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This rocky road fudge is a classic at our house and has made an appearance every Christmas for decades! It is not Christmas without it!
Does your family have a favorite holiday treat? Something that is a must have each holiday season, the thing that everyone looks forward to and dreams about?! Christmas is not Christmas at our house until there is Rocky Road Fudge. For the last fifty years my mother has made Rocky Road Fudge – it’s her holiday specialty. In fact, I was at her house this weekend , the weekend before Thanksgiving, and she already had her first batch in the refrigerator. Still making fudge at 88 years of age!
I actually didn’t make my first batch of rocky road fudge until a few years ago, fudge making was mom’s job and she does it so well! I make it a little different than my mother does though, I make it a little less rocky. No nuts for me! I know it really isn’t truly Rocky Road without the nuts but I don’t like nuts in my candy! The only rocks I like in my fudge are marshmallows. Pure chocolate fudgy goodness with marshmallows – yum!!
How Do You Make Rocky Road Fudge?
There are a few tricks to making fudge. The first one is you want to use a nice heavy pan. Fudge needs to boil for a while and in order for it not to burn on the bottom you need a heavy pan. I use my mom’s old candy making pan.
Since the fudge is nice and warm when you add the marshmallows make sure you freeze them first so they hold their shape.
This recipe is quick and easy as far as fudge recipes go and makes a nice big batch. You don’t need a candy thermometer either. Just boil for 6 minutes.
Pour it into a greased 9 x 13 pan and allow it to set up. It will thicken as it cools. I like to keep it in the refrigerator.
Rocky Road Fudge is rich and chocolatey so cut the pieces fairly small. My mom likes to add walnuts into her fudge to make it “real” rocky road fudge as she likes to call it but I’m going to stick with “less” rocky road fudge!
Other favorite candy recipes:
White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
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Rocky Road Fudge Recipe
Rocky Road Fudge
Ingredients
- 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butter
- 4 C sugar
- 1 1/2 C evaporated milk
- 20 large marshmallows or 5 cups of mini marshmallows
- 2 C walnuts chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 cups miniature marshmallows frozen
Instructions
- Place 8 cups miniature marshmallows on a baking sheet and freeze
- Mix together sugar, milk and 20 lg. marshmallows or 5 cups of mini marshmallows and boil for 6 minutes, stirring constantly
- Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and butter
- Stir until thick, add nuts and let sit awhile to thicken up a bit, add vanilla and frozen marshmallows
- If you are not adding nuts you may want more marshmallows
- Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan
Nutrition Facts:
Originally posted December 18, 2009
Barbara says
Wondering why there is so much sugar in this recipe? The chips are already sweet as are the marshmallows. I would not add any sugar to this recipe unless it is needed for some reason?
Virginia says
I really want to make this for friend this week for his bday. What do you do with it after you pour it into the pan? Refrigerate?
Leigh Anne says
You just need to let it set up -putting it in the refrigerator will help it set up faster. I do keep leftover fudge in the fridge.
Luanne says
20 Large marshmallows = How many mini’s? Didn’t notice the “large” till I started and only saw the minis in the pics…& have 2 bags of minis….
Gen says
I am so glad that I found this recipe. My grandma used to make this for Christmas all the time- and it’s my absolute favorite! Thank you for sharing this- I am definitely making it this year for my family.
Leigh Anne says
I am so glad you found the recipe too! Enjoy making it.
Lauren says
I have to say this is an amazing recipe/ I made it the other day it was super easy and so good. I only made a half of recipe and now I am wishing I made the whole thing just so I had more for myself lol. Thanks for the post.
Leigh Anne says
So glad you liked it – it is a family tradition around here at the holidays.