatures, so on my third and fourth remakes** of this hot fudge, I used my candy thermometer just to record the temperature when I visually decided to pull the dairy mixture off the heat, and both times I was just shy of 235F/soft ball stage. So that’s my suggestion for anyone who is more comfortable working off of temperature than gut.
Second, I wanted to add this in case anyone is struggling with the mixture completely splitting (where it looks as if all the butter has floated to the top and the rest of the mixture is firm and “seized” and cannot be emulsified back in with all the whisking in the world). The first time I made this, I got impatient and jacked up the temperature to medium-high to caramelize faster. Do not do this. Be patient. It will pay off. What I believe happened is that I scorched the mixture and shocked it with the sudden increase in temperature. However! Don’t panic! Don’t toss it out! I’m not sure what options exist, but how I solved this is allowing the fudge to completely cool in a glass jar (the oil solidified on the top like a layer of butter), then gently reheating in a water bath on the stovetop, and adding about 1/4 cup of warm milk when it was mostly warmed through, then stirring until smooth. Et voila. Smooth, emulsified fudge sauce.
Finally, my best friend is allergic to dairy, so I’m going to try to make half a recipe with dairy-free substitutions. This may be a fruitless endeavor, but I’ll report back when it’s done!
Thanks again for a great recipe!
**(Warning: Once you share this, you’ll have to make it over and over and over since people will demand it whenever they come over to your house!)
Lindsey, hello! I am thrilled you love this sauce–so ridiculously good, right?! Thank you so much for the temperature and also for the troubleshooting. I will add these to the post. I really appreciate your letting me know and for taking one for the team to take the temperature!
Let me know how the non-dairy version works out. My vote would be to use oat milk, but that’s just a gut instinct.
Truly THE BEST IN THE WORLD. It really is! I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly. I wanted to experience it in its intended form before I begin experimenting with flavors and sweetness levels. I had zero trouble, but I do have experience with baking and cooking.
I LOVE this! Thank you so much!
Hooray! I always get so excited when people confirm that this sauce is the best! I’m glad it worked out so beautifully as written. And now you have permission to play! I hope you’ll let me know how you decide to vary it! Enjoy, Janice!
I made this sauce today, followed directions closely but did substitute chocolate chips for most of the chocolate. Turned out absolutely amazing!! I used it to decorate cheesecakes and it held up beautifully. Taste is to die for- this will be my new go to chocolate sauce. Thank you so much!
Oh, I’m thrilled you liked it! So great, right?! Thanks for letting me know! I’ve made it with chocolate chips too. All good. Hard to beat this sauce for sure, and on top of cheesecake?! Yowza! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Can the sauce be waterbathed or pressure canned to make it shelf stable? Looks delicious!
FDA guidelines for food safety recommend against canning dairy-based sauces in a water bath. I am not sure about pressure canning. I know a couple of people have said they have canned it in a water bath, but since I’m not a canner, I don’t want to say it’s safe and then have something go awry. You can freeze it (it won’t completely solidify) for long-term storage, and it stays just fine in the fridge for a good 3 weeks or so. I hope that helps. Enjoy!
MINE SEEMS RUNNY. DOES IT THICKEN AS IT COOLS OFF? I MADE SURE TO BOIL IT UNTIL IT WAS A LIGHT TAN AS SHOWN ABOVE.
It does thicken as it cools. If you think it is still too thin once it cools, you can simmer it gently to reduce it further. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi, the recipe says 11.75 oz corn syrup but then says one cup. One cup is 8 fluid ounces. 11.75 ounces is about 1 and a third cups. I just want to clarify the measurement,
1 cup is 8 oz by volume, not by weight. By weight, 1 cup of corn syrup weighs 11.75 ounces, so feel free to either weigh it or use a 1 cup measure. Enjoy!
Can this recipe be doubled or tripled?
Oh, absolutely! We used to make enormous vats of it at the restaurant. You’re only limited by the size of your pots and bowls. lol Enjoy!
Hi Jennie.
I am Muslim I can’t have Rum.
Instead of Rum what I can use to make
Olfashion hot Fudge Sauce?
Hi, Sultan! You can absolutely leave the rum out and sub it with some coffee. It won’t be enough to make the sauce taste like mocha, but it will add a touch more depth. I think you’ll enjoy it that way! Take care. 🙂
This sounds fabulous but makes a lot. Is it possible to freeze in a few batches, then reheat?
Hey there! I’ve never tried to freeze it, but you can absolutely make a half batch. It also keeps well in the fridge for a good 3-4 weeks. Enjoy!
