hot fudge brownie sundaes

Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes are a decadent treat you can easily make at home! Rich and fudgy homemade brownies are topped with vanilla ice cream and a 5-Minute Hot Fudge Sauce that tastes better than any hot fudge you’ve ever had! Add a cherry on top, and you’ll think you’ve been transported to your local ice cream shoppe.

this recipe

Why you’ll love these Brownie Sundaes:

• Fudgy Brownies – I’m using my tried & true Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies for these sundaes – everyone who tastes them instantly falls in love with their rich chocolate flavor and fudgy texture.
• 5-Minute Homemade Hot Fudge – I bet you didn’t know that you can make world class tasting hot fudge at home in 5 minutes! It takes just a few ingredients and hardly any effort.
• Easy & Customizable Recipe – Not only are the brownies and hot fudge easy, you can easily customize this treat with fun ice cream flavors (strawberry! mint! chocolate!) and toppings (whipped cream! sprinkles! nuts!).

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• Butter – I always use salted butter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
• Vegetable Oil – Since vegetable oil remains a liquid at room temperature (unlike butter) it’s instrumental in keeping baked goods of all kinds tender & moist. I used to make brownies with all butter but trust me – swapping out some of the butter for oil gives huge payoff in the moisture department, without sacrificing on flavor!
• Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
• Sugars – Using a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar makes it easier for all the sugar to dissolve, which is key to achieving the paper thin, shiny crust!
• Vanilla – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
• Salt – A little salt is key to any recipe – savory or sweet!
• All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
• Chocolate – I like using a mix of chocolates in the hot fudge to give it the perfect balance of flavors – not too sweet, but not bitter either.
• Evaporated Milk – Yes, you need to use a can of evaporated milk vs. regular milk. Evaporated milk is milk with about 60% of the water removed – this helps the hot fudge thicken.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations:

• Gluten-free – Make my Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies to make this recipe gluten-free!
• Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted, dairy-free butter and chocolate to make the brownies dairy-free. Use your favorite dairy-free ice cream. I don’t think you can purchase a dairy-free equivalent of evaporated milk, so you’ll need to purchase ready made hot fudge sauce that’s dairy-free or find a recipe.
• Toppings – Have fun with toppings! Get creative and use whatever you like – Homemade Whipped Cream, sprinkles, chopped nuts, 10-Minute Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce, Strawberry Compote, etc.

How to Make this Hot Fudge Sundae Recipe:

Step 1: Make the Brownies. Combine all brownie ingredients as directed in the recipe card below. If you want a simpler brownie recipe with minimal ingredients, make my 5-Ingredient Brownies instead.

Step 2: Make the Hot Fudge. Heat together evaporated milk, chocolate, and sugar in a medium pan until it reaches a low boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. The fudge will thicken as it cools.

Step 3: Assemble your Sundaes. Serve each brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous drizzle of hot fudge, and a cherry! Whipped cream and sprinkles would be fun, too.

Serving + Storing:

Enjoy your hot fudge sundae immediately once assembled! Store leftover hot fudge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, reheating gently before topping. Use leftover hot fudge in my S’mores Milkshakes or in my Peppermint Hot Fudge Bars!

Expert Baking Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
• Glass vs. Metal Pan – Glass is a poor conductor of heat, making it a poor option for baking. It will bake the edges of your brownies faster than the center. Metal conducts heat faster and more evenly, making it the universal choice for bakers. A metal pan will produce perfectly fudgy, evenly-baked brownies every time.
• Don’t Over Bake – Do not over bake these brownies, or I will take away your baking license! But really – use the doneness indicators that I give in the recipe card. Dry brownies are not a fun experience!
• Slicing Picture Perfect Brownies – Use a plastic knife to slice clean squares – the brownies won’t stick to plastic! Or, use a chef’s knife but run it under hot water first, then clean and repeat this between each cut.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Metal Pan – A metal 8×8 pan is ideal for this recipe.

More Brownie Recipes to Love:

• Best-Ever 5 Ingredient Brownies (Cocoa powder only!)
• Biscoff Stuffed Brownies
• Decadent Turtle Brownies
• Fudgy Red Velvet Oreo Brownies
• Buckeye Brownies
• Layered Mint Chocolate Brownies
• Fudgy M&M Brownies

Photography for this recipe is courtesy of Creating Kaitlin. All other photography on Blue Bowl Recipes is by myself, Stephanie Simmons, unless otherwise credited.

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