Chocolate Fudge Glaze for Cakes, Cookies & Ice Cream

This might be the only chocolate frosting or topping you need because it’s that versatile. This chocolate fudge glaze is perfect on cookies, to pour over a bundt cake or even as an ice cream topping. Plus, it’s an easy recipe to make, only calls for simple ingredients, and has a perfectly balanced chocolate taste – not too light or  sweet, not too dark or bitter.

I created this recipe for my Galaxy Brownie Cookies but quickly discovered it was the perfect topping for so many more recipes including Millionaire Shortbread Cookies and Banana Bundt Cake (both coming soon!). 

Sometimes ganache-style sauces or toppings are intimidating but this simple glaze requires no special equipment or techniques! You don’t even have to bring any ingredients to room temperature for this easy chocolate glaze recipe so you can make it whenever the mood strikes! If you know me, you know my affinity for using cold butter in cookies (like in my classic Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies) for this very reason – so I can make them anytime without having to plan ahead! 

My Homemade Caramel Sauce is another favorite that you can make without any pre-planning and you can use it on so many recipes!

Ingredients to Make Chocolate Fudge Glaze 

• Powdered Sugar
• Milk Chocolate Chips
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Olive Oil
• Whole Milk
• Salt
• Vanilla Extract

Tools to Make Chocolate Fudge Glaze    

• Mixing Cups and Spoons
• Sieve or Fine Metal Mesh Strainer
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Saucepan
• Silicone Spatula
• Optional: Kitchen Scale
• For Decorating: Small Cookie Scoop and/or Offset Spatula

All About Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Glaze  

Powdered Sugar

The powdered sugar works great in this recipe because it just melts into the chocolate glaze and there is no texture left behind so I do not recommend substituting with granulated sugar or brown sugar since these would both leave behind a grainy texture and the glaze wouldn’t turn out nice and smooth as it does with powdered sugar. 

Milk Chocolate Chips and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

I initially tested this recipe with only semi-sweet chocolate chips and I thought it was too bitter yet I thought only milk chocolate would make the glaze much too sweet. Half of each resulted in the perfectly balanced chocolate flavor! I think this combo provides a rich chocolate flavor with just enough sweetness but if you want an even deeper chocolate flavor, feel free to try dark chocolate chips and let me know how it goes!

I use Guittard Chocolate Chips for most of my recipes but use your favorite! I always recommend tasting baking chips on their own and if they are good enough to eat plain, they will taste great in your baked goods or toppings! If you don’t like the baking chips by themselves, then they likely won’t taste great as an ingredient either (I’m looking at you, most white chocolate chips!).

Olive Oil

One of my baking hot takes is that I don’t believe you can taste most olive oil in most baked goods so that’s what I use here but feel free to substitute with avocado oil or another cooking oil with a light taste in this recipe. Even in my Lemon Olive Oil Bundt Cake, you don’t really taste olive unless you use a very strong-tasting olive oil.

Whole Milk

After recipe testing with various combinations of heavy cream, milk and water, I’ve landed on whole milk for the perfect glaze consistency in this recipe. If you have a lower fat milk on hand, I recommend you slightly reduce the amount since a lighter milk is not as thick and creamy and may result in a thinner glaze.

Vanilla Extract 

As in most recipes, the vanilla extract is subtle but it gives more dimension to this and most recipes. 

Salt

The small amount of salt in this recipe just helps to balance and bring out the other flavors. 

How to Make Chocolate Fudge Glaze

1. Sift powdered sugar through a sifter or fine metal mesh sieve to remove lumps and set aside.
2. Pair a glass mixing bowl and a saucepan. The mixing bowl should sit down into the saucepan but should be a few inches from the bottom of the saucepan. Fill the saucepan with a few inches of water (but not enough to touch the glass mixing bowl!). In the mixing bowl, combine chocolate, oil and milk and melt over low-medium heat. Stir occasionally.
3. When this mixture is smooth, remove from heat and add the powdered sugar. If there are still any lumps, you can place the bowl back on the saucepan for a few minutes and stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth then remove from heat again.
4. Stir in salt and vanilla extract.
5. Let this mixture cool until it thickens but is still spreadable. You can speed this process up by placing the bowl in the fridge for up to 15 minutes.
6. Makes approximately 16 oz or 2 cups. Enough for a batch of cookies or a generous topping on one bundt cake.
7. Use a cookie scoop to place topping on cookies then spread with an offset spatula or transfer to a glass liquid measuring cup to pour over a bundt cake.
8. After topping cake or cookies, let the glaze set before you enjoy (approximately one hour). Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air-tight container but the glaze will harden when cool so you will need to reheat to make it spreadable again.