If you’re searching for how to make fudge, you’ve come to the right place! Each and every EASY fudge recipe here is the BEST fudge recipe. And each easy fudge recipe here is user-friendly, has just a few ingredients, and takes no time at all to make in the microwave or on the stove-top. Read on for everything you need to know about How To Make Easy Fudge.
How to Make Easy Fudge Tips and Tricks
What is fudge?
Traditional fudge would not exactly fall under the easy fudge recipe category. Traditional fudge is a soft candy made from sugar, milk or cream, butter and flavorings. The sugar and milk are heated to the “soft ball stage” of candy-making, or 240 degrees F (160 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, thus making a sugar syrup. Then the butter is stirred in and flavorings and mix-ins like nuts are added. If all is done properly this will make a smooth, creamy fudge.
Candy-making can be rather temperamental and tricky however, because the chemistry requires precision, and it takes a good bit of experience and practice to craft perfect candy. But fear not! Every quick and easy fudge recipe we share will save the day so you can skip the difficult steps!
Follow along to learn how to make quick and easy fudge. We have been experimenting with dozens of recipes and are sharing all that we have learned.
By the way, find the recipe for the chocolate fudge recipe in the picture above HERE.
Find the easy fudge recipe for orange creamsicle fudge HERE.
What is quick fudge?
“Quick fudge” is an easy fudge recipe that you can make in minutes in the microwave or on the stove-top, skip the tedious candy-making process by using alternative ingredients as shortcuts. For example, you can use sweetened condensed milk which is pretty much the sugar and dairy packaged in a handy dandy can that can be found in the supermarket. Other ingredients, such as store-bought frosting or marshmallow fluff, also help make the fudge recipes you’ll find here a cinch to make. So you do not need a candy thermometer to make easy fudge. We have you covered with delicious, easy fudge recipes in every flavor for every occasion that take minutes to make.
Quick fudge is more stable to prepare and easier to make for all skill levels, and it tastes delicious. It often takes minutes to prepare with just a few ingredients. (Some recipes have as little as two ingredients!) Fudge can be prepared in the microwave or on the stove-top. Microwave fudge is the easiest, quickest fudge to make, but if you prefer stove-top, it’s just as simple.
Find the recipe for chocolate peanut butter fudge here.
Easy fudge recipe help
Our goal is to not only have a blog filled with quick fudge recipes, but to have every easy fudge recipe here work perfectly for you every time. The recipes themselves are simple, use only a few ingredients, and can be made in the microwave or on the stove-top. Read on for tips and tricks to avoid any problems you might encounter and how to fix them if you do. We answer the most frequently asked fudge questions, but feel free to send us more if you have them!
Help! What makes fudge too soft, too grainy, too greasy?
Why is my fudge too soft?
If you ever wonder why your fudge is too soft, why your fudge doesn’t harden properly, or why your fudge doesn’t set, you aren’t alone. Too soft fudge is a common grievance when making fudge. If you’re making traditional fudge, too soft fudge (or too crumbly fudge, which is too hard or dry) happens with imprecise heating and stirring and cooling. But because we’re avoiding the candy-making on this blog to only give you super easy, delicious fudge recipes, too soft fudge tends to be caused by too little chocolate.
Each easy fudge recipe here call for chocolate chips, candy bars, or candy melts (confectionery coating) in dark, milk or white chocolate. When these are melted and then chilled to re-harden, they create the structure needed to make a nice smooth and creamy yet firm fudge. The ratio of chocolate to condensed milk, frosting, or sauce needs to be just right or the fudge can be too soft or even too firm.
Something to keep in mind is that dark chocolate has a more solid structure than milk chocolate or white chocolate. So it’s best to use our recipes as written for each of these types of fudge. If you choose to use milk or white chocolate in place of dark chocolate you’ll need to add 25% more to the recipe.
How long does fudge take to set?
Most of the easy fudge you will find on this site call for the fudge to be refrigerated for 3 to 4 hours. Some fudges may be ready earlier. You can also allow the fudge to set at room temperature overnight.
What makes fudge grainy?
When making traditional fudge, you heat the sugar, cream and butter to an exact temperature and let it cool a bit undisturbed. It should cool down to about 110° before stirring. Stirring too early can cause the sugar to make crystals that are too big, which gives fudge a grainy texture. You needn’t worry about grainy fudge though when making our recipes.
