My all-time favorite Easy FUDGE! It’s super simple to make, no thermometer required and has a great old-fashioned, amazing fudge flavor and texture!
This easy fudge recipe is the bee’s knees. This is the real thing, my friends! Good old-fashioned, perfect fudge. It’s quick and easy to make and perfect for any occasion. It’s a great hostess gift, perfect for cookie exchanges, or just the thing the neighbors are really hoping you’ll bring over for the holidays.
Try my easy microwave fudge recipe, easy peanut butter fudge recipe, and rocky road fudge next!!
Is There a Difference Between Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk?
Yes, and the difference is important, they can not be used interchangeably. Condensed milk is generally sweetened, thicker, and much sweeter. Evaporated milk doesn’t have added sugar.
It’s canned milk that has had more than half of the water evaporated out. This recipe calls for evaporated milk.
Easy Fudge Ingredients
- Chocolate Chips: I use semisweet.
- Butter: I prefer unsalted butter.
- Marshmallow Cream: Marshmallow cream has similar flavor to marshmallow, but a completely different texture. Do not substitute this for regular marshmallow.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar.
- Evaporated Milk: This is simply homogenized milk from which 60% of the water has been removed. Do NOT use sweetened condensed milk in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: I use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Nuts: Of course these are optional.
Recipe Notes For Easy Fudge:
- Pots and Pans: It’s very important to remember to lightly butter the sides of your saucepan. As you work with that ooey, gooey fudge goodness, having a little grease on the sides of the pan can give you some extra confidence that the mixture won’t stick to your pan. Plus, using butter gives it a subtle buttery flavor!
- Butter the Baking Dish: I suggest you grease the baking dish lightly with butter—this isn’t a job for plain ol’ nonstick cooking spray.
- An alternative would be to make a sling out of aluminum foil. This is appealing for several reasons: You can remove the entire slab of fudge in one piece for easier cutting. Lightly butter the foil.
- To make the sling: Line the baking dish with a double layer of aluminum foil. Overlap the narrow edges a few inches. (The overlapped part will become your handles.) The double layer is important because it gives the strength needed to lift a hefty 5-pound slab out of the pan.
- Work Quickly: When you finally combine the milk/sugar mixture with the melted chocolate mixture try to work as quickly as you can. The fudge starts setting sooner than you think it will, and you want it to remain as soft and malleable as possible to get it in the pan.
- This also applies to the rest of the added ingredients.
- Have Ingredients Ready: Have your nuts chopped and all the rest of the ingredients ready and measured before you actually start making the fudge. If you take too much time measuring your work, the fudge may start to set before you’ve got everything in place!
- Chocolate Chips: Some people use fudge recipes with cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips. I find that the fudge doesn’t end up as creamy if the powder is used, partially because the melted chips do so much to help achieve that awesome final texture.
- Weather: It might seem odd to see a note about the weather in a recipe, but actually, the overall humidity can really affect your final product with a fudge recipe. Try to make your fudge on a dry day. If there’s too much humidity, your fudge can have a more sugary texture rather than the creamy, smooth texture we’re going for. If your kitchen happens to be too warm and humid it can cause the butter to separate from the candy.
- Cutting: In order to get clean, smooth cuts from your finished fudge, don’t try to cut it right out of the refrigerator. Instead, let it sit until it’s come to room temperature before cutting.
- Trouble Shooting Separating: Sometimes when you make fudge, using ANY recipe, it can separate. I have made this recipe dozens of times and never had it separate. To make sure it doesn’t happen to you, here are a few tips:
- The first is mentioned above, making the fudge when it’s too humid.
- The second reason it can happen is if the directions for stirring aren’t followed exactly. If the recipe calls for constant stirring and you forget or get distracted and only stir occasionally, the butter can separate.
- A third reason there could be separation is if you use a thin bottom pan to make the fudge. Thin bottom (cheaper) pans don’t conduct heat as well and can create “hot spots” which can cause the butter to separate.
- A fourth, and most common reason fudge can separate happens when the candy has undergone an abrupt temperature shift, either becoming too cold or too hot in a very short period of time.
How To Cut Fudge
Allow fudge to completely set. Remove fudge from pan. Place on a cutting board. Dip a long ,sharp, flat edge knife (not serrated) in very hot water, dry it completely with a towel and cut one long strip (the heat of the knife will help easily cut through the fudge.) Cut the remaining fudge into strips, then cut the strips across the other way until you have small squares.
Storing + Freezing Tips + Make-Ahead
- Does Fudge Need To Be Refrigerated? No, this can be stored at room temperature. The fudge should be kept cool in a cool area. It will last for 2-3 weeks.
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Some people claim storing it in the fridge can dry out your fudge. I don’t find that to be the case and actually like it refrigerated. I think it has a better texture when refrigerated. You’ve got to decide for yourself. It can be refrigerated for 2-3 weeks.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes, it will last 2 to 3 months. Be sure to wrap well in cling wrap and store in an airtight container.
- Make-Ahead Tips: This is perfect for making ahead. It’s best to allow it to set overnight.
How to Make Easy Fudge
- Combine chocolate chips and marshmallow cream
- Add melted butter. Set aside.
- Heat sugar and evaporated milk. Boil and stir.
- Pour the sugar and milk mixture over the chocolate mixture and stir vigorously until smooth.
- Stir in vanilla and nuts.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Refrigerate and add nuts on top.
- Slice.
***See full instructions below.
More Homemade Candy
- Reindeer Noses
- Christmas Crack
- Easy Crockpot Candy Recipe
- White Trash Recipe
- Buckeye Recipe
- Polar Bear Paw
- Bourbon Toffee
- Peanut Brittle
- Bourbon Balls
- Pumpkin Pie Fudge
- Pretzel Snowmen
Easy Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 (12-ounce) packages chocolate chips
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
- 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow cream
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups nuts chopped, (pptional)
Instructions
- Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine chocolate chips (3 packages), melted butter (1 cup), and marshmallow cream (1 jar). Set aside.
