This hot fudge sauce recipe is amazing! It’s perfect for any ice cream lover, and it’s so easy to make. You’ll need just a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. This rich and creamy sauce will take your ice cream to the next level. It’s perfect for topping off your favorite sundae or pie.

A small ceramic cup filled with a dark, glossy liquid sits on a wooden surface next to a folded gray cloth, evoking the cozy comfort of fresh apple pie. — Hot Fudge Sauce. Photo Credit: Splash of Taste

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We love pouring homemade hot fudge sauce over our Reese’s peanut butter pie, it tops it off just perfectly!

We use only 3 ingredients, the sweetened condensed milk means there’s no need for brown sugar, evaporated milk, or cocoa powder – it’s so easy!

Why you’ll love this easy sauce recipe

You’ll only need 3 ingredients for this hot fudge sauce.

Pour it over vanilla ice cream, add it to ice cream sundaes, make a hot fudge sundae, or drizzle it over your favorite desserts.

It’s a real crowd pleaser, everyone, young and old loves this sauce!

All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

A bowl of butter, a bowl of condensed milk, and a bowl of chocolate chips are arranged on a marble surface with a spoon, napkin, and scattered chocolate chips—perfect ingredients for a twist on classic apple pie treats. — Hot Fudge Sauce Ingredients. Photo Credit: Splash of Taste

Pour over cold ice cream and instantly transform something simple into something so special!

How to make hot fudge sauce with step by step instructions

Making our homemade hot fudge sauce recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions

A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

Add sweetened condensed milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until all the chocolate chips have melted.

Butter being added into the melted chocolate mixture. — Over medium heat, add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat, add butter, and stir until fully combined.

Then, remove the pan from the heat and add unsalted butter and stir constantly until the butter has melted.

Serve immediately or store in the fridge for future use.

Enjoy your very own hot fudge sauce!

We hope you enjoy making our hot fudge recipe and would love to hear how you got on with making it.

Please leave a comment below and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Author: Mandy Applegate

I love making this Hot Fudge Sauce because it comes together with just three ingredients you probably already have on hand: sweetened condensed milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a little butter. The condensed milk gives it a naturally sweet, creamy base, while the butter stirred in at the end makes the sauce turn glossy and smooth. It's rich, thick, and perfectly pourable over ice cream, brownies, or any dessert that deserves a chocolate upgrade. I make this versatile dessert sauce recipe whenever I want something indulgent that's ready in just a few minutes with almost no effort.

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Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 7

Total Time: 10

Course: Dessert, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 89kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

3½ ounces sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ tablespoon unsalted butter

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

In a saucepan over medium heat, add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips and stir constantly until the chocolate chips have melted
3½ ounces sweetened condensed milk, ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and stir until the butter has melted. Pour hot fudge sauce over your dessert or once cooled, store in the fridge. Enjoy your sauce!
½ tablespoon unsalted butter

Notes

Here are a few tips I’ve picked up to help you get the most out of this recipe every time.

Use good-quality chocolate chips: Since this recipe has only three ingredients, the chocolate flavor really shines through. A quality semi-sweet chip makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor of the sauce.

Stir constantly while melting: Once the condensed milk and chocolate chips hit the heat, don’t walk away. Constant stirring prevents the chocolate from scorching on the bottom of the pan and keeps the texture smooth.

Take the pan off the heat before adding butter: Adding the butter off the heat rather than while the pan is still on the burner gives you more control and helps the sauce emulsify into that glossy, smooth finish.

Pour immediately for the best drizzle: For the silkiest, most pourable consistency, use the sauce right after it’s finished while it’s still warm. It thickens as it cools, so serve it fresh when you can.

Store properly: Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer to a sealed jar or airtight container, and chill for up to 3 weeks. If you’re freezing it, portion it into a silicone cube tray so you can thaw only what you need and not the whole batch, then freeze it for up to 3 months.

Reheat gently in short bursts: When reheating from the fridge, use 15- to 20-second microwave intervals and stir between each to bring it back to a smooth, pourable texture without overheating.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe notes and expert tips

Quality
If you want the best hot fudge sauce, then you need to use quality chocolate.

Stirring
It’s important to keep stirring continuously while making your sauce, you don’t want it to burn.

Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

How do I store hot fudge sauce?

Our hot fudge sauce will keep for up to 3 weeks when stored in the fridge.

You’ll notice, that when the sauce is cold, it will naturally thicken but that totally normal.

When you’re ready to use it, simply add it to a pan and reheat it gently, stirring constantly and the sauce will start to thin once again.

What’s the difference between hot fudge and chocolate sauce?

The most significant distinction is the texture of the sauce.

Hot fudge contains is thicker and more intense compared to chocolate sauce, which flows longer and thinner.

Chocolate sauce gets cold in the refrigerator, while hot fudge becomes thicker and like fudge.

Hot fudge sauce poured over a Reese's peanut butter pie.

What’s the best chocolate to use for this sauce?

Chocolate chips are the main ingredient in this fudge sauce, so use the best quality chocolate that you can afford.

These are our favorite chocolate chips, they give a great depth of flavor.

More easy dessert recipes for you to try at home

If you love our fudge sauce recipe, why not try these easy desserts?

Lemon pie – bursting with fresh lemon flavor!

Chocolate truffles – easy to make and SO good to eat!

Sweet potato pie recipe – can it really be the fall if there’s no sweet potato pie?

Apple pie – just like Grandma used to make it, and so easy!

Baked Alaska – this stunning ice cream cake wrapped in meringue and baked in the OVEN will have your guests gasping with admiration!

Hot fudge sauce recipe