I haven’t tried it yet, but when I do I will freeze in large sprayed muffin tins, then put in ziplock bags and take out as needed. Only two in our household!
That’s a great idea! Let me know how well it freezes–with so much sugar in it, it may not freeze completely solid, but it should definitely extend keeping. Enjoy!
I have made toffee many many times. After I put the mixture on a pan, I put chocolate chips or chocolate bars on top, and spread when softened. The last several times I made it, about an hour or so ( maybe longer) the chocolate gets white starburst type stuff on top. It looks like the chocolate is old. What causes this? And what can I do so this doesn’t happen? Thanks, love your recipes!! Margie
Hey there, Margie. That white stuff is the cocoa butter separating out of the rest of the chocolate. It’s called bloom, and it doesn’t affect the taste at all. Just the appearance. My bet is if you want a bit longer and let the toffee cool some more before adding the chocolate to the top, you won’t have that problem. And I’m glad you love my recipes–makes me happy! Feel free to get in touch any time!
Is their anything besides rum and coffee we could use?
You can leave the coffee out if you prefer. Why do you want to leave out the rum? Is it because of the alcohol content? If so, just use a tablespoon of vanilla extract in place of the rum. Of course, there’s still alcohol in vanilla, so if you can tell me why you object, maybe I can better offer some substitutions.
I also provide a few variations on the recipe, so look those over and see if any of those ideas sound good to you. Let me know. Thanks!
What do I need to do to add peanut butter or hazelnut spread to this? Do i change any liquids in the recipe?
I’d like to – it sounds delicious.
Hey, Debbie! I like both your ideas a lot. Since Nutella is so sweet and the hazelnut aspect would be so diluted if you added a cup or so to the mix, say, I would consider using some hazelnut extract, hazelnut liqueur, and steeping toasted and coarsely ground hazelnuts in my dairy. So you’d be making basically chocolate-hazelnut sauce without using any Nutella at all. Since peanut butter is pretty assertive, I expect the flavor will come through just fine. I’d cook the dairy part to a lighter color (so there’s not too much water evaporation) and add 1/2 cup of peanut butter. You can always taste and adjust the amount, but that’s where I’d start. Hope that helps. Enjoy the sauce!
How long will this last? I am thinking it would be great Christmas gift so but need to know Spshelf life. Could you can this like jam?
Hey, Jackie! I have zero experience with canning, but I recently had a reader (Helen) can some and said it worked perfectly. She canned it in boiling water for 12 minutes.
Without canning it, I can say for sure it will last a good 3-4 weeks in the fridge. I hope that helps!
This is truly the best hot fudge- my family absolutely loved it and it canned with a water bath seamlessly. Thank you for sharing it!!!
Oh, I am so glad to hear this! And thank you for commenting on canning, too. I’m not a canner, so it’s good to know it is “cannable!”
Canning anything with dairy is not considered food safe and is NOT USDA RECOMMENDED!
I didn’t recommend it in the post. I was just going by a comment from someone who did since I know zero about canning. Thank you for confirming that.
How long did you process?
Hey there! I emailed Helen, and she said most of her research showed 10 minutes but that she did 12 minutes just to be safe. Hope that helps. Enjoy the hot fudge!
I’m so excited to try this recipe. I’ve made ganache many times but this is going to change the game that’s for sure. Ive pinned your recipe thank you so much
It definitely changed the hot fudge game for me, Teresa! Can’t wait to hear what you think–enjoy!
This is the fourth recipe I have tried for hot fudge sauce, trying to find the exact right one. This is it! Thank you so much for sharing it! I tried the quick, easy just a few ingredients ones first, because wouldn’t it be nice if they were wonderful? But they weren’t! This is absolute perfection! I made a half recipe, and had a 2 cup glass container. Too bad there was a bit left over after I filled the jar. Just had to lick the bowl! Yummmmm! Whatever will I do with the also rans?
This is my new favorite comment! I’m so glad you love the sauce. I am not allowed to make it very often. Maybe twice a year. Otherwise, oh the danger! The also rans can just go the way of the dodo.
