This Creamy Chocolate Fudge has always been one of my favorite holiday treats. Its rich, silky, and packed with deep chocolate flavor in every bite. It’s quick to make, foolproof, and turns out perfectly smooth every time. The marshmallows give it that classic creamy texture, and it sets up beautifully for slicing and sharing. It is so dang easy, not like that temperamental toffee that I can only get to work 1/3 of the time, or time-consuming like wrapping caramels. You can make it in less than a half hour, let it chill in the fridge for up to a couple of days, then cut it into squares and deliver it. Or eat it all yourself.
Ingredients Needed
- evaporated milk
- granulated sugar
- mini marshmallows
- milk chocolate chips
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- butter
- vanilla
How to Make Creamy Chocolate Fudge
- Cook milk, sugar, and marshmallows in a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture reaches 240°F, stirring often.
- Line a 9×13 pan with foil, spray with nonstick spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla.
- Pour hot marshmallow mixture over the chocolate mixture and beat until smooth, less glossy, and slightly thickened.
- Spread into the prepared pan, chill until firm, and cut into squares.
Storage & Other Tips
- Remember to calibrate your candy thermometer before beginning. There are people in the comments who had a tough time getting this to set up. The person we got the recipe from chimed in and said she just boils it for ten minutes, and does not use a candy thermometer. Some say they had best luck cooking to 235°F, others needed it to go to 240°F. There are a lot of factors that come into play with any candy recipe, like humidity, sea level, and calibration of your candy thermometer.
- Want to make a double batch? Listen closely. This recipe does not double well. We can’t pinpoint exactly why, but it doesn’t seem to set up quite right when I’ve tried it. We recommend making one batch at a time.
- Marshmallow cream: several people in the comments say they make this exact recipe, but it uses marshmallow cream instead of fresh marshmallows. We aren’t sure of how much cream to add instead of marshmallows, but if you know, let us know in the comments!
- Set it evenly: use high-quality chocolate and don’t rush the mixing step. The mixture should just be starting to lose it’s sheen.
- Line your pan: line your pan with foil overhang and non-stick spray so you can lift the fudge easily and cut clean squares.
- To cut: pull the fudge from the fridge 10 – 15 minutes before serving so it isn’t too hard, making it easier to cut and eat. Use a knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts for cleaner slices.
- Mix-Ins: For variety, feel free to add mix-ins: chopped nuts, peppermint marshmallows and candy cane chips, swirls of peanut butter, or flavored marshmallows before chilling.
- Storage: store the fudge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Keep it in the coolest part of the fridge for best texture, and away from other smelly foods, as chocolate tends to absorb odors easily.
- Freezing: you can freeze it for longer storage. Wrap squares between layers of wax or parchment paper so they don’t stick together, and thaw in the fridge before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different size pan, or make half the batch?
Yes, you can use a smaller or larger pan (adjusting thickness accordingly), or halve the ingredients. The key is mixing well, and set the fudge fully.
How do I get clean, neat squares when cutting?
Use foil or parchment with overhang so you can lift the fudge out of the pan. Chill fully, and use a sharp knife (warming the blade under hot water, drying it) for clean cuts.
Will this fudge melt or become too soft at room temperature?
Since the mixture uses marshmallows and chilled thoroughly, it holds it’s shape pretty well. But if your environment is warm, store it in the fridge until serving for best texture.
Can I freeze leftover fudge?
Yes. Wrap squares between parchment or wax paper, then place in an airtight container and freeze. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Creamy Chocolate Fudge
This fudge is quick, easy, and so so good. It makes a lot too, which means a lot of happy people with very little effort on your part.
Servings 1″ squares
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ cups mini marshmallows
- 1 12-ounce bag milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Prepare the butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla in a large glass or metal bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Set aside. (You want this done first, as they need to be added quickly later on.)
- Line a 9×13″ pan with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- In a large heavy saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and marshmallows and insert a candy thermometer into the mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (constantly at the end) until the temperature reaches 240℉, boiling it for 10 minutes. It should be a nice caramel color and be getting pretty thick. Also be sure to scrape the sides of the pan and remove the residue where the sugar builds up to avoid getting sugar crystals in the mixture.The original creator of this recipe chimed in in our comments. She doesn't use a thermometer, she just boils it for ten minutes. Some readers have had better luck cooking to 235°F, some say they needed it to go to 240°F. There are a lot of factors. Watch the consistency and color if in doubt.
