The Best Chocolate Fudge Recipe

This is the perfect fudge recipe, and I’m tellin’ ya, all of your friends are going to be jealous. It’s not only amazingly delicious but also an easy chocolate fudge recipe. When the holidays arrive, there’s nothing better than creamy chocolate fudge. This one is just like grandma’s old-fashioned fudge recipe.

Pouring chocolate fudge into a square container.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Additional Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours and 25 minutes
Servings: 25 pieces
Preparation Level: Beginner +
Yield: 1 (8×8-inch pan)

Homemade Chocolate Fudge Is The Perfect Gift

The milk chocolate fudge recipe makes a great gift, as well as the perfect treat for a holiday or Christmas party. Family and friends will love this recipe. We’ve been making this fudge every year for as long as I can remember.

The Best Homemade Fudge Recipe

The creamy, soft, rich, and decadent recipe is very similar to Fantasy Fudge. And it tastes leaps and bounds better than store-bought.

Chocolate fudge is one of those candy treats I just can’t live without around the holidays. The old-fashioned chocolate fudge is just part of a tradition in our house, and we’ve been making the decadent dessert for a long time. 

If you love chocolate fudge, give dark chocolate fudge with sea salt a try.

Slices of fudge on a plate.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make the Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Recipe?

  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk)
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Marshmallow cream
  • Vanilla extract
  • Chopped walnuts (optional)

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

How To Make Chocolate Fudge

  1. Add the butter to a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat.
  2. Next, pour the sugar and evaporated milk into the pan and combine.
  3. Turn the temperature up to medium-high, bring the ingredients to a full rolling boil, and cook until the temperature reaches 234 degrees.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the marshmallow cream, and combine.
  5. Next, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir to melt.
  6. Add the vanilla extract and mix.
  7. Pour the fudge into the pan and allow it to set up for two to three hours.

I love fudge. That’s just all there is to it. So much, in fact:

  • I will risk burning my tongue to eat it out of the saucepan. Seriously. My house is full of people who love homemade fudge with marshmallow cream.
Slices of chocolate fudge on a plate.

Recipe For Chocolate Fudge With Marshmallow Cream

Marshmallow creme is one of the main ingredients in old fashioned fudge. The recipe has been around for generations.

Just make sure you keep it hidden in the pantry, or the kids might get a hold of it.

A couple of years ago, I received a call from one of the ladies in my son’s elementary school cafeteria (I volunteer at the school all the time, so I know them all).

She said that one of the new guys in the cafeteria could NOT believe that a parent would let their child come to school with a jar of marshmallow cream for lunch!

She quickly walked out there and found my son sitting there enjoying his creamy, sticky-fingered mess with a plastic spoon.

She laughed and told the man that this child’s mother would never have allowed it if she had known.

I couldn’t help but laugh, and I now hide the marshmallow cream WAY in the back of our pantry where my son can’t find it.

Chocolate fudge in a pan.

This simple fudge recipe, which I am about to share (sounds like it’s worth a million dollars, doesn’t it?), is so quick and easy, as well as creamy and oh-so-good.

The cooking time isn’t very long, but the set-up time will take a few hours, so plan for that. I would give the total time about three hours. But beware, if you make this, people will be camping out on your front lawn to get some.

Step-By-Step Instructions For The Best Chocolate Fudge Recipe

I have a lot of readers who like to see the steps for how to make chocolate fudge. If this is your first time making the fudge, you can follow along with the steps below.

Homemade fudge recipe.

Start by melting the butter in the saucepan (at least a 3-quart pan) on medium heat.

Sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in a saucepan for fudge.

Add the sugar and evaporated milk (make sure you don’t use condensed milk). Stir it until it’s blended. It will take a few minutes to start boiling.

Make sure your saucepan is large enough so it doesn’t boil over. If you double this recipe, you will need at least a 6-quart saucepan.

Fudge boiling in a saucepan.

