Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

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Some like it hot and a little on the thick side. Here’s how to make sweet and rich hot fudge sauce from an old fashioned recipe.

You may never purchase another jar of the store-brand after making this Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce recipe. You can have this thick, rich sauce drizzled over your ice cream in 10 minutes or less.

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Hot Fudge Sauce with Cocoa – Perfect Ice Cream Topping

Growing up, our Grandma’s Homemade Ice Cream and this from scratch Hot Fudge Sauce went together like peas and carrots. I guess I never appreciated this delicious sauce until recently. The taste is off the charts!

I had a hankering for this from scratch hot fudge sauce, and it was ready in less than 10 minutes. And, it might as well be called a copycat hot fudge sauce because it tastes just like the jars that you buy at the grocery store.

My Grandma was a genius in the kitchen.Her generation didn’t have access to all the convenience products that we do, so they just made their own.

This stuff is HOT, HOT, HOT right when it comes off the stovetop.Don’t stick that spoon or whisk directly in your mouth or you’ll be sorry.I know it’s tempting, but take it from me. I learned this lesson from experience.

How do you make hot fudge sauce from scratch?

It’s simple! Combine water, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, cornstarch and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil while whisking until it’s thickened.Let cool, and store in a jar in the refrigerator.

How long does homemade fudge sauce last?

If stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, homemade hot fudge sauce will last approximately 2 weeks. Be sure to never double dip into the hot fudge sauce, or the the sauce will become watery and break down in consistency.

What can I do with leftover hot fudge sauce?

Other than the obvious way to use it (ice cream sundaes), there’s countless other ways to use it up.Add it as a layer in trifle recipes, add a spoonful into your morning coffee, make homemade hot cocoa by adding to warmed milk, or add it to your brownie mix for some extra pizazz.

Ingredients

  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Cornstarch
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Butter

What goes on a hot fudge sundae?

Check out this list of ingredients to customize your ice cream sundae. Start with a bowl of ice cream, vanilla or any flavor of ice cream you like. Top with one or more of these ingredients.

  • Hot Fudge Sauce or Chocolate Sauce
  • Caramel Sauce
  • Cherry
  • Salted Peanuts
  • Chocolate Chips (milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
  • Sprinkles
  • Brownie Chunks
  • Crushes Oreos
  • Candy Bits
  • Whipped Cream
  • Marshmallows or Marshmallow Creme

Grandma’s Favorite Recipes

Try some more of Grandma’s favorite recipes:

  • Sour Cream Coffee Cake
  • Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
  • Rhubarb Pie
  • Caramel Corn
  • Apple Crisp
  • Three Layer Chocolate Bars

How to Make Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

Step By Step Instructions

  1. In a sauce pan, bring water, sugar, cocoa powder, corn starch, vanilla, and butter to a boil.
  2. Stir constantly, cooking until thickened.
  3. Serve over vanilla ice cream, or just eat off the spoon (when cooled).

Storage Instructions

To store, let cool completely. Pour into a mason jar. Seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For the full instructions for hot fudge sauce with cocoa powder, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

  • This thick hot fudge recipe is a copycat of the jarred type that you get at the grocery store.
  • Grandma’s hot fudge sauce uses cocoa powder for a deep, rich chocolate flavor.
  • Corn starch is the thickening agent, and you may get clumps if you don’t whisk constantly. Feel free to push the sauce through a sieve for a smoother texture.
  • Let the homemade hot fudge sauce cool completely, seal and store in the refrigerator.
  • To rewarm, remove lid, and warm in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring in between intervals until it’s at your desired temperature.
  • Drizzle over ice cream for a sundae, try adding a scoop to your morning coffee to create a mocha, or add to milk to make chocolate milk.
  • It’s also great with a sprinkle of sea salt to get that salty sweet flavor combo.
  • Looking for a chocolate sauce that is similar to the Magic Shell ice cream topping? Try our homemade chocolate sauce with walnuts.
  • Check out our favorite pantry and kitchen items in our Amazon Store.

Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts

Hot Fudge Sauce from scratch is the perfect homemade Christmas gift. Pour the cooled hot fudge sauce into a clean mason jar, add a pretty ribbon, and it’s ready to be gifted to friends and family. Be sure to include a label with the date of preparation and how to properly store in the refrigerator.

Homemade edible Christmas gifts is one of my favorite parts of the holidays. Be sure to check out some of our favorite recipes below that make perfect gifts. Or read our best homemade gifts post.

Red Hot Cinnamon Apples

Homemade Martini Olives

Caramel Puff Corn

Grandma’s Caramel Corn

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (13)

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

You may never purchase another jar of the store-brand after making Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce. You can have this thick, rich sauce drizzled over your ice cream in ten minutes or less.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: copycat hot fudge sauce, homemade hot fudge sauce, hot fudge sauce, hot fudge sauce from scratch, hot fudge sauce with cocoa powder, thick hot fudge sauce, vintage hot fudge sauce

Servings: 1 pint

Calories: 1141kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 2 Tablespoons corn starch
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a small saucepan.

    Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (14)

  • Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.

    Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (15)

  • Serve over ice cream. Cool, cover and store in the refrigerator.

    Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (16)

Notes

  • This thick hot fudge recipe is a copycat of the jarred type that you get at the grocery store.
  • Grandma’s hot fudge sauce uses cocoa powder for a deep, rich chocolate flavor.
  • Corn starch is the thickening agent, and you may get clumps if you don’t whisk constantly. Feel free to push the sauce through a sieve for a smoother texture.
  • Let the homemade hot fudge sauce cool completely, seal and store in the refrigerator.
  • To rewarm old fashioned hot fudge sauce, remove the metal lid, and warm in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring in between intervals until it’s at your desired temperature.
  • Serve drizzled over ice cream or try adding a scoop to your morning coffee to create a mocha. Try Grandma’s Ice Cream recipe.
  • Please note that the carb counts, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on the products you use. The auto-calculation is an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.

Nutrition

Calories: 1141kcal | Carbohydrates: 239g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 201g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 6mg

Linking up to Weekend Potluck.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

Is Sanders no longer making hot fudge? ›

On Wednesday, the Clinton Township-based company announced that manufacturing of the iconic caramel and fudge toppings has resumed. The famous and much-loved toppings have been scarce and hard to come by since last fall because of a production pause.

What is hot fudge sauce made of? ›

In medium saucepan, combine cream, butter, sugars and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer 45 seconds. Add chocolate, and whisk to dissolve.

Why is my homemade hot fudge sauce grainy? ›

Graining can be caused by stirring the fudge mixture during the cooling process or not adding enough fluid to dissolve the sugar. The trick to fixing graininess is to melt the sugar crystals to give them another chance at setting properly.

Why does hot fudge taste different? ›

In fact, hot fudge sauce is just a fudge that never sets! Cream or milk, sugar, and butter are slowly boiled down until slightly thickened and light caramel-colored. This boiling-down process not only gives the sauce it's great gooey texture, but also contributes that special “fudgey” taste to the chocolate.

Why is Sanders hot fudge hard to find? ›

That happened shortly after Sanders' owner, Second Nature Foods, was acquired by CapVest, a London-based private equity firm. Second Nature blamed manufacturing challenges and extremely high demand for its decision to pull the fan favorite from distribution.

Why is there a Sanders hot fudge shortage? ›

Due to supply chain and production issues, the chocolatier decided in the late summer to pause production on its dessert toppings until it is able to find a new manufacturing facility.

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 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.

Should hot fudge sauce be refrigerated? ›

If you have leftovers (but let's be honest, you'll have to quadruple the recipe to have leftovers) then put it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will harden into a soft, gooey fudge like consistency. Then keep a spoon handy on the counter and dip it in every time you pass by.

Is it safe to can hot fudge sauce? ›

That's not to say that recipes aren't available, there are plenty of them on the internet, but they are NOT safe. Chocolate sauces are low-acid foods. Improper canning of low-acid foods has the potential to allow the spores that cause botulism to grow. Botulism is a food poisoning.

How do you thicken hot fudge? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

How many times can you reheat hot fudge? ›

The great thing about the hot fudge sauce is that it stores really well in the fridge. You can chill it and reheat it as many times as you want and it will still not split on you and remain the shiny glossy fudge sauce.

How long is homemade hot fudge good for? ›

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy on top of ice cream, in a chocolate or Oreo milkshake, in a dessert crepe, fondue, or with a spoon!

What happens if you don't stir fudge? ›

By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals. Stirring also introduces air, dust, and small dried bits from the walls of the saucepan—all potential seeds for crystal formation.

Does hot fudge topping go bad? ›

When does hot fudge topping expire? Unopened store-bought hot fudge topping can last up to one year past the 'best by' date on the packaging if properly stored. Once opened, you should aim to consume it within a month, although it can last up to three months in the refrigerator.

What happened to Sanders candy Company? ›

In 2018, Sanders became a division of Kar's Nuts when it acquired Morley and Sanders. In 2021, Kar's and Sanders were united under the corporate name Second Nature Brands, acquired in 2022 by UK-based private equity company CapVest Limited.

Who makes Sanders chocolate? ›

About Sanders:

Sanders is a classic national brand featuring premium chocolates, dessert toppings and baked goods using original recipes dating as far back as 1875. Started by Fred Sanders in Detroit, Michigan, the brand is now owned by Morley Candy Makers, Inc., with its own rich history dating back to 1919.

How long does Sanders hot fudge last unopened? ›

An unopened jar should be good for 2-3 years.

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