- When the marshmallow mixture is cooked, pour it over the chocolate chip mixture. Beat the mixture with a hand-held electric mixer, your stand mixer, or a hand-held whisk on low speed until the mixture is well-combined, smooth, and just starting to lose its sheen. Pour it into the prepared pan.
- Chill completely in the refrigerator before cutting into 1″ squares.
Notes
A Note About Temperatures:
- If your fudge turns out too runny, it could be due to all sorts of factors like elevation, humidity, your candy thermometer being even a few degrees off (I would venture to say that most of them are). If you make it again, I would try cooking it to 240.
- Many comments said this recipe has been a family staple for a long time, but they use marshmallow cream instead of fresh marshmallows. I’m not sure of how much cream to put in, but feel free to give it a try! If you do, let us know how it went!
- Use peppermint marshmallows and top with chopped Andes mints for peppermint fudge.
- Use 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 peanut butter chips (in 2 separate bowls) and then swirl the two mixtures together for peanut butter fudge.
- Add 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Top with chopped walnuts or pecans and marshmallows for rocky road fudge.
Nutrition
Calories: 48kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 13mg, Potassium: 5mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 49IU, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Calories: 48kcal
Cost: $7
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Questions & Reviews
Made this tonight for our family treat. YUMMM!!!! Every recipe we have made of yours is WONDERFUL! And SO congrats on the baby.
Oh my heck, this is the best fudge recipe I have ever tasted and I have been around a long time. I really made it to get a head start on neighbors gifts, but there might not be that much left. Keep them cooming gals, all recipes are so great.
Congrats on your new butterball!!! 🙂
Do you share your recipe for hot fudge sauce?
Sure. You can find it here-
http://nanasangelbabies.blogspot.com/2011/11/they-win-some-they-lose-some.html
Okay so I tried this tonight. The fudge is still cooling but I sampled the remains in my mixer bowl… and it is delicious! I do have one note though, maybe change the order. Get the chocolate chips and butter and vanilla ready in the mixing bowl first, and then start the marshmallow mixture on the stove. I was scrambling to get it all measured in time because the marshmallow mixture cooked a lot faster (and filled my pot a lot more) than I expected. Can’t wait to try the final product!!
Haha! What a cute way to “announce” your big news! Conrgats and best wishes to a smooth pregnancy.
Thanks for a good fudge recipe, and CONGRATULATIONS!!
Can you make this ahead of time and freeze and it will still taste good unthawed? If so, how long will it store in the freezer?
Absolutely amazing!! Easiest and best fudge I’ve ever made
Just a few ?’s about the fudge…Is it creamy or a little grainy from the sugar? Does it hold up well at room temperature or does it turn soft? Just asking cause I was thinking about making fudge for our entire ward and wanted to hand it out on Christmas Sunday. Thanks! My husband is bishop and we always do something for everyone as our way of saying thanks and we love you…So, if there are any other economical treats out there that would be better let me know. The past 7 Christmases we have chocolate covered pretzels, carmel popcorn, chocolate covered popcorn, chocolate cover licorice, etc. So, just trying to think of something different. Thanks!
It’s definitely creamy (or supposed to be–check out comment #97 to see an answer to graininess concerns… 🙂 ). After it’s chilled, it holds up pretty well, but if you prefer a firmer fudge, try cooking it to 240 degrees. It will dry out more quickly and easily, but it will hold up better at room temp. 🙂
Okay, I made a batch of this to test out and take to our Ward Christmas party last Friday and they were SO creamy and delicious. Needless to say, they were gone in seconds–literally. I used Ghirardelli milk and semi sweet chocolate chips. I will try the Ghirardelli dark chocolate as well. I also added orange oil to half of the recipe and made 2 different kinds, regular milk with chopped pecans and orange flavored. SO good! I will make both of those again as well as batches with crushed candy canes on top and one with mini m&m’s. THANK YOU for sharing this recipe. I haven’t made fudge this easy and this tasty in a VERY long time because I usually get it too grainy or too soft. This was perfect!
I’ve melted white chocolate over pretzels, peanut m&ms, and broken up candy canes. Just add enough pretzels so the chocolate just coats everything. It’s super easy and looks really festive. A little goes a long way too.