- Heat sugar (4 1/2 cups) and evaporated milk (1 can) in an extra large, heavy bottom saucepan, over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for 7 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Pour the sugar and milk mixture over the chocolate mixture and stir vigorously until smooth. Stir in vanilla (2 teaspoons) and nuts (2 cups). Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate until set (overnight is best).
Fans Also Made:
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Looking for a low-carb fudge recipe? The Little Pine has one!
Delicious recipe best quick easy and GOOD 😁
Thank you, Mary! 🙂
This is THE BEST fudge recipe out there! I made many other “miracle” and “fantasy” and “easy” fudge recipes but none were easy or fantasy. Then I came across this one and have made 3 times now. Every batch turned out perfect and I don’t have a candy thermometer! This makes a HUGE amount of fudge. So easy, so yummy!
Hi Kate, I am so glad you have found an amazing fudge recipe that works for you and that you have made it so many times now! Thank you for sharing with us!
So do I melt the butter and chocolate together first, and then add in the sugar/milk mixture to it? I’m a little confused if I’m supposed to melt the chocolate first or not
Hi Katie. No, you only melt the butter. Then you mix the chocolate chips, melted butter, and marshmallow cream together. It all gets melted later, in step 4, when you pour the boiled milk and sugar mixture over it. Hope that helps 🙂
Gosh Jeri, I’m so sorry to hear that. It certainly isn’t supposed to function that way. I’ll have my techies check into it. Again, I’m sorry that happened to you!
I tried this fudge today and it separated as I was stirring it all together. (I think the temperature dropped too quickly.) I didn’t want to just throw the batch out so I put it back into the dutch oven on med-low heat, stirring constantly, and it all came together pretty quickly becoming smooth and shiny. There was some light separation as I put into the baking dish but the fudge turned out great!
Wow! What a great tip Laura. Thanks so much for sharing it!
Just in time for the holidays, I love this fudge recipe that doesn’t require a candy thermometer! Interesting that you mentioned not making this fudge on a wet day with high humidity. I knew that was true for making caramels, but not fudge. Thanks for the tip! Finally, I’m tickled to see you are a Bernese Mountain Dog lover. We have 5 Berners and nary a meal passes that someone doesn’t find a dog hair in their food! 🙂 Merry Christmas
Thank you Jennifer. Wow! I’m envious that you have 5 BMDs. They truly are “potato chip” dogs! Can’t have just one. We have 2 and are constantly delighted and entertained by them. Hope you enjoyed the fudge.
Mine did not come out smooth, I followed the directions to a tee, so not quite sure what happened..mine also pooled with oil at the top like somebody else mentioned. It is almost like the entire mixture didn’t get hot enough for it to get smooth. If I try this recipe a second time I will put it all in the hot pan and mix it together with the burner on still..
This sounds so good and easy! What would you suggest doing for just a small batch? I can not have 5 pounds of fudge near me or else i’ll eat it all!
Hey Carolyne. The recipe can be halved and poured into an 8 X 8 pan 🙂
Sounds wonderful and easy. I have had a similar recipe that I’ve used for years. Only difference is I did use marshmallows and cooked them in with the butter, sugar, and evaporated milk. As it came to a boil the marshmallows melted. Boil for the alotted time then add chocolate chips and vanilla. I’m going to try this one.
Thanks so much Kathryn! Great tip!
Stupid question, but do you use milk chocolate , or semi sweet, chips?
I like it made with semi sweet 🙂
Thank you for asking that! I was wondering the same thing!
Can you use mini marshmallows in place of fluff
Hi Sandy. I’ve always made this recipe with the jar of marshmallow fluff. I haven’t tried it with mini marshmallows. I’m sorry!
I’ve been looking for a good homemade fudge recipe and just finished making yours. I haven’t tried it yet, but was concerned by the amount of oil on the top. There is literally pools of oil on top of the fudge. Is this normal? I followed the directions to a tee, and used real butter. Thank you!
Oh girl! No that is not normal! I’m not sure why in the world that would happen. This is a tried and true OLD recipe. It sounds like something didn’t work right I ‘m just not sure how in the world that could have happened!!!!
I tried the recipe (I am NOT a cook) and loved it , came out wonderfully!
Ray, I’m so happy to hear that! Congratulations 🙂
Hey Joyce. It sounds like you have a wonderful recipe! If you share it, I’d love to try it 🙂 Happy Holidays to you!
What is marshmallow cream?
Hi Cindy. Its a spreadable marshmallow cream. It comes in a jar and is widely available commercially.
Can you freeze this fudge?
Yes. I’ve done it many times before. 🙂
This was called millionaire fudge 30 years ago. The recipe used to be on the jar of marshmallow fluff. It is the only fudge I have ever made. The only difference is the choc chips. Originally you used 24 oz of chips and 12 oz of choc bar. It is easily converted into peanut butter (use part crunchy pb for an additional treat)! My father in laws favorite is the white chocolate I make. Experiment with flavors, keep it the same. However you want, JUST MAKE IT! You won’t be sorry!!!!!
Thanks Judy 🙂
I made this yesterday, turned out PERFECT.
Made it today and substituted White chocolate and it is SUPER SOFT. Can you tell me what I possibly did wrong?
HELP
Oh that’s you 🙂 I have seen the photos on Pinterest and here I am ! Good for me 🙂 Thank you for sharing and have a pleasant day !
Hi 2pots2cooks. So happy you’re here!