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This Ridiculously Easy Hot Fudge Sauce is seriously some of the silkiest, smoothest, most delicious chocolate sauce you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting!
Every word in the title of this recipe, Ridiculously Easy Hot Fudge Sauce, is true, although I didn't include one most important word... DELICIOUS. It's also ridiculously delicious!
Ridiculously Easy
This Hot Fudge Sauce definitely falls into our special category of recipes that we call Ridiculously Easy. You can read more about these recipes in this post and check out the whole collection here but, to sum things up briefly, our Ridiculously Easy Recipes are the ones "that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part".
This is how this amazing sauce comes together - throw all the ingredients in a blender except the half and half. Heat the half and half in the microwave till it's good and hot, then quickly add it to the blender contents.
Cover and push the ON button while you slowly pour in the hot cream. I like to place a small funnel into the opening of the blender container. It makes it super easy to add the hot liquid plus it gives the steam a chance to escape, preventing a combustion issue with the blender.
Less than 2 minutes later you'll be staring at the most luscious, deep, dark, rich, silky-smooth chocolate sauce you've ever had the pleasure of meeting!
See what I mean, easy! Ridiculously easy! But you know what? I won't tell a soul if you don't. We'll just keep this magically delicious, super simple secret to ourselves and enjoy the accolades, okay?
The better the chocolate, the better the sauce!
Oh, and speaking of secrets; there is one important little detail I need to share regarding this recipe. Use good quality chocolate. It can be semisweet or bittersweet, I've had good results with both. Good quality chocolate chips will work as well as bars of good chocolate or chocolate feves (pictured above in the blender images).
I've made this dessert sauce a zillion times and I have to say it's delicious with everyday chocolate chips like Nestle or Hershey. But if you can invest a bit more and use really good quality chocolate (example below in the Café Tips), the results are AMAZING.
An easy dessert solution!
If you've got a get-together coming up and you don't have time for a fancy dessert, don't worry, no one will care. Pick up a carton of your favorite vanilla ice cream and whip up a batch of this Ridiculously Easy Hot Fudge Sauce. Add a few raspberries and a sprig of mint to each bowl and, guaranteed, there will be lots of oohs and ahhs and happy faces around the table!
This chocolate sauce also pairs nicely with shortbread cookies or some good chocolate chip cookies alongside a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Or try it drizzled over This Sugar Glazed Ricotta Pound Cake with a dollop of whipped cream on the side... delish!
No matter what you serve it with, everyone will think you're a culinary whiz for making this heavenly, homemade chocolate sauce - just don't tell them about the ridiculously easy part!
Café Tips for making this Ridiculously Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
- You can make this easy hot fudge sauce with any type of chocolate bars or chocolate chips. There are lots of options. Use your favorite and what you can afford. I've used Nestles and Hershey's with good results. If you want to go with a more gourmet chocolate, Ghiradelli bars and chips, Lindt, Guittard, Green and Black's and Valrhona will all give wonderful results.
- For those of you living outside the U.S., you might be wondering what half and half is. Half and half is an American convenience product that's often used in coffee. It's a simple combination of half milk and half cream.
- If the sauce seems too thick, you can always thin it out with some extra half and half.
- The sauce will get thicker when chilled in the refrigerator but will thin out nicely when it's warmed.
- You can warm the sauce in the microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes (just make sure you're using a microwave-safe container) or on the stovetop in a small saucepan over low heat.
- This Ridiculously Easy Hot Fudge Sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for 10 days to 2 weeks.
- Add a half teaspoon of mint extract with the ingredients in the blender and you have a delicious Chocolate Mint Fudge Sauce.
- If you don't have a microwave, you can heat the half and half in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Heat until it boils and gets nice and bubbly.
- Don't attempt this recipe if you don't have a blender with a center cap that can be removed.
Thought for the day:
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It's so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
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Ridiculously Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 ounces good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (you also can use good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, I use salted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, I like to use a flaky sea salt
- ½ cup half & half, a bit more to thin, if needed
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except half and half into a blender container.
- Measure half and half into a medium-size microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat in the microwave on high power for 60-90 seconds or until it's boiling. Make sure to use a large enough container to allow the liquid to boil without rising over the top.
