Chocolate Fondue is one of our favorite easy desserts for parties, date nights, holidays, and family treat nights. Semi-sweet chocolate chips, butter, sweetened condensed milk, water, and vanilla melt together into a warm, smooth chocolate dipping sauce.
We love setting out a platter of fruit, pound cake, marshmallows, graham crackers, and other treats so everyone can dip their favorites. It feels fun and special, but only takes a few minutes on the stovetop.
We’ve made this recipe for years, and it’s always one everyone gathers around because it’s simple, fun, and absolutely delicious.
If you love this recipe, be sure to try Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Fruit Pizza, and Fruit Dip.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Ready in Minutes: Just a few ingredients and one saucepan make this dessert incredibly easy.
- Fun for Sharing: Everyone can customize their favorite dippers for a fun dessert experience.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Great for holidays, parties, date nights, and family gatherings.
- Rich Flavor: Chocolate chips and butter combine for deep chocolate flavor.
Chocolate Fondue Ingredients
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips (1 cup): Provides rich chocolate flavor with just the right balance of sweetness. We like Ghirardelli or Guittard chocolate chips.
- Butter (2 tablespoons): Adds richness and creates an extra smooth, glossy fondue.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 (14-ounce) can): Sweetens the fondue while creating a thick, creamy consistency.
- Water (2 tablespoons): Helps thin the chocolate to the perfect dipping consistency.
- Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon): Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds warmth.
How to Make Chocolate Fondue
HEAT. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt all ingredients except vanilla. Cook and stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla.
Pro Tip!
Don’t cover the warm chocolate with a lid. The condensation from the steam will cause the chocolate to seize (become grainy and pasty chocolate).
Serve. Try dipping cherries with stems, orange sections, melon balls, pineapple chunks, strawberries, banana slices, apple wedges, grapes, dried apricots, peach chunks, plum slices, pear slices, kiwi fruit slices, raspberries, blackberries, pears, papaya, and mango cubes.
Angel Food Cake cubes, cut Rice Krispie Treats, Brownie bites, marshmallows, Pound Cake cubes, and Cheesecake Bites.
Vanilla wafers, biscotti, Oreos, graham crackers, and Shortbread Cookies.
Soft pretzels, pretzel rods, potato chips, and even bacon.
Drizzle over ice cream or cake.
You could even try mixing in a spoonful of peanut butter for a flavor variation!
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Stir constantly while cooking to keep the chocolate smooth and prevent scorching.
- Cook over medium or medium-low heat to avoid overheating the chocolate.
- If the fondue thickens as it sits, stir in a splash of warm milk or cream to thin it back out.
- Keep the fondue warm in a fondue pot or slow cooker on the lowest setting for parties.
- Fondue pot. Keep the chocolate warm and dippable using a fondue pot. They come in both electric varieties as well as ceramic dishes heated with a candle. You can also keep it warm in a small crock pot. Use metal or wooden skewers to dip.
- Chocolate fountain. Any chocolate can be used in a chocolate fountain, as long as it is the right consistency. Thicker chocolate sauce will clog the fountain, so be sure that it is thin enough to smoothly run through the fountain. Use cocoa butter or coconut oil to help thin out the chocolate.
Chocolate Fondue Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt chocolate chips and butter with sweetened condensed milk and water. Cook and stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla.
- Serve warm as a dipping sauce for fruit, cookies/crackers, and treats or drizzle over ice cream or cake.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Dippers
- We dipped pound cake, bananas, marshmallows, strawberries, clementine oranges, cinnamon graham crackers, and pineapples in the fondue.
- Other items to dip: cherries with stems, melon balls, apple wedges, grapes, dried apricots, peach, plum, and pear slices, angel food cake cubes, and kiwi fruit slices.
Tips
- Serve warm or cold over ice cream. Can be made several days ahead of time.
- Reheat in the microwave at 30-second intervals at 40% power or less.
Notes
- Stir constantly while cooking to keep the chocolate smooth and prevent scorching.
- Cook over medium or medium-low heat to avoid overheating the chocolate.
- If the fondue thickens as it sits, stir in a splash of warm milk or cream to thin it back out.
- Keep the fondue warm in a fondue pot or slow cooker on the lowest setting for parties.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
As long as there are no double dippers and the fondue is clean, you can store leftover fondue in a container in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Reheat slowly on the stovetop or in the microwave at half power. Store leftover dipping treats in separate containers.
More Like This
More Treats
Collections
This recipe was first shared December, 2022.
This is my kind of fondue!! We love dipping fruit in this!! It will be the perfect thing to have out for our New Year’s party!!
I have a fondue pot but dont use it often because I haven’t come across a good recipe until now. This chocolate is pretty good!
Thank you for all the ideas on chocolate fondue. Not real good at making it but I’m so excited to try this recipe!