Salted Hot Fudge Sauce

By Ann Fulton

This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It's quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift!
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This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It’s quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift! (Small and big batch recipe cards included.)

 

While my family enjoys traditional pies for our Thanksgiving dessert, Christmas dinner is always capped off with vanilla ice cream drizzled with homemade hot fudge sauce. A plate of cookies is typically passed, too.

While baking Christmas cookies quite a few years ago with a friend, she mentioned her family’s beloved homemade chocolate sauce. As she was making my mouth water describing her go-to hostess gift, she proceeded to whip up a batch and kindly sent me home with a jar.

Ever since, the salty-sweet sauce has been a favorite with my family, too. It quickly became a go-to gift for me as well–one that I actually get friendly reminders about!

This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It's quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift!

Conveniently, the use of basic pantry ingredients allow for quick, last-minute prep. Those who like to plan ahead, however, will appreciate that the recipe may be prepared well in advance and will keep several months in the fridge…if it lasts that long!

Presented in a Mason jar, the sauce makes a welcome and attractive holiday or hostess gift. The full batch fills four 8-ounce or two pint-size jars.

If preferred, the recipe can easily be halved or even quartered. The latter option yields a single cup, because sometimes a small batch is just right.

I’m far more likely to make a mistake on a recipe when I’m doing mental math and otherwise multi-tasking. To prevent you from doing the same, I’ve included a separate printable recipe card with measurements for the cup-size batch.  

I’ve also received lots of great reader feedback. One longtime fan likes to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for the slightest bit of heat. A friend once used the sauce, which thickens when refrigerated, to frost a cake and reported it was a hit. Just make sure to keep the cake chilled! 

Following is a quick photo overview of the easy process:

This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It's quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift!

The chocolate and butter are melted over a double boiler. This prevents the sauce from scorching. Don’t have a double boiler? Simply place a smaller pot inside a larger pot and add an inch or two of water to the bottom pot.

This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It's quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift!

Stir in the sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt, and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and glossy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It's quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift!

Velvety texture and a delightful balance of sweet and salty have made this easy recipe a longtime reader favorite.  

This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It's quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift!

Add a tag and a simple bow, and the sauce becomes a thoughtful holiday, hostess, or any-time-of-year gift.

Salted Hot Fudge Sauce
This recipe may be transferred into four 8-ounce or two 16-ounce Mason jars for attractive holiday gifts. Simply tie with a bow.

Yield: 4 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 (8-ounce) box unsweetened chocolate squares
  • ½ cup butter (1 stick)
  • 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk, and not a reduced fat or fat free variety)
  • 2 cups (384g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce looks smooth and glossy. (This takes me about 7-10 minutes from the time the chocolate is fully melted.)
  3. Cool slightly, and then transfer to 4 (8-ounce) or 2 pint-size Mason jars or other airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator, where the sauce will keep for quite a few months. It will firm up when cold; reheat gently when ready to serve.
Notes

This recipe may be easily cut in half for a 2-cup yield.

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Small Batch Salted Hot Fudge Sauce
Yield: 1 cup
Stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, this delicious sauce will keep for several months…not that it will last that long!
Ingredients
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
  • 3 ounces evaporated milk (89ml or ⅓ cup plus ½ tablespoon; not sweetened condensed milk)
  • ½ cup (96g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt (could substitute kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce looks smooth and glossy. (This takes me about 7-10 minutes from the time the chocolate is fully melted.)
  3. Cool slightly, and then transfer to an 8-ounce jar or other airtight container. Store in the refrigerator, where the sauce will keep for quite a few months. It will firm up when cold; reheat gently when ready to serve.
More On YouTube More on Instagram
Tried this recipe?Post a picture on instagram and we will repost it! Mention @fountainavenuekitchen or tag #fountainavenuekitchen!
The Fountain Avenue Kitchen https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/

Recipe first published December 14, 2012.