- Immediately pour over contents into a standard blender container and cover with the blender center cap removed. Holding several thicknesses of paper toweling over the center hole (to allow the steam to escape), blend on medium-high speed for 1 minute. You can also place a small funnel over the opening on the blender cap which will allow the steam to escape and makes for easy pouring.
- Remove the cover carefully and scrape down the sides of the blender container with a rubber spatula. Cover and blend again for another minute. The sauce should be smooth, silky and thick. Depending on the type of chocolate you use, the sauce may be too thick at this point. If you want to thin it a bit, add more half and half, 2-3 teaspoons at a time and blend briefly till combined. Continue until desired consistency is reached.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or glass jar. Keeps for 1-2 weeks. The sauce will get thicker when chilled but will return to a looser consistency when warmed. Heat before serving on medium power in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until the desired temperature.
- Makes approximately 1 cup of chocolate sauce
Notes
Nutrition
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Just lookin' for the flour tortillas. I know you'll have the link fixed "toot sweet", a others have commented too.
Would love flour tortillas recipe. Many thanks Katie
Hi Katie, I've resent the email with the correct link.
I was sending out the post in the car as we were traveling, and the Internet reception was going in and out. I thought I had added and saved the correct link, but apparently it didn’t save. Here’s the correct link: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/
Hi Viv, I've resent the email with the correct link.
I was sending out the post in the car as we were traveling, and the Internet reception was going in and out. I thought I had added and saved the correct link, but apparently it didn’t save. Here’s the correct link: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/
Looking for the tortillas recipe, and click leads to hot fudge sauce. Thanks! Love your recipes.
Cynthia, to get around this glitch, copy the recipe, paste it into your Google search line and it will take you to the right place. I got the tortilla recope after the same issue. Good luck.
Hey Chris
When I click on the link to the fabulous flour tortilla recipe, it is a recipe for fudge sauce. Just thought you might like to know, Cindy
I agree with Cynthia. I do like hot fudge too, but where are the darn tortillas?
Hi Jim, I've resent the email with the correct link.
I was sending out the post in the car as we were traveling, and the Internet reception was going in and out. I thought I had added and saved the correct link, but apparently it didn’t save. Here’s the correct link: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/
Same!
Same as Cynthia's remarks---no flour tortilla recipe. Thanks, S
Hi Sandra, I've resent the email with the correct link.
I was sending out the post in the car as we were traveling, and the Internet reception was going in and out. I thought I had added and saved the correct link, but apparently it didn’t save. Here’s the correct link: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/
Thanks, Cindy. We appreciate the extra eyes out there helping out!
This is dangerous to have around. I stored my leftover in the refrigerator and have almost finisihed it all - spoon by spoon.
Ha! I know what you mean, Vickie!
This recipe is fantastic! Surprisingly quick and simple. I used unsweetened chocolate and added a bit more sugar (1/3 c instead of 1/4). Also, I used a lactose free whole milk instead of cream and and vegan butter, and it still made a wonderfully thick and smooth sauce. I'm sending this recipe to family and friends.
That's great, Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing your review!
Easy and delicious! However, I spent about 10 minutes scraping every yummy bit of the sauce out of my blender. I used the small jar on my vitamix blender-- it has ridges inside, so it wasn't easy to get all the sauce out. I think next time I will make it in a saucepan with a whisk. I did not have half and half so I made some using heavy cream and 2% milk- which worked fine. I used Trader Joe's 72%c\Cacao Dark Chocolate chips. YUM!
Thanks for the review, Robin!
Just made this on the stovetop with a whisk in a tall-sided pot and it came out great! I added the half-n-half last, just as the other ingredients were blended (do NOT overheat them). SO very delicious on vanilla ice cream.
Thanks for the review, Donna!
I didn't have half-and-half, but did have evaporated milk so used that instead. Incredible!
Thank you for the review, JM!
Just made this using the smaller (18-oz) cup for my Ninja Bullet and it worked great! It blended silky smooth in 45 seconds with no scraping needed. As the other ingredients at room temp, there isn’t enough hot liquid to cause an issue with the plastic (I checked with Ninja). The small cup is easier to scrape out than a standard blender jar. I used Guittard semisweet chips. We’ll enjoy the first taste tonight with a little ice cream. Thank for another wonderful recipe! I always feel confident that your flavors, ingredients and process will work. I've frozen fudge before: would here be any problem freezing this sauce for a few weeks?
