Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (2024)

This easy, hot fudge sauce recipe tastes just like the old fashioned sundae topping of your childhood, but it’s made with coconut milk so it’s dairy free and vegan. It’s creamy, gooey and full of chocolate flavor. Use it with your favorite toppings for an indulgent ice cream sundae treat.

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Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (1)

A sweeter birthday celebration

Today is my birthday (and my twin sister’s birthday too!). This year, we’ve decided celebrate it with an ice cream sundae bar.

It’s perfect for celebrating our birthday as moms with little kids. We get an indulgent treat, the kids get to have a ton of fun creating their own sundaes, and I don’t even have to make my own birthday cake (like I did last year). It’s a win-win-win in my opinion.

And, thanks to this hot fudge sauce and a few strategic topping choices, I was able to make this birthday celebration even sweeter by creating an ice cream sundae bar that that everyone can enjoy.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (2)

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Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (3)

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own sundae bar:

Start with ice cream. For our sundae bar, I went with birthday cake, cherry fudge, and chocolate. You can even grab some of their regular ice cream for those who aren’t eating dairy free.

Next, choose your toppings. I decided to keep all of mine dairy free so there wouldn’t be any confusion, but you can easily separate or label if there’s something you want to include that isn’t dairy free. As always, make sure you read the labels.

An ice cream sundae bar wouldn’t be complete without hot fudge sauce. It’s a nostalgia thing for me, and the warm, gooey texture can’t be beat.

Since there’s obviously nothing dairy free on the market, I decided to let this be the one topping I would make from scratch.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (4)

Why I love this hot fudge sauce

When I decided to make hot fudge sauce, I knew I didn’t just want a dairy free alternative. I wanted to make something that would take me back to my childhood. I imagined a warm, gooey hot fudge sauce that sticks to your cold spoon and gets thicker when it hits cold ice cream.

What is hot fudge made of? Since traditional hot fudge sauce uses heavy cream, I replaced that with creamy, canned coconut milk and I decided to skip the butter all together. To replace that buttery flavor, I opted for brown sugar instead of white. The results were nothing short of what I had imagined, and I still haven’t gotten over how great the hot fudge sauce turned out.

I’m already imagining different ways to use it, and I have quite a few ideas in mind, including topping off this grasshopper pie and my favorite turtle sundae.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (5)

Here’s what we chose:

  • Rainbow sprinkles
  • Chopped peanuts
  • Maraschino cherries
  • Chocolate chips
  • Shredded coconut
  • Gummy bears
  • Angel food cake
  • Chocolate chip cookie pieces
  • Crushed pineapple
  • Hot fudge sauce
  • Salted caramel sauce
  • Vegan whipped topping

You’ll also need bowls to serve your toppings and something to serve your ice cream in. I decided to go with mugs. We always ate our ice cream from mugs when we were kids so I thought it would be fun to do as adults. They also have built in handles so they’re super kid friendly.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (6)

How to make hot fudge sauce

Mix the ingredientsin a large pot and put it on the stove over medium heat. Stir the ingredients as the chocolate melts, until the sauce is smooth. You may need to use a whisk to get the sauce super smooth.

Let the sauce cool. Remove the pot of sauce from the stove and let it cool for a few minutes before transferring it to a container. I store ours in a mason jar, but you could put it right into your serving dish if you want. Just make sure the container is microwave safe so you can warm it up before serving.

Can you reheat hot fudge sauce? Yes. In fact, if you’re making this recipe ahead of time, you’ll want to reheat the hot fudge sauce before serving it. You want to serve it warm, but not hot. I recommend popping it into the microwave for about 30 – 45 seconds. You could also keep it warm in a small slow cooker or electric sauce warmer.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (7)

FAQs about hot fudge sauce

What’s the difference between hot fudge and chocolate sauce?The main difference between the two sauces is the texture. Hot fudge sauce tends to be thicker due to the fat content of ingredients like cream or butter (or in this case coconut milk), while chocolate sauce is thinner because it’s more of a water/sugar based syrup.

How long does hot fudge last in the refrigerator?This recipe should last in the fridge for about 2 weeks, but use your best judgment. If it smells or looks funny, it’s time to toss it.

Can hot fudge sauce be frozen?Yes, you can definitely freeze hot fudge sauce, but since this recipe is made with coconut milk, you may see some separation when you thaw it. If that’s the case, just whisk it back together when reheating.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (8)

More birthday friendly treats:

  • One layer cake with chocolate frosting
  • Vanilla cupcakes
  • 1234 cake

Even more chocolate recipes:

  • Chocolate pudding
  • Olive oil brownies
  • Chocolate chocolate chip cookies
  • Dairy free hot chocolate
  • Microwave fudge

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Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (9)

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe

★★★★★5 from 3 reviews
Print Recipe

This easy, hot fudge sauce recipe tastes just like the old fashioned sundae topping of your childhood, but it’s made with coconut milk so it’s dairy free and vegan. It’s creamy, gooey and full of chocolate flavor. Use it with your favorite toppings for an indulgent ice cream sundae treat.

