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A spoon drips thick homemade hot fudge sauce back into a small glass jar, with chocolate chips and dessert ingredients blurred in the background.
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Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe with Chocolate Chips

Thick, glossy chocolate sauce made with semi-sweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder, cooked in one saucepan in about thirteen minutes. It thickens as it cools and firms up on cold ice cream instead of running to the bottom of the bowl, which is what separates real hot fudge from chocolate syrup. Keeps for a week in the fridge, so one batch covers a whole week of sundaes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time13 minutes
Course: Dessert, Sauce, Topping
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate Chips, Edible Gift, Hot fudge, Ice Cream Topping, Sundae Sauce
Servings: 12 (about 1⅓ cups)
Calories: 150kcal
Author: Chop and Cheers

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (115g)
  • 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (80 g)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (16 g)
  • 3 tablespoons light corn syrup (45 ml)
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature (43 g)
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml), optional

Instructions

  • Add the chocolate chips, brown sugar, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and corn syrup to a medium saucepan.
  • Set the pan over medium heat and stir occasionally as the chocolate melts and the mixture comes together, about 4 to 5 minutes. It will look streaky before it looks smooth.
  • Bring to a gentle boil and boil for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. With an instant-read thermometer it should reach about 220°F (104°C).
  • Remove from the heat and add the butter, salt, and vanilla if using.
  • Stir until the butter has fully melted into the chocolate and the sauce is glossy and smooth.
  • Cool for a few minutes before serving over ice cream, waffles, brownies, or your favorite dessert.

Notes

Consistency: the sauce looks thinner while warm and thickens as it cools. For a thicker sauce, give it a few extra minutes on the counter before pouring.
Storage: keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let it cool completely before covering, since condensation dripping back into a warm jar can turn it grainy.
Reheating: warm only the portion you need in the microwave in short intervals, stirring between each one, until smooth and pourable.
Scorching: use medium heat and stir often so the chocolate does not catch on the bottom of the pan.