That's great, Karen! Thank you for the review. And yes, this freezes well. Enjoy!
Amazing recepe
Thanks, Fred!
I would love to have the labels for , The easy Hot Fudge Sauce. Thank you!
Hi Kathleen, we don't have labels for this recipe at this time.
Thanks for the recipe. I have a similar one using brown sugar and evaporated milk.
Half & Half is not an just an American product, our Dairies here in Canada have been
producing it for as long as I can remember. I usually dilute milk and heavy cream, and
if I don't have any of the chocolate that you have noted I have subbed wuth Kirkland chips.
Thanks, Claudia!
The whole family loves this hot fudge! My husband does homemade ice cream when the weather is nice in Oregon, and this is a must. Thank you for the recipe-- it needs no changes whatsoever. Also, LOVE that you're listening to Sovereign Grace.
So happy to hear that, Dorothy!
This is delicious. It has more of a pudding-like consistency, than I think of with chocolate sauce, but that hasn't stopped me!! If it's too thick, try thinning it with a little Buttershots liqueur. YUM!! I'll bet an orange liqueur would be good, too.
Thanks, Sylvia! You can always thin it to your liking with more half and half, but your way sounds delicious!
Labels for hot fudge sauce please and thank you! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Barb, we do not have labels for this recipe at this time.
SERVING SIZE?!
Hi Janis, it's to the right of the ingredient list. A serving is one tablespoon.
I would love to have the labels for both the apple cider caramel sauce and the hot fudge sauce…
Thank you so much!!!
I plan to make this tomorrow
Hi Julie, we don't have labels for these recipes at this time. They will still make great gifts 🙂
This hot fudge recipe has never failed me. Just delicious!
Thanks for letting us know, Karen!
Hi Chris, you have the nicest dish ware. Could you link your blue/white bowls? Thanks!
Hi Margaret, I picked up those blue and white flowered dishes years ago when we were visiting our daughter in London. I wish I could find more of them as I love them too but I've never seen them since.
Super fast and deeelicious! This fudge is dangerous sitting in my fridge with a spoon 🙂
Ha! Thanks for letting us know, Heidi!
Made your Hot Fudge Sauce, it’s Memorial Day weekend. Have a peanut butter pie calls for hot fudge sauce on the side and this recipe is outstanding. Delicious sauce. Have a great Memorial Day.
Thank you,
Barb
Awesome, Barb! Thanks for letting us know!
I just made the fudge hot sauce to go with the Leprechaun shortbread bars and ice cream. So easy and delicious! Thanks. I used Kirkland 60% chocolate chips.
Thanks for sharing your results, Chrystal!
Wow great recipe. After reading through the other comments I took the advice of one of your readers and put 6 oz of Ghirardelli 60% cacao chips and the other ingredients in a glass pint jar while I heated the cream. Poured it into the jar and stirred for a couple minutes, and Voila!. Perfect velvety sauce. Super easy. Thanks.
Thanks, Nancy!
Hi Chris, This sounds wonderful. But I am wondering, does this sauce get chewy when poured over ice cream ?
I am looking for one that does not. Could I add 2 t. honey to make it more pourable?
Thanx,
Cathi
Hi Cathi, I'm not sure exactly what you mean by chewy. This sauce doesn't harden like some do. Is that what you mean?
This was great! I used six ounces of just regular chocolate chips and it was delicious. I blended mine with an immersion blender which works really well for blending hot mixtures.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your results, Ashley. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Divine! It does not get easier than this.
Thanks, Katryn!
Would love to purchase the french broad chocolate but cannot seem to find the same bar as you show. The only bar on their website is Peru (vegan) 70%. Thoughts? Would prefer the chef's tablet.
Thanks,
Kathy Stanton
Hi Kathy, I know the French Broad Chocolate company has changed some of their products. I would probably just go with a bar of good quality chocolate even if it isn't French Broad.
