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Vanilla ice cream in white bowl with 5-minute hot fudge sauce on top.

5-Minute Hot Fudge Sauce {Three Ways!}

Yield: 16 Servings (About 2 cups)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅓ cups (227 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (see note)
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons (57 g) salted butter
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, optional
  • 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened or Dutch-process cocoa powder, sift the cocoa powder before using if it is extra lumpy
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan, stir together the chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips), heavy cream, butter, corn syrup, brown sugar (if using), and cocoa powder. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, 3-5 minutes. Don't let the mixture overheat or scorch! Add additional milk or heavy cream, if needed, for a thinner consistency.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Peanut Butter-Chocolate Variation: use milk chocolate chips (or half milk chocolate/half semisweet), add 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter to the mixture before heating, and increase the heavy cream to 1 cup.
  • Butterscotch-Chocolate Variation: use half milk chocolate/half semisweet chocolate, add 2/3 cup butterscotch chips (about 4 ounces) to the mixture before heating, decrease the cocoa to 1 tablespoon, and increase the butter to 6 tablespoons.
  • Use immediately or store the sauce in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly just until heated (don't let it boil or simmer) or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time - thin with additional milk or heavy cream, if needed.

Notes

Chocolate: the hot fudge sauce (any flavor) will only be as good as the chocolate you use! I almost always use Ghirardelli or Guittard chocolate chips. They melt better than other brands I've tried, but ultimately, just use chocolate chips you love the flavor of!
PB & Butterscotch Versions: as much as I love dark chocolate, in the PB and butterscotch versions, it really does help to lighten up and go with at least part milk chocolate, otherwise the chocolate flavor overwhelms the add-in flavors of peanut butter or butterscotch. The sauce is still very rich and chocolatey.