Aww shucks! You’re too kind! I dreamed about this recipe last night, so I revisited my Pinterest pin of it, looked at all the links, and watched the video. I’m so glad I did! I was recently introduced to the accuracy of weight versus volume by a blogger who had a recipe for whole wheat cinnamon rolls. I had a scale, but it was a spring loaded, not battery powered, so not very trustworthy. Bought a battery powered one and love it. However, I was placing a bowl on it, pressing tare to zero it out, weighing an ingredient, putting that ingredient into another bowl, repeat. It had not occurred to me to simply zero it out after each ingredient and keep adding. Duh! Now I will be following you on Pinterest. BTW, from your shirt I assume you are from eastern NC. I’m interested because, although I now live in Idaho, I am originally from east TN, near Boone, NC. I love your blog and look forward to browsing through all your recipes. I wish I had studied chemistry in college, as I love your explanations of what each ingredient does. I love to cook, especially desserts, but there is always something new to learn! Thanks!
Oh, we were practically neighbors! And my husband did his graduate studies in Boone at App! I was born and raised in Charlotte and now live in Raleigh. Big move for you from TN to Idaho! Wow! So glad you enjoy the blog, Rebecca. I’m really active on Facebook and I do live cooking usually twice a week on Sundays and Wednesdays. You can follow my public profile at https://www.facebook.com/jenni.field or my page at https://www.facebook.com/PastryChefOnline I look forward to having lots of conversations with you!
I just made this. Wasn’t a fan. To me it doesn’t taste chocolatey at all. I just taste the alcohol and I only put in the 2 tablespoons the recipe calls for. It also is not as thick as hot fudge usually is.
I’m sorry you didn’t like it. Happy to help you troubleshoot. Did you boil all the dairy until it was caramelized? Did you use both cocoa powder and the chocolate? Let me know exactly what you did and what kind of alcohol you used and hopefully I can help you figure out what went wonky.
In the video you use 1 Tablespoon of vanilla (for half the recipe) but the recipe says 1 Teaspoon (for the whole recipe). Can you clarify?
I’m sorry for that discrepancy, Mary. I honestly rarely measure vanilla so the measurement varies. Feel free to use vanilla to taste. I will clarify that in the post. Thanks for the comment, and enjoy the fudge sauce. Whether you use a tiny bit or a tablespoon of vanilla, I think you will love it!
I have been experimenting with all kinds of hot fudge sauces, including paleo. I am looking for a sauce that doesn’t get so chewy on ice cream. Do you think I could tweak this and increase the corn syrup just a little ? The caramelizing technique sounds awesome ! Yours is the first recipe that mentions this. Also, once I had some fudge sauce made with honey….it was Soooooo good !
Hey, Cathi! This sauce definitely gets chewy on ice cream. I think to get the same flavor while losing some chew, I’d probably add a bit more dairy at the end of cooking. So after you caramelize the dairy and then mix it with the chocolate and cocoa powder paste, add an additional amount os cream or half and half. You will have to experiment to get the desired texture, but it will be some tasty experimentation. Also, feel free to switch out the corn syrup with honey if you like the way that tastes. I’ll be interested to hear what you think after you give it a try!
Thanks for the suggestions Jennifer ! I will try to use part honey with the corn syrup.
Also, with another recipe, I used a bit of peanut butter and it was delish and you
really can’t taste it. This is all just TOO much fun !
I like the idea of peanut butter and honey together in that sauce. Yum! Enjoy, and please let me know what you end up doing. Would love your feedback so I can share your modifications in the post. That way everyone wins! Take care, Cathi!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Sounds awesome.
I may be biased, but I really do think it’s the best! I hope you enjoy it–please let me know what you think, Tina! 🙂
This is a superb hot fudge sauce recipe! I have made it twice now. I found I did not need to strain the sauce as it is pretty smooth as is. It is a very easy recipe to follow with big flavour!
Oh, wow, I am so happy you like it!! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Do you use a candy thermometer? If so, what temperature do you bring the dairy mixture up to? Thanks
I don’t use a candy thermometer for this one, Tracey. I just go by color. Most of the color comes from the milk proteins browning and not from the sugars caramelizing so I can’t really go by the temperature for the different stages of sugar. The best way I can describe the color is about the color of a Graham cracker, if that helps. Depending on how large a batch you’re making, it can take 15-30 minutes. I hope this helps. Enjoy the sauce!
Too many ingredients, I’ve got one that uses a lot less.
Good for you. Enjoy your sauce!
YOU NEED TO TRY THIS ITS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER RECIPE OUT THERE. THE NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS IS WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL… STOP CUTTING CORNERS LOL!!!
Preach, Michelle! So glad you love it–it’s one of my favorite recipes on the site!
Can this be made shelf stable?
I am not a canner, so I cannot say for sure. I would check the Ball Blue Book to see what they say about canning dairy-based sauces. But I can tell you it will stay good in the fridge for about a month. I hope that helps, and I hope you enjoy the sauce.