I wanted to make this and started to, but found out I was out of 1/2 and 1/2 so I melted 1/2 cup of vanilla bean ice cream and added a little milk to it and boiled it. I left out the vanilla because the ice cream had a lot in it. I used a scant cup of sugar because I didn't want it too sweet. It turned out very well and it was delicious. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips but will try it again with dark or baking chocolate. Thank you for the different and easy recipe.
You're very resourceful, Joan! So happy you enjoyed this sauce. We love it and I love that it's so darn EASY!
Oh my gosh, just made this! Perfect texture and consistancy! What flavor! Very silky and smooth. Not grainy at all! Literally had it done in 5 minutes. Can't wait to put this over some ice cream for national ice cream day! Perfection!
What is half and half
Hi Maria, half and half is a combination of milk and heavy cream. If you live in the UK, it would be a 2:1 ratio of pouring cream and full-fat milk. You could also make this with straight pouring cream.
Thank God for Pinterest! The sauce is so delicious! Glad to have found your site too!!
Thanks so much, Lauren. So happy you enjoyed it and welcome to The Café!
Easy! Made it tonight using microwave for 1/2 n 1/2. I did use a quart jar & I wouldn't recommend anything smaller. Maybe could have heated it once more after putting it all together but came out really good. Minute bits of chocolate not melted but enjoyable. WI used a scale for measurement of dark chocolate chips, only chocolate in the house, and that worked well. Will definitely make it again and share. Teenage grandchildren will have no problem making it.
Thanks, Winnie, so glad you took the time to share a comment!
I have made this several times using two Lindt Bars (total 7 oz). I usually use either 85% or 90% and it makes the most w nderful thick hot fudge sauce. I do usually have to thin it a bit and I do add about 1 Tbs extra sugar to account for the extra weight of chocolate. Thanks for an easy WONDERFUL recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing your results with us Peggy!
Hi Chris, just found your fabulous blog when I was looking for a really good choc fudge sauce. I am in the UK - Hampstead, London - and used single cream instead of half and half, which as you know we don't have. I also used Lindt Chilli Chocolate. Apart from these I followed the recipe carefully, It was very e.... and tastes wonderful, however it is quite runny - it is chilling in the fridge as I write but is still runny. I blended for 2 and a half minutes and boiled the cream in the microwave for 90 secs. How can I thicken it up so it looks like yours? Hope you can help, many thanks, Beth.
Wait till it's completely chilled Beth (a couple of hours) that should help thicken it. If it's still thin, melt one to two ounces of chocolate, combine it with the sauce in the blender and chill it again.
I just made up a batch and it really is great. But I hate to clean up my blender, and hate to waste chocolate so here is an even easier and faster method. I nuked 1/2 c half&half in a pint canning jar (any heatable jar with a lid would work, I have a cute vintage one) until bubbly, almost 3 min. You could also set the jar in a pan of boiling water. Meanwhile I broke up a bar and a half of ghiradeli 60% dark and got out butter and extracts. I used some coffee extract that I had just bought in addition to vanilla. I added the chocolate, 2 tbsp butter, 1+ tsp extracts, and skipped the sugar. I stirred it vigorously and had to reheat a bit to get everything to melt together.
Then I poured some over Hagen Dazs vanilla ice cream! Wow! The only cleanup is to lick the spoon!
By itself the sauce is somewhat bitter and I can taste the extract alcohol, but on the ice cream it was plenty sweet. The sauce may be more runny but it thickened up when it got cold. I suspect it will get thicker upon reheating. I'll add more comments if anything weird happens.
Great idea!!
Just made this only had Nestle chips. Was so good and easy too. Kids loved it. Wasn't any left to save. Thank you
You're so welcome Judy! It's a real keeper, isn't it?
Yum! Made this in 2 minutes! Extra star 6 for how easy it was!
Thanks Wendy! Glad you enjoyed it!
I tried to give the hot fudge sauce 5 STARS...what's up with that? I'll try again. 🙂
I made the Best Ever Hot Fudge Sauce, and it is really delicious and really that easy. I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips, heated the half and half on top of the stove...no worries. Amazing! I think it tastes better after it's been in the refrigerator, cooled and reheated briefly in the microwave. There's a recipe for Chocolate Mousse in the SWEET POTATO QUEEN'S BIG ASS COOKBOOK that reminds me of this one; you make it in 5 minutes right in your blender. Love all things chocolate!
