Indulge in the nostalgic flavor of Sanders hot fudge with this homemade hot fudge copycat recipe! Creamy, chocolaty, and decadently fudgy, it’s perfect for pouring over ice cream or making a hot fudge brownie sundae. It’s a homemade version of the beloved hot fudge, exactly as you remember it!
If you’ve ever been to the Detroit area of Michigan (or the Midwest in general), you may have been lucky enough to pop into one of the Sanders candy and Ice cream shop locations that are not only famous for their ice cream and candy, but also their hot fudge!
There are still a few locations left, and you can certainly buy the hot fudge online, but if you want a cost-effective, much faster way to get your hands on Sanders fudge, I highly recommend making this homemade hot fudge made with a few ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time.
Pour it over your ice cream, use it in the middle of an ice cream cake, or eat it by the spoonful, either way, you’ll find a way to devour it and will need to make more immediately. So, having this recipe for Sanders hot fudge in your back pocket will come in handy. Believe me!
Sanders Hot Fudge Recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s made with just 4 ingredients.
- The entire batch makes 4 cups and ready in just over an hour.
- It’s thick, rich, chocolaty, and tastes just like the original.
- You’ll love having it on hand, ready to pour on everything!
Helpful Tools
- Double boiler – or, if like me you don’t have a double boiler, a saucepan with a heatsafe bowl on top will work just as well
- Whisk
- Spatulas
- Jars for storage
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Salted butter – Cut the butter into cubes so it melts faster. I use salted butter as a nice balance to all the sweetness.
- Milk chocolate chips – The original recipe found on my aunt’s recipe box says to use Nestle chocolate chips, but I’m sure you can use your favorite.
- Sweetened condensed milk – This helps to keep the fudge rich, thick, and sweet. Eagle Brand is the most popular (and, as it calls for in the original recipe).
- Light corn syrup – Corn syrup (aka Karo syrup) helps prevent the fudge from solidifying, so it stays spreadable and pourable. It also gives it a nice sheen.
How to make this Recipe for Sanders Hot Fudge
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Place the double boiler over medium heat. Gently melt the butter and chocolate chips until smooth, stirring often.
- Step Two: Once combined (about 15 minutes), pour in the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup. Stir to combine then reduce the heat to low.
- Step Three: Let that cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Then, remove it from the heat, pour it into a jar, and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
- Feel free to swap milk chocolate for semi-sweet or dark chocolate, if preferred.
- You can use unsalted butter if that’s what you have.
- It’s important to melt the chocolate slowly. Refrain from using high heat so that it doesn’t seize and burn.
- The homemade hot fudge will thicken as it cools, so give it a chance to do that before serving it.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Once the fudge has completely cooled, cover the jar with a tight lid and store it for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions
If you’ve got a freezer-safe container, your fudge can be kept frozen for up to 1 year.
Reheating Instructions
Warm the hot fudge on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave.
Need more chocolate recipes? Try these:
Chocolate Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
Click here to view my entire collection of dessert recipes.
Sanders Hot Fudge Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter cubed
- 11.5 ounces milk chocolate chips
- 12 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ cups light corn syrup
Instructions
- To a double boiler over medium heat, add the butter and chocolate chips.1 cup salted butter, 11.5 ounces milk chocolate chips
- Gently melt, stirring often, until smooth. This took about 15 minutes for me, you don't want to scald the chocolate.
- Once fully combined, pour in the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup. Stir until combined and then reduce the heat to low.12 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 1 ½ cups light corn syrup
- Let cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Recipe makes approximately 1 quart/4 cups of hot fudge.
- The original recipe, from my aunt’s recipe box, called specifically for Nestle milk chocolate chips and Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk.
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips can be used.
- Unsalted butter can be used, I prefer a bit of balance to the sweetness.
- After cooling completely, store the hot fudge in an airtight container for up to a week. It will thicken as it cools.
- Hot fudge can be frozen up to a year when stored properly.
- To reheat, warm the fudge over low heat on the stove or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
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Love this recipe! It is easy to make and the flavor is just what I was looking for. It was a little thicker than what I remember Sander’s hot fudge being. Do you have any suggestions for thinning the sauce a bit?
You can add a little extra corn syrup to thin it. I’d start with 1/4 cup and see what you think.
I have made this recipe for years. I’m a fan of dark chocolate, so I use semisweet chips and add a chopped square of baking chocolate. It’s heaven over vanilla ice cream with toasted pecans and toasted coconut.
Good, but not quite
Not quite what?