Once you get the ingredients to a full rolling boil, put your thermometer in and keep stirring until it reaches 234 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, that’s fine.

If you don’t have a thermometer, start the timer for 4 minutes after it starts boiling.

If you do, then when it reaches 234 degrees or 4 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat.

TIP: Be sure not to let the thermometer touch the bottom of the pan, or you will get an incorrect reading.

I do think using a thermometer is a good plan because you will be able to see when the fudge reaches the right temperature.

Some people know how to do the water test, where you drop some fudge in the water, but I am not great at that, so I stick to the thermometer.

I’ve had more success with the fudge turning out better with the thermometer.

Melting marshmallow cream in a saucepan for fudge.

Add the marshmallow creme and stir.

I always add the marshmallow first because the ingredients are still so hot and will melt the marshmallow cream faster.

If you add the chocolate chips in first, that’s fine, but it cools the fudge off enough that it takes longer to melt the marshmallow, and you’ll be using some elbow grease.

I usually use Jet Puff marshmallow cream, but you can also use Marshmallow Fluff.

Stirring hot chocolate fudge.

Next, add the vanilla and the chocolate chips.

Fudge that will make all your friends jealous, and want to stick around. This is the easiest and most delicious fudge recipe around.

Pour your fudge mixture into the casserole dish.

Tips for Making Fudge

  • I like my fudge thick, so I use a smaller pan.
  • I use either a disposable tinfoil pan (about a 9″ x 9″ square pan) or a ceramic baking pan and never had a problem with the fudge sticking, most likely because there is so much butter in the recipe.
  • If you used a stoneware pan, you would need to grease it first, but otherwise, you should be ok. Using a 9″ x 9″ pan makes the fudge pretty thick.
  • If you’d like smaller pieces, you can use a 13″ x 9″ pan instead. 
  • If you want to be able to lift the fudge out easily you can line the prepared pan with parchment paper.
Fudge that will make all your friends jealous, and want to stick around. This is the easiest and most delicious fudge recipe around.

Let Your Fudge Set Up

For best results, allow your fudge to set up at room temperature for two to three hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can place it in the refrigerator, and it will set up in about half the time.

As the fudge cools, it will set up, and it will take three to four hours. After it cools, put some Saran Wrap over the top to keep it from drying out.

How To Store The Fudge

You can store the fudge in an airtight container at room temperature or use plastic wrap (just don’t forget that cats and dogs can still smell it).

The fudge will keep at room temperature for a few days but about one to two weeks in the refrigerator.

You can freeze the fudge for about one month. Be sure to refrigerate the fudge as it thaws.

Different Options For The Easy Recipe

There are a lot of possibilities with this fudge base. The next time, you can add in the following chips as an alternative to the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Or, you can do half chocolate chip and half peanut butter, for example, and get a great and tasty combination with this foolproof chocolate fudge.

What Is The Best Chocolate Fudge Recipe?

Chocolate fudge made with evaporated milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, marshmallow, and more is the best chocolate fudge recipe. It’s the traditional method that has been around for a long time.

There are a lot of other recipes out there, but this is the best fudge and it turns out decadent, creamy, chocolatey, and delicious.

What Is Fudge?

Fudge is a candy that is made with butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and a few other ingredients. The recipe is boiled until it reaches a certain temperature and cools to a thick and creamy piece of candy.

How Do You Keep Fudge From Crumbling?

Make sure you don’t overcook the fudge, and make sure all of the sugar crystals are mixed in with the evaporated milk.

What Chocolate Is Best For Fudge?

It depends on the type of fudge you are making. Semi-sweet chocolate is the most widely used because it is less sweet than other chocolates.

You are adding sugar and marshmallow to this recipe, so using semi-sweet chips will make it a little less sweet.

I use semi-sweet chocolate chips because they come out delicious every time and they are easy to store and use.

Are you looking for the perfect chocolate fudge recipe? Look no further. This is one of the easiest and most delicious chocolate fudge recipes out there. Click on the pic and grab the recipe today.