Thanks Joyce, so happy you enjoyed it!
I just made this last night as a topping for my ice cream sundae. I didn't have any half and half on hand, so I used regular whole milk with melted butter mixed in. I also halved the recipe. It turned out SO GOOD I was licking the spoon. And it was so freakin easy!!! I used semisweet chocolate chips as well. Yum yum.
Thanks Katarina! So glad you liked it!
I live about an hour from Asheville, and I must say it is one of my favorite cities in the US! Not to mention, I try to go to French Broad every time I'm there. You are right about the quality of their chocolate, and I can't wait to try this sauce with their chocolate! It is the best!
I wish there was a completion for the best hot fudge. I made a hot fudge up that will easily win it.
Oh Chris! I'm so excited to try this recipe but please, sweets - - where did you get that so darling white bowl?
You are so sweet, Cindy. I wish I could tell you that they came from some common place like Amazon or Target but I found them in a “charity shop” in London while visiting my daughter there. They were just pennies (or pence as they say over there) and I only have three of them but I love them and wish I had more. They are called “lotus bowls” if that helps.
Chris, I'm looking at making some of this for teacher presents-1-2 weeks refrigerated max?
Hi Patti, yes, I wouldn't keep it much longer than that.
Hello chris !
I'm from Paris, France ! and your receipe looks amazing ! but i don't understand what's the Half and Half ???
Please could you explain to me 😉
Have a nice day
Hi Sonia. half and half is an American convenience item. It's just half milk and half cream. Hope you enjoy this, I know you have wonderful chocolate in France so it should be super good!
My granddaughter would swoon over this sauce!
The fudge sauce looks heavenly, Chris. I seriously want to lick the screen! Love those copper pans and pots.
I almost went for this conference but couldn't fit it into my schedule. Glad you had loads of fun! Decadent fudge sauce 🙂
Asheville was wonderful from the tour of Biltmore (and dinner on the hill) to the restaurant crawl! I just happen to have some of that French Broad chocolate left, just waiting for this recipe. 🙂 Hot fudge sauce on ice cream is a favorite around here. All of the photos are beautiful, as usual, but the picture of the group listening to the guide in the pantry made me laugh. We all have such different expressions on our faces! 🙂
With this chocolate, I bet this sauce is soooooo good:)
I made this last night, Chris, and it is easy and delicious. I had Ghiradelli chips on hand and used those. Yum!
I love simple recipes...especially when look that good...
Thanks for the pictures...I enjoyed them all..
Hope you both are having a fantastic week 😀
What an amazing trip you had!! Liv actually saw this sauce on fb yesterday and commented to me "We need to make that!! And she said it was easy!!" So this weekend... we will. Fabulous!
I love love your posts, your sweet spirit radiates....thankyousomuch for all the insides to such great recipes........xoxox
Simple recipes are usually the best. And hot fudge sauce is sooo good! Nice to have a quick way to make it -- thanks.
The French Broad is a river isn't it? I've been away from Tennessee/North Carolina for a while but I remember the rivers. 🙂
I will try your hot fudge sauce as soon as I make some more ice cream. Yummo!
Good job Maureen. The French Broad River is right near Asheville!
I have a hot fudge sauce I love but yours looks so incredibly e*** that I absolutely must give it a try!
It's the easy but best recipes that are the most fun! This sounds delicious! But then it's chocolate, so why wouldn't it?!?! 🙂
We all need these recipes that are no recipes in our culinary toolbox. They make us look good.
I am a little jealous of your trip and your tour. The best of two worlds.
Damn this looks good! That is some fine chocolate too!
My mouth is watering! One of my blog followers has season tickets to Biltmore and they go often and LOVE it! All these copper pots; can you imagine the polishing they would take? Maybe their staff has a special copper polisher and that is all he does. My mouth is watering now and I am glad the chocolitier is far away...or else I would gain 100 pounds!
Oh, Chris! This fudge looks divine.
I am glad that you had fun at the conference. The manor is a trip itself. I just wish I could travel more often. .
Those chocolates are adorb:)
And the copper and the ferns..and your turquoise necklace:)