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Comments

  1. Joan

    Can you make this without using a double boiler? Like maybe the microwave?
    Have you ever made it using milk chocolate instead of unsweetened chocolate? i’m not a fan of dark chocolate and I think unsweetened chocolate is usually dark chocolate. Thanks

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Joan, You could make this in the microwave. The key would be to fully incorporate the sugar so the mixture is smooth and velvety but without scorching it. I would cook in relatively short increments, stirring frequently, until you reach this point. You could also fashion a double boiler by placing a smaller pot within a larger one. As for the chocolate, the sugar balances the unsweetened chocolate, but if you wanted a sweeter sauce, you might start by using half unsweetened chocolate and half milk or semi-sweet. I haven’t tried, but that’s where I would start if I did. Feel free to report back if you try!

      Reply
  2. Samantha

    hi I am trying to make your delicious looking hot fudge sauce but could only find Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate (not 100% unsweetened), will this work still?

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Samantha, The amount of sugar in the hot fudge sauce is based on the use of unsweetened chocolate, so the final outcome would be sweeter. You could experiment by adding a little less sugar (I’d figure about 2 teaspoons sugar per ounce of chocolate) and perhaps stirring in a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder if needed to add more bitterness/tone down the sweetness. I can’t guarantee the results because I haven’t tried, but this is where I would start if I wanted to make use of what I had on hand. If you try, maybe test with a smaller batch and please report back!

      Reply
  3. Anne Besterman
    (5/5)

    Hi Ann ~ I LOVE this recipe! I didn’t make it (yet) this year, but in several years past I have given it to neighbors and friends as an edible Christmas gift … always so appreciated. When given as a gift I include a gift card to a local ice cream shop to accompany the fudge sauce! As always, thanks for your yummy recipes all year long! Merry-Merry Christmas to you and the entire Fulton family!

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Anne, I’m thrilled that this has been a holiday go-to for you and love the idea of giving it with a gift card to a local ice cream shop. Thank you for the lovely feedback and Merry Christmas to you!

      Reply
  4. Judy Kaye-Mateo

    I know this is way past but quick question. I only have semi sweet chocolate in the 8 small square bar 4 oz. Will that work if I put less sugar when I cook it?

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Judy, I haven’t done this myself, but I’m optimistic you could make a worthy substitution. A general rule of thumb is to add 1 tablespoon of sugar per 1 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate for use as an ounce-for-ounce substitute for semisweet baking chocolate. Reversing that (with the smaller batch recipe), I’d try using your 4-ounce bar of semi-sweet chocolate, reducing the sugar by 2 tablespoons (so 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar instead of 1/2 cup). Again, I haven’t tested to be sure, but that’s where I would start. I hope this helps. Feel free to report back if you try!

      Reply
  5. Elaine

    Made this exactly as instructed except didn’t use double boiler and the results were excellent. I made the large batch and wondered if you think this would freeze well? Thank you.

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Elaine, I’m delighted this was a hit! I’ve made this sauce many times and tend to store it in the refrigerator, where I realized a while back (after a jar got “lost” in the back of the fridge!) that it will keep for several months. I think it would freeze well but might test with a small batch to be sure.

      Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      You could try it, Rosemary, but I’m afraid the undertones of molasses in the brown sugar may not complement the flavor of this recipe quite as well.

      Reply
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  8. Karen

    Well, my friend, you did it again! This was perfect as I had everything I needed to make this hot fudge sauce on hand. How great is that! Another reason we dearly love your site is that you share recipes that are delish & wonderful to give to friends an family. And no running for a crazy spice one has never seen before. You are amazing with your recipe shares and I feel you should know how happy you make folks with your recipes…we love them all!! Merry Christmas to you & yours an cheers to a great new year.

    Reply
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    1. Ann

      Hi Brenda,
      Though I have not made it that way, I can’t imagine it would be anything short of fabulous with heavy cream. I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Danita Lange

    This sounds wonderful! I think I may have to pick up the ingredients this week to try it out. 🙂 I love how you always respond to the questions – a lot of sites don’t do that. Thank you for sharing; I look forward to trying this out!

    Reply
    1. Ann

      It is rather tasty, Danita, and thank you for your thoughtful comment. I do try to answer all of the questions, as I want people to have complete success with the recipes…as I hope you have with this one!

      Reply