What Are Some Mistakes To Avoid When Making Fudge?

  • Don’t allow the thermometer to touch the bottom of the pan, or you will get an incorrect reading.
  • Make sure the ingredients come to a rolling boil on the stovetop before starting the timer if you don’t have a thermometer. Otherwise, it might not set up, or you might end up with grainy fudge.
  • Use a pan that has a thick bottom. If you have a thin pot, it will burn the sugar at the bottom.
  • Make sure the fudge reaches the proper temperature, or it won’t set up.
  • Be sure not to cook the fudge past the proper temperature, or it will get too hard and crumbly.
  • Don’t overbeat the fudge. Just stir on occasion.

More Delicious Desserts

This is the best old fashioned fudge recipe, and it’s easy to make.

Be sure to get your favorite chocolate fudge recipe below and make some today. It will surely become a family tradition for the Christmas season.

This is an easy homemade chocolate fudge recipe. The old fashioned fudge is a popular recipe for parties, Christmas, or anytime around the holidays. Creamy and smooth fudge is the perfect dessert.

Fudge That Will Make All Your Friends Jealous

4.42 from 546 votes
Julie Pollitt
This is an easy homemade chocolate fudge recipe. The old fashioned fudge is a popular recipe for parties, Christmas, or anytime around the holidays. Creamy and smooth fudge is the perfect dessert.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 25 pieces
Calories 255.2 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1/2 sticks butter
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 5 ounce can evaporated milk 2/3 cup
  • 12 ounce bag chocolate chips
  • 7 ounce can marshmallow cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts optional

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat.
  • Add the evaporated milk and sugar and stir.
  • Bring to a full rolling boil on medium, stirring constantly. Cook until the candy thermometer reaches 234-degrees or for 4 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Add marshmallow cream. Stir until blended.
  • Add vanilla. Stir.
  • Add chocolate chips and stir until blended.
  • Add walnuts (optional).
  • Pour into pan and cool.

Video

Notes

Walnuts are not included in the nutritional information.
You can line the pan with parchment paper and lift it out easily after it sets up.
Cut the fudge after it sets up with a sharp knife.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 255.2kcalCarbohydrates: 34.2gProtein: 2.76gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6.78gCholesterol: 19.6mgSodium: 57.9mgFiber: 0.8gSugar: 32.5g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I love chocolate fudge. This is one of my favorite easy chocolate fudge recipes that is perfect for an old-fashioned Christmas treat, or any time of the year.

Find more delicious recipes at Julia’s Simply Southern, and South Your Mouth.

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4.42 from 546 votes (532 ratings without comment)

32 Comments

  1. Our family name for this fudge is 5 lb. fudge. When it should really be 10 or 20 lb. fudge after eating. What would Christmas be without this fudge!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      I love it! That’s a great name for the fudge. I’ve already made it twice now and it’s not even December. I think 10 or 20lb. fudge will end up being the perfect name after I get done eating it all. Ha ha!

  2. Do you use milk or semi sweet chocolate chips?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Danie,

      I use semi-sweet chips. If you make it, let me know how you like it.

  3. When do you add the vanilla?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Melissa,

      You add the vanilla after you’ve stirred in the marshmallow. Let me know how yours turns out! Sorry to take so long to respond, somehow this ended up in my spam folder. Happy Holidays!

  4. You didn’t mention when to add the vanilla. Add with chocolate chips?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Oh! Sorry about that. I add the vanilla after I add the marshmallow. I am so focused on eating the fudge that I forgot to add it to the recipe. 🙂 I have forgotten to add the vanilla several times and it still tastes delicious. I will go in and fix that. Thanks Susan! Happy Holidays!

  5. Do I put in refrigerator after it sets

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Ginny,

      I always leave it on the counter. It’s perfect at room temperature. I’ve had some on the counter for a couple of days.

