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Foolproof Chocolate Fudge is creamy, chocolatey, and the perfect holiday gift for chocolate lovers! Made with semi-sweet chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, butter, salt and vanilla extract – no candy thermometer required. Make this homemade chocolate fudge your own by adding chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, or peanut butter chips.
Homemade Chocolate Fudge
The holiday season is here, and in our house that means so many things… including lots and lots of homemade fudge! Cocoa fudge brownies, peppermint fudge cookies, hot fudge sauce, and of course, classic chocolate fudge.
I learned how to make homemade chocolate fudge when I was in the first grade! And have been making it ever since. I joke that my mom can credit this easy chocolate fudge recipe for turning me into the chocoholic I am today.
This Easy Chocolate Fudge is:
- rich in chocolate flavor
- melt in your mouth creamy
- soft but firm enough to hold its shape when sliced
- easy to make – even for beginners
- made with just 5 basic ingredients
Truly the perfect fudge recipe! So without further ado, let me teach you how to make easy chocolate fudge!
Easy Chocolate Fudge Ingredients
- Chocolate: For sweeter chocolate fudge, use semi-sweet chocolate. For bittersweet chocolate fudge, use dark chocolate, 70% to 85% cocoa. I don’t suggest using milk chocolate or cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate bars or extremely good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: I love eagle brand sweetened condensed milk! Unfortunately I do not have a substitution for this ingredient. Please note, sweetened condensed milk is NOT the same as evaporated milk.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is my preference but salted butter will work. I don’t suggest subbing oil for butter.
- Salt: Helps to balance out the sweetness and enhances the other flavors in this fudge! If you use salted butter, you can reduce or omit the salt called for.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the other flavors and adds its signature rich vanilla flavor. Use real pure vanilla extract, not artificial vanilla.
- Extras: You can add in a 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, or even peanut butter chips! Stir in your mix-in of choice when you stir in the vanilla extract. Extras are totally optional, and you don’t need to mix in anything.
Tools for Homemade Chocolate Fudge
To make this easy chocolate fudge, you’ll need a few basic kitchen items listed below.
- Parchment Paper: Or aluminum foil, to line the baking dish. This makes removing the chocolate fudge from the baking dish a breeze.
- Baking Dish: You’ll need an 8-inch baking dish. Unfortunately I don’t suggest using a 9-inch baking dish. Because it’ll spread the fudge out too much, creating thin fudge.
- Double Boiler: You can make this at home by placing a glass bowl on top of a pan. The bowl should fit snugly on top of the pan – and not fall in when you let go.
- Airtight Container: To store your fudge, you’ll want to place it in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
How to Make Chocolate Fudge Recipe
This is what I call “shortcut fudge”, because the method doesn’t require a candy thermometer or tons of stirring.
- Instead you’ll simply combine the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, butter, and sweetened condensed milk into a large heatproof glass bowl.
- Then place the bowl over a large bowl of gently simmering water. Essentially you’re making a double-boiler.
- Once the chocolate and butter have completely melted, you’ll remove it from heat and stir in the vanilla. The mixture will be thick!
- Use a strong spatula to scrape the fudge mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Then you’ll need to place the chocolate fudge in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours! During this time the chocolate fudge will set.
- Once set, use a large and sharp knife to cut it into small squares and serve.
Does Fudge Need refrigeration?
Nope, almost all fudge recipes will keep at room temperature. While it doesn’t need refrigeration, you can definitely keep it in the refrigerator! Especially if you enjoy biting into a cold square of chocolate fudge!
Just be sure you store it in an airtight container at room temperature. Because cold air will dry out fudge faster. Or freeze your chocolate fudge using my instructions below.
Can you Freeze Fudge?
You sure can, but it’s best to freeze the entire block of fudge. Then slice it into small squares after you thaw it. To ensure your fudge stays fresh in the freezer, be sure to fudge tightly wrapped the block in two layers of plastic wrap, then placed in a freezer bag. This chocolate fudge will keep in the freezer for 2 months!
To thaw the chocolate fudge, place the block of fudge in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Then let it sit at room temperature for an hour before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
More Chocolate Fudge Recipes:
- Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
- 6-Ingredient Butter Pecan Fudge
- Creamy Kahlua Chocolate Fudge
- Chocolate Caramel Fudge Sauce
Foolproof Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk NOT evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 20 ounces semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling, optional
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts or crushed canes optional
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides, set aside.
- In a large, heatproof bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, chocolate, and butter; set aside.
- Fill a saucepan with a little water (you want it about 1/4 full) and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to barely a simmer. Place your heatproof glass bowl holding your ingredients on top of the pot. Fill a saucepan with a little water (you want it about 1/4 full) and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to barely a simmer.
- Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is almost fully melted and just a few small pieces of chocolate remain, about 4 minutes. (Make sure to remove the fudge from the double boiler before the chocolate is fully melted or there is the possibility of the chocolate separating and producing a greasy fudge.)
- Carefully remove the bowl from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in any "mix-ins" if using, then scrape the fudge into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer with a spatula.
- Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Remove the fudge from the pan using the foil overhang and cut into squares.
- Gently run a butter knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the fudge. Remove the fudge and transfer it to a cutting board.
- Peel off parchment paper, then slice the fudge into small pieces. Serve at once or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. You may also freeze the fudge, in an airtight freezer safe container for up to two months.
This was so easy and turned out really good! Will try next time with nuts, maybe pecans or pistachios.
First time making fudge and wow, it was a hit! Best fudge I’ve ever had!
Great recipe, easy to do, and people love it. I use it as Christmas gifts and people are asking for more. 🙂
In the narrative you add the vanilla after heating the rest of the ingredients. But in the recipe all the ingredients are heated. So which is it? Because I don’t do fudge without walnuts and instructions say add nut with vanilla??? B
This is hands down the best and easiest fudge recipe out there! Definitely no fail fudge. So smooth and creamy. Thank you!