  • Author: Melissa Belanger
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: about 2 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2/3 cup canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Heat the ingredients, stirring frequently, until chocolate chips have melted and sauce is smooth.
  3. Remove from heat and transfer to a container. Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. To reheat: microwave for 30 – 45 second intervals, until warm (but not hot).

Notes

  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 119
  • Sugar: 17 g
  • Sodium: 8 mg
  • Fat: 5.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18.9 g
  • Fiber: 1.3 g
  • Protein: 1.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: hot fudge sauce, hot fudge recipe, hot fudge sauce recipe, vegan hot fudge sauce, dairy free fudge sauce

Published: August 23, 2019. Updated: August 30, 2023.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is hot fudge sauce made of? ›

Heat Ingredients: Combine sugar, light corn syrup, heavy cream, salt and water to a saucepan and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring well. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Add Chocolate Mixture: Pour the chocolate mixture into the syrup and stir until smooth.

Why is my homemade hot fudge sauce grainy? ›

Be sure to serve warm, and, when reheating, reheat only the amount of sauce you intend to use; repeated heating and chilling can make the sauce grainy.

How do you thicken hot fudge sauce? ›

For a thicker chocolate sauce, truer to the consistency of hot fudge, use heavy cream, whole milk, or half and half in place of water.

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 is Dairy Queen hot fudge made of? ›

Artificially Flavored Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream: Milkfat And Nonfat Milk, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Whey, Mono And Diglycerides, Artificial Flavor, Guar Gum, Polysorbate 80, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate, Chocolate Flavored Hot Fudge Topping: Corn Syrup, Skim Milk, Sugar, Hydrogenated (Palm Kernel or Coconut Oil), ...

What are the ingredients in Smuckers hot fudge sauce? ›

Corn Syrup, Nonfat Milk, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Cocoa Processed With Alkali And Cocoa, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Fully Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Mono And Diglycerides, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Vanillin (artificial Flavor).

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

What happens if you boil fudge too long? ›

If there is too much evaporation, when the cooking time is too long, there will not be enough water left in the fudge and it will be too hard.

Why does hot fudge taste different? ›

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. It differs from plain old chocolate sauce by virtue of being gooier and more viscous.

Why is my hot fudge too thick? ›

To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water. Cook it over low heat until the fudge dissolves. Then bring the fudge back up to the temperature specified in the recipe and follow the remaining steps. The flavor may be slightly diluted, but the texture will be improved.

Can you use cornstarch to thicken fudge? ›

If you do not want your fudge to be overly sweet, you can combine 1 tbsp corn starch with 1 tbsp water and slowly mix into your fudge mixture. This should allow your fudge to thicken, because cornstarch is a thickeneing agent in desserts.

What to do if fudge won't thicken? ›

there is too much leftover water in the syrup and the resulting fudge is soft. To save the fudge, put it in a saucepan with 15 to 30 ml (1 or 2 tbsp.) of 35% cream and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely melted. Then let it boil until the thermometer reaches 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Why is McDonald's hot fudge so good? ›

Ignoring "polyglycerol esters of fatty acids" for the time being (we'd rather not even think about what those are), there's one ingredient lurking in there that might be the culprit for why McDonald's hot fudge is so good. That culprit is the sweetened condensed milk.

What is the most unhealthy dessert at McDonald's? ›

The Unhealthiest McDonald's Dessert is…the McFlurry With M&M's. With more sugar and saturated fat than any of the dessert items at McDonald's, the McFlurry with M&M's is by far the unhealthiest option you can choose. If you're craving ice cream, you can opt for something like the Vanilla Cone instead.

Why did McDonald's stop sundaes? ›

As of last week (Wednesday 26th September 2018) McDonald's UK removed their sundae's (toffee and strawberry) off their menu. This was down to them deemed as 'unpopular' but me and thousands of others loved the sweet treat.

What is hot chocolate fudge made of? ›

In a microwave safe bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips, butter, sweetened condensed milk, and hot chocolate mix. Microwave 1 minute at a time until ingredients are melted and smooth, stirring between each interval, about 3 minutes.

What's the difference between hot fudge and chocolate syrup? ›

Ingredients: Hot fudge sauce is typically made with chocolate, sugar, butter, and cream or milk, while chocolate syrup is made with cocoa powder, sugar, and water or milk. Consistency: Hot fudge sauce has a thicker and creamier consistency than chocolate syrup, which tends to be thinner and more liquidy.

What is hot fudge sundae made of? ›

A classic dessert, this Hot Fudge Sundae is a delicious combination of ice cream and rich hot fudge. Top it with whatever your heart desires or go with the classic whipped cream, sprinkles, nuts, and a cherry.

What is fudge made of? ›

Fudge is a dense, rich confection typically made with sugar, milk or cream, butter and chocolate or other flavorings. The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals.

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