This delicious hot fudge recipe takes just a few ingredients and a few minutes to make! Make a batch to top your favorite ice cream or to gift to friends and family with the included free printable from our kitchen gift tags!
Is there anything better than adding a little homemade hot fudge to a bowl of vanilla ice cream? Or how about on top your favorite homemade brownies (with ice cream too if you’d like), even better if you use this and a little raspberry sauce!
I don’t know many people who don’t love a good hot fudge, so I thought it’d be fun to not only share this yummy recipe but also show you how you can turn this into a simple gift idea!
It’d make a perfect hostess gift, neighbor gift, or really a gift for anyone you just need something simple for!
And of course I have a cute printable gift tag you can add to the hot fudge to gift to anyone you please.
Or use one of these Christmas gift tags (there are 16 designs to choose from) if you want to go more holiday specific!
But first, you need to know how to make the recipe! Then you can start giving it away to family and friends!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Delicious – this hot fudge sauce is thick, creamy, and everything a hot fudge should be!
- Only 5 ingredients – this recipe only takes five ingredients to make and they’re all ones that are available probably in your pantry but definitely at your local grocery store!
- Stores well – make one batch of this homemade hot fudge and keep it to use for up to three weeks! That’s one of the reasons it makes such a great gift idea!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Butter – make sure to use salted butter, you’ll want the salt to cut the sweetness of the sauce.
- Chocolate chips – I highly recommend using semi-sweet chocolate chips in this to keep it from being overly sweet. Or if you want to go dark, you could go dark as well, just know it’s going to be a darker hot fudge than you’re probably used to. If you’re gifting this to people, I’d stick with semi-sweet.
How to Make homemade hot fudge
As soon as you see how easy this is to make, you’re going to making jars of hot fudge for your entire neighborhood. I mean I may (don’t tell my neighbors and spoil the fun!).
Start by heating the evaporated milk slightly. You can do this either in the microwave by heating for about 45 seconds or on the stove by just heating on medium (but don’t boil).
Once it’s heated, set the milk aside and work on the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Make sure to stir constantly to keep the chocolate from burning (I’ve had issues with that with my sugar cookie fudge, it’s not fun).
Once it’s melted, add the warm evaporated milk and powdered sugar to the chocolate mixture and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
Continue boiling the hot chocolate, making sure to stir constantly, for eight minutes.
Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
And that’s it, your homemade hot fudge is done! Wait for 5-10 minutes to let it cool down slightly before you use it however you please – ice cream sundaes, brownies, gifting to friends and family!
I recommend keeping it in an airtight jar of some sort, preferably glass, but totally up to you!
Make it a Gift
Pour the homemade hot fudge into a jar or glass container and add one of my cute free printable tags to turn it into a fun gift idea!
Or you could also use this sweet holidays gift tag or this you’ve been treated gift tag. It’d be really fun to put with some ice cream bowls, sprinkles, and a boxed brownie mix to turn it into an ice cream gift basket!
Click here to download the free printable made with love gift tags! There are six different designs – all that would work well with this hot fudge sauce.
If you need something else to put them with, this cranberry orange bread is always a huge hit as are these peanut butter blossoms.
Expert Tips
Store hot fudge in a tightly covered container like a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Double the recipe to make enough for you to have some and some to give away to family and friends!
Recipe FAQs
Slightly heat the hot fudge in the microwave in a microwave safe container for 20-30 seconds increments, stirring between increments. Alternately, warm it up on low in a saucepan on the stove.
Hot fudge is typically much thicker and richer than chocolate sauce. It’s also normally served warm, hence the name hot fudge.
This recipe makes 2 1/2 cups of homemade hot fudge. If you use a 1 tablespoon serving, this makes 40 servings of hot fudge.
More Easy Chocolate Recipes
If you liked this hot fudge sauce, you’ll love these other delicious chocolate recipes!
- Hot chocolate dip – this amazingly creamy hot chocolate dip only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to make!
- Chocolate lava cake – this easy cake is soft on the outside and ooey gooey on the inside, almost like it has hot fudge baked inside!
- Chocolate chip pudding cookies – triple chocolate cookies that are perfect for chocolate lovers!
- Hot chocolate cupcakes – chocolate cupcakes get an upgrade with the addition of marshmallow and a melted chocolate sauce.
- Dr Pepper cake – a chocolate cake that’s nice and moist thanks to the addition of some of this popular soda!
Homemade Hot Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 can evaporated milk or 1 can
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup salted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start by heating the evaporated milk slightly. You can do this either in the microwave by heating for about 45 seconds or on the stove by just heating on medium (but don’t boil). Remove from heat and set aside.1 can evaporated milk
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Make sure to stir constantly.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup salted butter
- Once it’s melted, add the warm evaporated milk and powdered sugar to the chocolate mixture and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.2 cups powdered sugar
- Boil, stirring constantly, for eight minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.1 tsp vanilla extract
- Let sauce cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Pam Sturgeon says
can you use regular milk for the evaporated milk? does this work with sugar free chocolate chips and Splenda?
Britni Vigil says
I’m really sorry but I’ve never tried the recipe swapping out all of the main ingredients…
Jacqueline Campbell says
Can I can this recipe?
Britni Vigil says
I’ve never tried canning it, sorry! If you do, please let me know how it goes.
Til says
This was delicious! I wasn’t sure what size can of evaporated milk. I used a full size 12 oz can and it was perfect. Thanks!
DragonRiderKat says
I did this on my twitch cooking stream. both my daughter and i love it! way better then store bought will be making this all the time.
Britni Vigil says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Britni Vigil says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Tracy Bruce says
Easiest Hot Fudge recipe I have ever made.
Loved the gift tags.
Recipients wanted more everyone raved on how delicious it is.