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No candy thermometer is needed for this easy fool proof fudge recipe. It’s creamy, smooth, delicious and chocolaty and is the perfect holiday gift!
Fudge and the holidays just go together, at least at my house they do. I have a family history of excellent fudge and candy makers including my mom and my great Aunt Dorothy. I decided I better work on my fudge making skills to make sure the family tradition carries on. My mom is famous for her Rocky Road Fudge and she has made it every Christmas for as long as I can remember.
This easy chocolate fudge recipe is the perfect way to continue that family fudge making tradition.
Ingredients Needed
- Chocolate, this fudge recipes uses semi sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate and unsweetened.
- Sugar, I love use both granulated and brown sugar in my fudge for a deeper flavor.
- Evaporated Milk
- Butter: Use a good quality butter
- Marshmallow Fluff, always use the marshmallow fluff in the jar. Use the Kraft brand, not the store bought brand. It does make a difference.
- Vanilla Extract, you can mix things up and add in peppermint or mint!
Tips
- Use a heavy pan with tall sides. I have my mom’s old candy making pan and it is actually the pan from an old stove top pressure cooker. You can often find great heavy pans at Goodwill.
- If your pan isn’t really heavy, just make sure you cook the fudge slowly and stir continuously! Be sure your pan is big enough, it should be three times the volume of your fudge. You need plenty of room to stir.
- Stir with a wooden spoon. You are going to do a lot of stirring with this easy fudge recipe so you want a good solid wooden spoon!
- Line your pan with parchment paper or foil to make it easy to remove the fudge and cut it into pieces. I also spray the foil or paper with cooking spray.
- Have all of your ingredients measured and ready before starting the fudge. This recipe goes quickly.
How to Make Easy Fudge
- Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Combine sugars, milk and butter in a heavy sauce pan and bring to low boil.
- Stir constantly for 5 minutes, allowing it to come to a full rolling boil.
- Stir in marshmallow fluff and vanilla until blended.
- Add in chocolate and stir until melted. Immediately pour into prepared pan.
- Shake or tap the pan to get the surface of the fudge smoother, avoid touching it with your hands.
- Allow to set up at room temperature.
- Using foil or paper, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil or paper and cut fudge into squares.
- Store in an airtight container with layers of paper between fudge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add nuts to my easy fudge recipe?
My mom loves nuts in her fudge but I don’t. If you are a nut lover you can definitely add in nuts. Add in about 1/2 cup of chopped nuts.
Does fudge need to be refrigerated?
No, this easy fudge recipe does not need to be refrigerated. Fudge is best stored in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. I put layers of wax paper or parchment paper between my layers of fudge to prevent them from sticking together.
Can you freeze fudge?
Fudge can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Can I use marshmallows instead of marshmallow fluff?
I don’t recommend using marshmallows in place of marshmallow fluff. Marshmallows are coated in cornstarch. Cornstarch dries out the fudge and makes the texture less smooth.
Check out more of my favorite holiday treats.
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Easy Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 3 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 7 oz Marshmallow Fluff
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or mint, peppermint
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil or parchment paper. You want the edges of the foil or paper to go up the sides of the pan, so you can grab them to remove the fudge from the pan. Spray paper or foil with cooking spray
- In a heavy saucepan, combine sugars, milk and butter. Bring to low boil, just beginning to bubble and start timer for 5 minutes. Stir constantly for the 5 minutes, allowing it to come to a full boil. Stir, stir, stir!
- Stir in marshmallow fluff and vanilla until blended.
- Add in chocolate and stir until melted. Immediately pour into prepared pan.
- Shake or tap the pan to get the surface of the fudge smoother, avoid touching it with your hands.
- Allow to set up at room temperature.
- Using foil or paper, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil or paper and cut fudge into squares. Store in an airtight container with layers of paper between fudge.
Tips & Notes:
- Use a Heavy Pan. You want a heavy pan with tall sides. I have my mom’s old candy making pan and it is actually the pan from an old stove top pressure cooker. You can often find great heavy pans at Goodwill. If your pan isn’t really heavy, just make sure you cook the fudge slowly and stir continuously! Be sure your pan is big enough, it should be three times the volume of your fudge. You need plenty of room to stir.
- Wooden Spoon. You are going to do a lot of stirring with this easy fudge recipe so you want a good solid wooden spoon!
- Parchment Paper or foil. I always line my pan with either parchment paper or foil to make it easy to remove the fudge and cut it into pieces. I also spray the foil or paper with cooking spray. Fudge is much easier to cut outside of the pan.
- Ingredients Ready. When fudge is ready, it’s ready so be sure and have all your ingredients out and ready to go.
- Candy Thermometer. This recipe can be made without a thermometer but if you have one and you want to double check the fudge is ready, use your thermometer. The fudge is ready when it reaches the soft ball stage of 237-239 degrees F.
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Nutrition Facts:
Carla says
What size baking pan do you put the fudge into?
Leigh Anne says
a 9 x 13 I updated the recipe to reflect that – sorry about that!