Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

Name: Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces chocolate bar (chopped, 60% cocoa ); 6 tablespoons granulated sugar; ½ cup heavy whipping cream; ¼ cup light corn syrup; 1 ½ tablespoons black cocoa powder (sifted); ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon salt (use less for bitter chocolate and more for sweet chocolate); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (cubed, softened to room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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This Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce is rich, silky smooth, and takes only 10 minutes to make. I guarantee you’ll never buy store-bought again!

Use your homemade sauce on my Smore’s Pie Dip or overtop ice cream and sundaes.

Spoon in a jar of Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce ready to spoon onto treats.

There’s something really magical about homemade hot fudge sauce.

It not only tastes better than store-bought, but it also has fewer ingredients, no artificial dyes, and no preservatives either. My recipe uses 2 types of cocoa: a chocolate bar and black cocoa powder. The two together makes for the most indulgent hot fudge sauce!

For another “better than store-bought” sauce, try my 3 Ingredient Caramel Sauce.

It’s all in the Chocolate!

I really mean it when I say, “It’s all in the chocolate!” I have tried this recipe with about 7 different of bars of chocolate… each has a different flavor which makes the hot fudge taste different.

My favorite chocolate bar to use is a 60% cocoa chocolate bar. It’s not too sweet, not too bitter, and makes the most accurate hot fudge flavor you’re thinking of. Feel free to use your favorite or experiment with different chocolate bars to find your favorite.

2 bowls filled with hot fudge sauce and another bowl of ice cream in the background.

Ingredients for Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

Here’s everything you will need to make this recipe and a few important notes too. Keep reading!

Chocolate Bar: I use a 60% cocoa chocolate bar from Ghirardelli because it’s my favorite flavored chocolate bar. Feel free to use your favorite.
Granulated Sugar: This balances the bitter from the chocolate and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Heavy Whipping Cream
Light Corn Syrup
Black Cocoa Powder: This is my secret ingredient for a rich and deep flavored hot fudge. Black cocoa gives off the taste of an Oreo cookie so it’s perfect.
Salt
Unsalted Butter: I do not recommend using salted butter, it makes the fudge a little too salty.
Vanilla Extract

How to Make Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

Here’s a quick summary of the steps. The recipe card further down will have complete details and instructions.

1. Heat to 220 degrees F. Stir together all the ingredients in a saucepan (chopped chocolate bar, granulated sugar, heavy whipping cream, light corn syrup, sifted black cocoa powder, and salt). Allow it to boil until it gets to 200 degrees F.

2. Whisk in the unsalted butter and vanilla extract until silky smooth. You can serve your hot fudge immediately or let it cool down a bit. Storing information in the next section!

Jar of sauce with a spoon and shards of a chocolate bar on the side.

A spoon drizzling sauce into a bowl. It's silky smooth and rich in color.

Storing and Reheating Information

You’ll want to store your Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce in a jar with an airtight lid. In the refrigerator it lasts for about 3 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure if you’re storing it in the freezer that you’re using a freezer-safe wide mouth jar.

There’s a few options for reheating your hot fudge sauce. One, you can microwave it on half power for 10 to 15 seconds. Two, you can place the jar in a saucepan of water and heat it on the stove until your desired consistency.

2 Must Read Recipe Tips

1. Sift your cocoa powder. This is an absolute a MUST! Just dumping the unsweetened cocoa powder into the saucepot will give you a lumpy hot fudge sauce, which no one wants. Sift it first and you’ll have a silky smooth sauce.

2. Heat the hot fudge sauce to 220 degrees F if you want an extra thick hot fudge. In this recipe we heat it to 200 degrees F because it is thick but not so thick where you’re bending your spoon. If you like it extra thick or need it that way to fill a cake or cupcakes, heat it to 220 degrees F.

Bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce and a spoon for eating.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Can I swap out the black cocoa powder?

Technically yes, but I strongly suggest you use black cocoa powder because of the quality and flavor. In it’s place you can use unsweetened cocoa powder, you will need 3 tablespoons.

Why is my hot fudge sauce clumpy?

This can be for a few reasons. One, the hot fudge sauce was unevenly heated causing spots to burn and clump up. Two, the black cocoa powder was not sifted before adding it into the pot.

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