This rocky road fudge is rich and indulgent—it’s even better than store-bought stuff. And recipes for homemade fudge only seem intimidating. Look closer and the process is simple. The base ingredients are chocolate, butter and condensed milk. You gently heat them until the chocolate melts, then stir in marshmallows and peanuts.
In the fall and winter months, add squares of fudge to a holiday dessert tray. In the summer, it’s tough to beat a cold slice of fudge straight from the fridge!
Ingredients for Rocky Road Fudge
- Butter: Use a good brand of butter here. For this rocky road fudge recipe, a meltable vegan butter will work too.
- Chocolate chips: All the chocolaty goodness of this fudge comes from the chocolate, so quality matters. Choose one of our Test Kitchen’s recommended chocolate chip brands. We like semi-sweet chips, which have a complex but not overly sweet flavor.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Creamy, thick condensed milk makes for rich, sweet fudge.
- Salted peanuts: Nuts add crunch to the smooth fudge. For flavor contrast, this recipe for rocky road fudge calls for salted peanuts.
- Mini marshmallows: You want a couple of mini marshmallows in each bite. Full-sized marshmallows would be too big and cut-up marshmallows melt too easily, so pick up a bag of miniature marshmallows for this treat.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the pans
Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, letting the ends extend over the sides by 1 inch. Grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter, then set the pan aside.
Editor’s Tip: The best way to line a pan with foil is by using two sheets, one lengthwise and one widthwise.
Step 2: Melt the chocolate
In a large saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, milk and the remaining tablespoon butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat.
Editor’s Tip: Take care not to burn the chocolate or the smooth mixture will become lumpy.
Step 3: Add rocky road fillings
Stir 2 cups peanuts into the melted chocolate. Place the marshmallows in a large bowl, then add the chocolate mixture and stir well.
Step 4: Transfer to the pan
Spread the fudge into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the additional peanuts and marshmallows.
Editor’s Tip: When spreading the fudge, use a spatula to drag the nuts and marshmallows around so they’re evenly distributed.
Step 5: Chill, then slice
Refrigerate the fudge until firm. When it’s ready, use the foil overhang to lift the fudge out of the pan. With a sharp knife, cut the fudge into 1-1/2-inch squares. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Recipe Variations
- Change up the mix-ins: Pretzels, M&M’s, toffee bits, peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips are all tasty mix-ins. Just stick to roughly the same ratio given here.
- Use a different nut: Peanuts aren’t the only nuts in town. I like almonds, walnuts or pecans too. Toast the nuts to add extra flavor.
- Add a touch of flavored extract: Flavor the rocky road fudge recipe with a few drops of vanilla, almond or peppermint extract.
How to Store Rocky Road Fudge
Our recipe for rocky road fudge will keep in the refrigerator for several days. You can leave it in the pan as long as it’s covered tightly.
Can you freeze rocky road fudge?
Yes, fudge freezes well, even fudge with extra toppings mixed in. Let the fudge cool completely, then wrap it well. Ideally, use at least two layers, such as one layer storage wrap and one foil, or foil and a freezer bag. This recipe for rocky road fudge will keep for two or three months. Longer than that, it may discolor a bit or the texture could become grainy. When ready to eat, defrost the fudge in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Rocky Road Fudge Tips
How can you stop marshmallows from melting in the fudge?
Simply allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool for a few extra moments before stirring in meltable fillings. When you stir soft ingredients, such as marshmallows, into freshly melted, hot chocolate, they’ll soften up a little—or a lot. While some people enjoy the streaks of marshmallow or other fillings rippling through the fudge, others prefer a more distinct texture.
The melted chocolate is dry and lumpy instead of smooth and shiny. What’s wrong?
Be careful to heat the chocolate chips gently, stopping as soon as they melt. If you bring the chocolate mix to a boil, the chocolate may seize up, becoming muddy or lumpy and losing its shininess. The best way to avoid overheating the chocolate is to stay close to the pan and stir frequently.
How can you stop fudge from being too hard?
Avoid a common fudge mistake: cooking the chocolate mixture too long. Even if the heat isn’t too high, keeping the chocolate mix on the stove too long can cause too much moisture to evaporate from the chocolate, which will lead to tough, hard fudge. Remove the pot from the stovetop as soon as the chocolate chips have melted.