What if I want to can it for long term. How long would it last if I boil the jars and lids? I am not a canner yet, but plan to be. This seems like something I would like to store.
I am not a canner either, so I don’t know the answer about how to safely can a dairy-based sauce. I can tell you it lasts a good 3-4 weeks in the fridge though.
No it can not be made shelf stable due to the dairy.
Can I use all cream for the milk part? Looking forward to trying this.
Lauris
Yes, I believe you could. It will be that much richer and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You could also use all half and half if you want. Enjoy!
This recipe sounds divine. However in South Africa we don’t get corn syrup – what could I use as a substitute?
Hey, Karen! You can sub in some golden syrup or even use a mild honey. Hope that helps. Enjoy the sauce!
Did anyone commenting actually make this sauce?
If you read the reviews embedded in the post, those people did indeed make the sauce. I know you don’t know me from Adam, but I would not say this is the best if it weren’t true. I hope you give it a try and that you really enjoy it, Susan!
Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine too – why do people comment before making the sauce? Just makes it hard to find real data, suggestions etc. I did make it and found it totally delicious albeit perhaps a bit sweet for my liking? I’m scared to reduce the sugar for fear it would affect the texture, which is fabulous.
I’m very glad you like the sauce. I agree with you about the texture. So dreamy! I think you could cut the sugar by about 10% to cut a bit of sweetness without losing the chew. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out, Galya!
May I suggest using a 72% chocolate instead of 60%? That’s what I did and it cut the sweetness without losing the texture.
That’s a great idea for cutting the sweetness without reducing the “free sugar” and possibly changing the texture!
I made the sauce twice, its the best recipe ever! I used bourbon because there was no rum and it’s pretty darn fantastic!! Thank You Chef!
Hey, Sachi! I’m so happy you like the hot fudge sauce, and hooray for the Bourbon. I’m very glad you used what you had rather than making a special trip out for some rum!
If I were there I would just have to give you a big ole hug around the neck for sharing this Chocolate Fudge Sauce. My husband and I both love Chocolate. His birthday is next week and I can not wait to surprise him with this recipe of Chocolate bliss. Before going wondering if you could recommend a good brand of scale for home use? Hope you have a lovely rest of your day. I’ll be following all of your recipes!
Thank you Again,
Barbara Pendley
Oh, Barbara, you have no idea how much I miss hugs right about now! I know you guys will love the sauce, and Happy Early Birthday to your husband! The scale I use and recommend is an Escali Primo. Here’s an Amazon affiliate link for you. If you purchase through this link, I’ll make a small commission on the sale and your price won’t be affected at all: https://amzn.to/3gwleSK I think you’ll be so happy with your purchase–nothing like a scale for accurate and consistent results!
I can’t wait to hear how you and your husband like the sauce!
Thanks for sharing. Now I need a scale. Haha! I have loved finding new recipes during all of this craziness. I think the guys are going to love this one.
You are more than welcome! It’s seriously good, and I hope you and the guys love it! And yes, it’s one of my missions in life to encourage people to buy a scale! Such a great investment of $25! Enjoy, Martha!
We are huge chocolate fans and this sauce is our favorite!
Does it matter with milk, whether whole, 2%, 1%?
Since it’s an old fashioned recipe, it most likely would have been made with whole milk, and that’s what I used. I have not tried it with lower-fat milk. My guess is it would be fine with 2%, but I would not try it with 1% or skim. Hope that helps, Lisa. Enjoy the fudge!
Currently making it with 2% milk and it’s turning out LOVELY. ❤
I’m so glad, Shelby! Thanks for letting me know. Please come back and tell me all about the amazing ice cream sundae you make with it so I can live vicariously through you!
Second question, can I use water canning method to make this shelf-stable?
I already made the Quick recipe you reference and my hubby loves it!
Hey, Wendy! I honestly don’t know about canning because it’s not something I do myself. I would consult the Ball canning book or some similar canning authority. And yes, you can use extract rather than rum or coffee, but I would use much less since the extract will be pretty concentrated. I’d start with a teaspoon, taste, and then go from there if you need more. Enjoy!
So glad you like the quick version–I like it too. I think this one is even better, especially if you have the time. Enjoy!
Making this right now. Would rum extract be okay instead of rum or coffee? Same amount?
Aha!! I only knew about dry measure vs liquid measure…..I appreciate this explanation (and new learning for me!).
Thank you so much for this recipe–I made a batch and LOVE it!
I **think** that I undercooked the dairy mixture–I was afraid of scorching it–I will bravely let it go another few shades darker next time in order to get the “chewy” factor. I also made bomb hot chocolate using it!
