Best Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 10, 2025 
Homemade Hot Fudge Recipe – This delicious hot fudge sauce recipe uses only 6 ingredients and is easy to make in less than 10 minutes! It’s the thickest and richest chocolate hot fudge sauce recipe from scratch!
Why We Love This Hot Fudge Recipe
Warm, thick, and decadent chocolate fudge sauce is the perfect complement to any bowl of ice cream or slice of pound cake. You can buy a decent version in a jar at the grocery store… But with very little effort you can make this homemade hot fudge recipe without cream and customize it to your taste!
We found many different methods of making hot fudge sauce online, but feel the very best and easiest method is made with just 6 ingredients, including cocoa powder. After testing various methods, we determined the varieties made with chocolate chips always taste like ganache or chocolate sauce rather than traditional hot fudge sauce, which has a slightly roasted flavor from the use of cocoa powder.
Here we are providing our foolproof best-tasting hot fudge sauce with the fewest possible ingredients. If you don’t happen to have cocoa powder on hand (but have chocolate chips) we’ve also provided our best alternative chocolate sauce. It’s absolutely delicious, but is definitively not hot fudge sauce.
Whichever set of ingredients you choose to use, this fabulous fudge sauce is easy to make on the stovetop or the microwave in less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients You Need
- Sweetened condensed milk – for that perfect thick, fudge consistency
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened (dutch-process)
- Butter – unsalted
- Milk – whole fat or 2%, not skim
- Vanilla extract – use a high-quality version
- Salt – just a pinch
How to Make Hot Fudge Sauce
- Sift the cocoa powder! No one like clumps in their hot fudge sauce. Once that’s nice and smooth, add it to a saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl.
- Toss in the sweetened condensed milk, butter and a pinch of salt.
- If you’re using the stovetop method, melt everything over medium-heat until it starts to look thick and velvety. Once that’s ready, stir in the vanilla extract and slowly add in about a ½ cup of milk to get your desired consistency.
- If you’re using the microwave method, pop the bowl on high heat for 1 minute. Give it a good stir, and then keep microwaving it in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until it’s silky smooth. Stir in the vanilla, then add ¼ to ½ cup of milk to thin it out to your liking.
Get the Complete (Printable) Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This sauce thickens when it it’s cool, so just warm up the hot fudge sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving to get it back to that smooth, pourable goodness!
Slater the warm sauce on a thick slice of pound cake, or onto a brownie, pancakes or any other baked treat. And, of course, it is a must-have topping for ice cream sundaes! Chocolate hot fudge sauce goes with literally EVERY ice cream flavor, like
For a true ice cream sundae experience, add other classic toppings like colorful sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed cookies, homemade cookie dough chunks, whipped cream… and a cherry on top!
You can even use scratch-made chocolate fudge sauce to make other recipes like frozen hot chocolate drinks, chocolate banoffee pie, and everyone’s favorite Buster Bar ice cream cake!
How to Make Thick Hot Fudge Sauce with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients You Need –
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips (any variety)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
If using the alternative recipe with chocolate chips instead of cocoa, you can simple add all of the ingredients to a sauce pan and heat up together on medium heat.
Be sure to stir very frequently and don’t burn it! The sauce is done once all the ingredients are combined and the sauce has started to thicken.
Recipe Variations
- Espresso – Mix in a pinch of espresso powder to give the sauce a rich coffee flavor.
- Nut butter – Stir in a little bit of your favorite nut butter, like peanut butter or almond butter, for an even creamier twist.
- Cookies – Fold in some crushed cookies for some extra texture and sweetness.
- Shredded coconut – Add some unsweetened shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
Frequently Asked Questions
As the name suggests, hot fudge is thick and rich. It is warmed before using, so the consistency goes from nearly solid to pourable. Chocolate sauce is thin and does not typically solidify. It’s best to use at room temperature or even cold from the fridge.
The key to a perfect smooth sauce is to sift the cocoa powder first.
Hot fudge sauce can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Scoop any amount you want into a small microwave-safe dish. Heat at 50% power in short bursts of 5 seconds, stirring between each burst, until warm and pourable. Alternatively, you can reheat the fudge sauce on the stovetop in a small saucepan over low heat. (Do not boil.)
Looking for More Sweet Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Nutella Chocolate Fondue
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Warm Blueberry Sauce
- Easy Freezer Jam
- Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Recipe
- Perfect Homemade Lemon Curd
Best Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ – ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Sift the cocoa powder to make sure there are absolutely no clumps. Then pour the cocoa powder into a small saucepot, or microwave-safe bowl.
- Add in the sweetened condensed milk, butter, and a pinch of salt.
- If using the stovetop method, set the pot over medium-low heat and stir the contents until the butter is fully melted and the cocoa powder is completely combined. The sauce should be very smooth, but thick. Mix in the vanilla extract and then thin out the hot fudge sauce by adding ¼ – ½ cup of milk. Stir to your desired consistency and turn off the heat.
- If using the microwave method, place the microwave-safe bowl in the microwave and set on high for 1 minute. Mix the ingredients and microwave again in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is very smooth. Then, stir in the vanilla extract, and thin out the sauce by adding ¼ – ½ cup of milk to reach your desired consistency.
Notes
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips (any variety)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
love making sauces like this from scratch, thank you, and happy that there’s not too many ingredients, and even better, a store bought version has about 20 ingredients that I’m sure are mostly best left out of this chocolate fudge sauce!
There is nothing better than homemade hot fudge!! We love this on ice cream!! I always try to have some in the fridge!
Hot fudge is so decadent- I couldn’t believe it could be made in the microwave! This came together so nicely. It really took our ice cream night to the next level!
Is there anything better than homemade hot fudge? I am obsessed with this recipe, thank you thank you!
I had no just how easy this was to make! i’m going to start saving so much making this from scratch! thank you so much for sharing