Fudge is one of our all-time favorite treats. It’s sweet and simple, and it makes a perfect gift around the holidays, especially when we’re making recipes for homemade Christmas candy. Sure, you could pick up some fudge at a local candy shop, but our fudge recipe makes it so easy (and fun!) to prepare at home.
We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about making fudge. We’ll cover the ingredients and tips, and we’ll even troubleshoot some common mistakes if you run into any issues. You’ll be ready to whip up our best fudge recipes in no time. Ready to get started?
What is fudge?
At its simplest, fudge is a dense, soft candy, often made with sugar and dairy products like butter and milk. Nowadays, fudge is usually flavored with chocolate, but you can utilize pretty much any flavor, such as peanut butter, pumpkin, even birthday cake.
Fudge Ingredients
- Chocolate: Feeling overwhelmed with all the chocolate chip options at the store? Take a peek at our Test Kitchens’ picks for the best chocolate chips available.
- Evaporated milk: More concentrated than whole milk, evaporated milk provides the perfect silky texture and sweet taste in our fudge recipe.
- Marshmallow creme:Â We love recipes with marshmallow creme. It offers a sticky-sweet goodness in this fudge.
- Nuts:Â Chopped nuts create a wholesome nutty flavor and a crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the silky-smooth fudge.
- Vanilla:Â Looking for a high-quality vanilla? Our Test Kitchen tested the best vanilla extracts from the store.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the pans
Before you start melting ingredients, get your pans ready to fill. For this recipe, line two 13×9-inch baking pans with aluminum foil. Then, grease the foil with 4 teaspoons butter.
Step 2: Start melting
In a heavy Dutch oven, stir together the sugar, evaporated milk, salt and remaining butter. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat, making sure to stir constantly.
Once the mixture begins to boil, continue to cook—this time without stirring—until a candy thermometer reaches 234ºF; this temp is called the soft ball stage. When you hit this mark, remove the pot from heat.
Step 3: Add chocolate
Stir the German chocolate and chocolate chips into the mixture until smooth. Fold in the marshmallow creme, pecans and vanilla. Spread the fudge evenly into the prepared pans. If you like, sprinkle extra nuts on top.
Editor’s Tip: Whether you’re using pecans or almonds or hazelnuts, be sure to toast the nuts first. This will give the nuts greater flavor, texture and aroma.
Step 4: Chill
Refrigerate the fudge until completely set, about one hour.
Step 5: Cut
When you’re ready to cut, use the foil to lift the fudge out of the pans. All that’s left is to use a sharp knife to slice the fudge into square. Our Test Kitchen suggests 1-inch pieces.
Fudge Variations
- Sprinkle in with crushed candies: Cut up your favorite candies (try chocolate bars, M&M’s or Buncha Crunch), and sprinkle them into the fudge batter.
- Crumble in cookies: Crush up your favorite cookies, and fold them into the fudge.
- Swap in a different extract: Try a splash of mint, raspberry or almond extract for a fun, new flavoring.
- Add in bacon: Who doesn’t love salty and sweet, especially when it comes to bacon? Glazed bacon or candied bacon would be a perfect addition.
- Finish with sprinkles: A colorful flourish of sprinkles makes any fudge pop.
How to Store Fudge
Fudge is best stored in layers between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. It will last for one to two weeks at room temperature or up to three weeks in the fridge.
To freeze fudge, wrap it tightly in waxed paper, then in a layer of foil. Stash that package in an airtight container in the freezer. It’ll keep for up to one year.
Fudge Tips
What makes fudge grainy?
Sugar crystals make fudge grainy. The best way to avoid crystals forming in your fudge is to resist the temptation to stir your mixture once it boils. Wait until you remove the mixture from heat to stir in the chocolate.
Can you make fudge without a candy thermometer?
Yes! If you don’t have a candy thermometer, use a digital instant-read thermometer instead for this fudge recipe. It won’t clip to the pan, though, so you’ll have to hold it in place.
Because candy-making does require precision, our Test Kitchen doesn’t recommend attempting a traditional fudge recipe without a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer but still want to make fudge, try our simple microwave fudge recipe.
How do I thicken fudge?
If your fudge isn’t set, there are a few things that could have gone wrong. It’s possible that the mixture wasn’t cooked to the right temperature or beaten long enough. To fix it, you can try to thicken the mixture with powdered sugar or mix-ins. Or return the fudge to the stove, add about 1-1/2 cups water, and reheat until the mixture is once again at the soft-ball stage. Remove from heat, and continue with the fudge as directed above.
Is there a way to soften fudge?
If your fudge is on the harder side, you can soften it by storing it on the counter rather than in the refrigerator. The warmer storage temperature should keep the fudge a bit softer. But keep an eye out. Hard fudge is a sign that your candy might be past its prime.
Can I use condensed milk for fudge instead of evaporated milk?
No, you shouldn’t use condensed milk in this fudge recipe. While these two ingredients sound familiar, they are not the same. Sweetened condensed milk has too much sugar and the wrong consistency to use in this fudge recipe.
Why isn’t my fudge setting?
If your fudge doesn’t set, it likely never got hot enough. In order to set up firm, fudge needs to reach at least 234°F, as indicated by a candy thermometer. Check out these other common fudge making mistakes with tips on how to fix them.
Can I freeze fudge to make it set?
We wouldn’t recommend freezing your fudge to get it to set. Freezing can cause the fudge to cool unevenly and too quickly, messing up the texture of the fudge. Instead, chill it in the fridge.