Hey, Tangela! I’m so glad you learned something (I do try to be a good teacher), AND I am especially happy you made this hot fudge sauce. It is so stupid good! The good news is, nothing awful happens if you undercook the dairy a bit, but you will completely flip if you let it caramelize a little bit more. Thanks so much for stopping by and for letting me know. And Yasssss to the hot chocolate!
Just clicked on this recipe and looked at the comments. My name is Tangela also but I go by Tangee. There are not many of us, so I had to say hello!
A meeting of the Tangelas! I love it! Thanks for stopping in and saying howdy!
Hello,
This sounds like the perfect sauce for me!
Trying it for the first time soon and want to confirm this measurement:
11.75 oz light or dark corn syrup, (1 cup)
should it be 1.5 cups or 1 Cup?
Thank you!!
It is one cup, Tangela. Corn syrup weighs more than water, so while almost 12 oz of water would indeed be 1 1/2 cups by volume, 1 cup of corn syrup weighs 11.75 oz. I will add the information that most of my measurements are given by weight for accuracy and consistency. I hope you enjoy the fudge sauce–please let me know! Enjoy!
This looks amazing & I want to do this as a gift set with my black/huckleberry sauce. Do you have any idea on the shelf life? Just need an estimate for the lable:)
Thank you!
Not canned (I know nothing about canning), it lasts a good long time. For the label, say 2 weeks to err on the side of caution. But honestly it’ll last a good 3 weeks most likely. I hope your friends enjoy it. What a lovely duo with huckleberry, too!
Hot fudge, nuts, whipped cream, and some mocha almond fudge ice cream is really all I need. I am a simple person. OMG! this sounds so good Jenni!
That sounds like the perfect sundae, Beth! xo
Oh my gosh, chocolate is my weakness. I love your idea to add a bit of orange too…so many fun ways to enjoy this chocolate sauce!!
Thanks, Sandi! I know some folks aren’t fans of chocolate and fruit, but these are people I don’t understand at all! lol 🙂
Just pass me the jar and forget the ice cream!! O-M-G!!!!
It is the best. I’m surprised anyone at the reatauatn ever got any. I mean, the guests. The kitchen staff enjoyed it!
Oh myyy! Wish you could send me a case!! Delicious!
Whoooah. That lightly caramelized dairy mixture sealed the deal for me. My mouth could actually taste what my brain was imagining. And I’m not even a chocolate fanatic.
Tell me, what do you consider “close to the expiration date”? Sometimes my cream is marked 4-6 weeks out, and milk only 2-3 weeks out.
I wanted to say in the post, but I’m not really sure it’s true so I stopped myself, but if your “oldest” dairy you’re using is a week from the expiration date, your sauce will last about a week. If it’s three weeks out, it should last around 3 weeks. Does that make sense? I have more or less found that to be the case when I use “brand new” dairy with a date about 6 weeks out, the sauce will keep about that long.
Makes total sense — thanks!
I’ve been looking for a classic hot fudge sauce and by crackie, I think I’ve found it! The ingredients list sells it, but your fine photography seals the deal. Terrific work, my friend.
Thank you so much, Brooks!! I know you will love this sauce. I want you to make it and drizzle it on some sort of hot fudge sundae cake, okay? =)
Yum Jenni, this is the real deal and it looks/sounds amazing. I love your pour shot! Thanks for the link too! Hope your summer’s going well!
I love that yours is made in a blender. I’ve had it in the back of my mind ever since you told me about it at lunch. I knew I would be linking to it at some point! It took me a few tries to get that pour shot. Thank goodness for the 10 second delay setting, Chris!
I’ve been smiling since I read, “by crackie.” This looks amazing, and I think that if I make it for a blog post, then you should send a small jar of yours down to Florida so that I can have a baseline for comparison. I’ll even send you a small jar of mine to get your thoughts. 🙂
I’m afraid it’s not canned, so I’d feel weird about shipping it. But I do hope you make it; I think you will like it a very very lot!
My Oh My, you have struck gold with this one, my dear friend. The ONLY problem I see is that you made it in North Carolina and I’m in Florida!!! Your top pic is INCREDIBLE, too! <3
Thank you so much, Betsy! I have been working hard to up my photography game, even if I am doing it kicking and screaming! I really do hope you make this. I want to hear your review and how it stacks up to the Graeter’s (is that right) that you used to get in Cleveland. =)
I would happily eat this with a spoon and forego the ice cream!
Ha! You and me both, Renee!