A recipe for Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce! This decadent chocolate sauce is flavored with peppermint extract for a festive addition to ice cream and other desserts.
Add a little holiday cheer to your ice cream with this Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce! Along with a dash of peppermint extract, the thick and creamy sauce includes both cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate for quite the indulgent treat.
Simply simmer together heavy cream, golden syrup (or light corn syrup), cocoa powder, brown sugar, chocolate pieces, and salt to create a thickened sauce.
Immediately after removing from heat, whisk in even more chocolate, butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract until smooth and creamy.
Allow to cool slightly until warm, but still pourable, before serving over ice cream or other desired desserts.
If the Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce is too hot, it will melt straight through the ice cream. Once warm, the sauce will quickly cool as it touches the ice cream and develop a slightly chewy fudge texture.
A Few Peppermint Hot Fudge Tips
Golden syrup is a thick, amber colored cane sugar syrup found in the international/British section of some larger grocery stores. For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to find it at Wegmans in Chantilly. If unavailable, this hot fudge sauce can also be made with equal parts light corn syrup.
If you don’t love bittersweet chocolate, you can swap for a semisweet chocolate.
Once the mixture is simmering, stir often to keep the bottom and sides from burning.
If the butter and remaining chocolate won’t melt into the sauce, place back on very low heat and stir just until smooth.
Adjust the amount of peppermint extract as desired to taste. For a hint of peppermint, add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract or slightly less. For a more prominent flavor, bump the amount up to 3/4-1 teaspoon.
If you really love peppermint, pair the hot fudge with a peppermint ice cream and top with crushed candy cane pieces.
If not using the Peppermint Hot Fudge immediately, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
Reheat in the microwave until pourable, about 10-20 seconds, or on the stovetop in a double boiler. The sauce should be warm and pourable, but not so hot that it immediately melts through the ice cream.
Looking for more peppermint-based recipes?
Try my:
This recipe was originally posted in December 2014 and updated in November 2024.
Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped, divided
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) golden syrup or light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2-1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the cream, 4 ounces (113 grams) of the bittersweet chocolate, golden syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is starting to thicken.
- Remove from heat, then whisk in the remaining 4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, butter, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract.
- Adjust flavors to taste, adding a drop or two more peppermint extract if desired.
- Allow to cool slightly and serve while still warm. Store any leftover hot fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Reheat leftover hot fudge slightly for 10-20 seconds in the microwave or on the stovetop in a double boiler until pourable to enjoy again.
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