Nothing beats a slice of fresh chocolate fudge! This easy homemade fudge is perfect for holiday parties, gift giving, or Santa’s cookie plate!
If you need more treats to add to your cookie plate, be sure to check out Peppermint Bark and Microwave Toffee.
Classic Chocolate Fudge
Fudge was never a Christmas tradition in our home, but it was for my husband. It was one of the very first things we made together, and after a few failed attempts, we finally figured it out!
Now that we have it down, we’ve been making all sorts of variations of this classic fudge.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Today we’re keeping things simple. Chocolate + toasted nuts. We like to switch between walnuts and pecans, however, chopped peanuts or almonds would be yummy too!
How to Make Homemade Fudge
PREP. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray or grease with butter, then set aside.
COMBINE. In a medium heavy-bottomed sauce pan set over medium heat, combine the marshmallow creme, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Stir frequently, until to allow the sugar to dissolve.
BOIL. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes. *See note about high altitude below*
ADD. Remove from the heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted, then add the nuts and vanilla, stir to combine.
SET. Pour into the prepared baking pan, place in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes before cutting into squares.
(I was in a bit of a rush (to beat the setting sun… because daylight savings is a food blogger’s nightmare) and it was still soft when I cut it at the 30 minute mark. Thus the less than clean cut slices pictured above. Sometimes you just have to roll with it. I promise it looks picture perfect after chilling for the proper amount of time!)
CUT. When you’re ready to slice it, cut it into 36 pieces.
STORE. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
High Altitude: We live at about 4,200 ft. which means we have to either boil the mixture for a minute or two less, or at a slightly lower temperature. I find that at high altitude I only need to boil the mixture for 4 minutes instead of 5. However, my mother-in-law lives at sea level and she boils the mixture for the full 5 minutes.
Variations
Want to change up this fudge? Here are a few ideas to help out!
- Add festive sprinkles to the top before its fully set
- Add crushed m&ms to the fudge before its fully set
- Drizzle with white chocolate before the fudge is fully set
- Add butterscotch chips, either mixed in, or drizzled on top
- Stir in a couple/swirl on top of the fudge of tablespoons of peanut butter for an easy peanut butter fudge recipe
- Add in some mini marshmallows along with your nuts for rocky road fudge
Storage Tips
As I mentioned before, you should STORE your fudge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
If you’d like to FREEZE the fudge, it is best to freeze it as a solid block, rather than individual pieces. I suggest doubling the recipe and then freezing the second block. Double wrap the fudge in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer safe bag. It will last for about 3 months in the freezer, then you need to let it thaw to room temperature!
For more of our favorite holiday treats, try:
Easy Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt - (or a pinch or two more to taste)
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup nuts - chopped, (toasted/roasted walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray or butter it; set aside.
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat, combine the marshmallow creme, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Stir frequently to allow the sugar to dissolve.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for 4–5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips until melted. Add the nuts and vanilla, stirring to combine. Pour into the prepared baking pan and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour before cutting into squares.
Homemade fudge for the holidays is a must here! I love this version with marshmallow creme. It’s smooth, creamy and delicious!
It wouldn’t be Christmas without fudge and this recipe is no exception! Adding this to my baking line up this holiday season; yum!
Oh my goodness, this looks so wonderfully extra-creamy! My dad is sort of our family’s fudge expert – he would LOVE this! Thanks for the terrific, creative ideas to change it up, too – great suggestions to add some festive little sprinkles for the holidays, or to swirl in a bit of peanut butter for a full-on Reese’s experience!
This recipe looks so delicious and yummy! My husband is going to love this! I can’t wait!