  6. Judy stewart says:

    This has been recipe in my family for years! Two things. My grandmother taught me not to stir once the sugar dissolved. I usually use half the marshmallow. It makes it taste much richer. Just a tip from old hand.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Judy!

      It’s a great recipe! I will have to try it that way. I’ll have to try it with half of the marshmallows, too. Thanks for the great tip!

  7. This recipe has been in our family for years. My mom’s recipe is named Easy-do Fudge. The difference from this recipe is ours only calls for 1 stick of butter. I love that is so easy to change the flavor by just using another flavor of chips. I usually add pecans to one batch of the chocolate. I use milk chocolate chips. It is addicting!! I put it in my Christmas boxes I make for gifts. I have found that using your mixer to mix it all together after removing from the stove is faster and easier on my arm.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Donna!

      I’ll have to try your family recipe. Milk chocolate chips are soooo delicious! It’s very addicting! I’ve put the fudge in gifts for my kid’s teachers, too!

      Thanks for stopping by! Julie

  8. I have been making this fudge recipe for over 30 years. It’s on the back of the Marshmallow Cream jar and I do it in the microwave in 11 1/2 minutes – Yum!!!!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      I’ve never tried it in the microwave. I’ll have to try it! Thanks for coming by!

  9. Dana L Goodner says:

    You know what, this is not the southern fudge I grew up with, because the real southern cook does not use marshmallow cream in our recipes. I don’t think the marshmallow cream had even been invented yet!

    You guys must be pretty young!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      So fun, Dana! I would love to hear about your recipe! Thanks for stopping by!

  10. 5 stars
    I never would have guessed fudge was so easy to make. I’ve never been brave enough to make candy. I thought I would give it a chance for Christmas Cookie Plates for the neighbors. I am beyond grateful I doubled the recipe. It was so easy to make. It’s so good too! Usually I only eat fudge from a small shop in Glenhaven, CO once a year…not anymore! I’m already plotting to play with this for Valentine’s Day. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

  11. 4 stars
    Try my late mom’s recipe.
    Melt 1 bag of Nestlé semisweet chips with 1 can of Betty Crocker milk chocolate frosting. Stir in walnuts. Refrigerate. Eat.

  12. 5 stars
    1

  13. 4 stars
    1

  14. 3 stars
    This same recipe has been around for decades printed on marshmallow cream jars. Nothing new.

  15. 3 stars
    Switch peanut butter for marshmallow creme. Have not tried yet.

  16. 1 star
    Garbage, no visible recipe, no amounts for the ingredients

  17. 3 stars
    Mine came out kind of dry instead of creamy. I even used a candy thermometer. I think the temp was too high.

  18. Persephone says:

    5 stars
    I substituted half the vanilla with almond extract and it took it to the next level. Great, easy recipe. Highly recommend.

  19. Sharon James says:

    5 stars
    This is the recipe my Mum made for years. I have experimented with the different flavors and it’s so versatile. I like to use orange extract or peppermint for some, I also put crushed up Heath bars on some, also crushed up peppermint candies, not only does it taste good they also look nice.

  20. 5 stars
    I made 3 batches of this for 2 different events and everyone loved it and so easy to make

  21. 5 stars
    Incredible! I substituted white chocolate chips and then added 2 cups (1 sleeve) mashed Oreos at the end for Cookies n Cream fudge that tastes like a Hershey bar! Which is probably why we ended up with a full 9×13” pan of fudge.

  22. 5 stars
    I’m 52 yrs old. Every year at Christmas I try to make this fudge using a traditional candy thermometer. It NEVER turned out. This year I used a high temp digital thermometer. I don’t trust the 234 temp. So I cooked it till the digital thermometer read 237. It turned out absolutely perfect. Not too soft, not hard either. I was amazed. So was everyone else! Hope this helps people wondering why theirs won’t set.

  23. 5 stars
    Wonderful easy versatile recipe. Only thing I don’t like is all the ads I have to get through to read it! I love all your foods and I wish you had a book I could buy!

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