Every easy fudge recipe here avoids the traditional candy-making process so you will NOT have grainy fudge.
What makes fudge greasy?
With traditional fudge the butter can separate from the fudge if it’s added to early while the candy is still too hot. With an easy fudge recipe, the cocoa butter can separate from the chocolate if it gets too hot. If you follow our instructions for heating up your fudge then you should not have any issues.
If you do overheat the fudge and it looks greasy pour it into a clean bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes. Then stir the fudge, working the cocoa butter back into the fudge. This is important so that the fudge is creamy. If you simple wipe up the cocoa butter, your fudge may become dry. If the fudge still looks greasy, pour it out onto a cool surface like a marble cutting board, a granite counter top, or a non-stick cookie sheet. Let it sit for 5 minutes then use a rubber spatula to scrape it up and bring it all together. Still greasy, keep spreading it out and scraping it up until it no longer looks greasy. The fudge will be quite thick at this point so you’ll have to push it into the pan.
Lemon Fudge is gorgeous AND easy to make with our shortcut trick.
Learn How To Make Easy Fudge
How do I prepare the pan for making fudge?
I often get the question, will fudge stick to wax paper? Will fudge stick to aluminum foil? Or parchment paper? If your fudge is too soft, it’s more likely to stick to your paper or baking pan. If your fudge is the perfect consistency, it’s less likely to stick, even if you simply grease the baking pan well without using any paper.
For best results, I prefer to line a baking pan with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil (a specially treated foil found in your grocery store). You can lightly spray the paper or regular tin foil with non-stick cooking spray, wiping away the excess with a paper towel to really ensure the fudge won’t stick. The benefit of using parchment or foil to line your pan is that you can lift the finished fudge out of the pan for easy cutting.
Can I pour my fudge into a glass pan greased with butter or sprayed with baking spray?
Yes, but removing the fudge from the pan can be a bit more challenging. If you don’t mind simply serving the fudge out of the pan then this method works great. If you use a non-stick pan then you’ll have an easier time getting the fudge out than if using a glass pan.
What size pan do you use to make fudge?
Most of the fudge recipes here call for using an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan but almost all can be made using a 6 inch square pan or even an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan. I prefer fudge to be on the thick side so using a smaller pan is preferable. If you want pretty slices of fudge use a loaf pan. I rarely use a 9 x 13-inch dish, unless the recipe specifically calls for it, like this awesome easy fudge recipe for peanut butter fudge.
What type of pan do you use for fudge?
You can usually use the 6, 8, OR 9 inch square pans or the 8×4 inch pans interchangeably. Each size will determine the thickness of your fudge. Glass, ceramic, non-stick metal, aluminum, tin foil or silicone pans will all work when making fudge.
What chocolate do you use to make an easy fudge recipe?
Use something you like to eat! A bad tasting or bland tasting chocolate isn’t going to make a great fudge.
Chocolate flavors to use in easy fudge recipes:
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pure dark chocolate (which has cocoa butter listed in the ingredients)
- Semi-sweet dark chocolate (45%-60% cocoa content) makes a great tasting sweet chocolate fudge.
- Bittersweet chocolate (70%-90% cocoa content) is wonderful if you enjoy a more robust flavored chocolate fudge.
- Unsweetened chocolate (100% cocoa content) is, in my opinion, too bitter for fudge, but you may enjoy it if you like a really intensely flavored, rather bitter tasting fudge.
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milk chocolate (which has cocoa butter and milk in the ingredients)
- milk chocolate is sweet and creamy and makes a lovely fudge
- it is softer in structure than dark chocolate so it cannot be swapped out in a dark chocolate fudge recipe unless you increase the amount of milk chocolate used by about 25%
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white chocolate (made with cocoa butter)
- It’s a creamy confection that contains cocoa butter but not any cocoa solids makes a nice milky tasting fudge.
- White chocolate is also softer in structure than dark and slightly softer than milk.
- If you swap it out in a recipe that calls for dark chocolate use at least 25% white chocolate.
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confectionery coating (also known as, Candy Melts, melting candy, almond bark)
- These chocolate-like products swap out palm kernal oil, or other vegetable oils, for cocoa butter, making it easier to work with in candy making.
- The flavor is good but not quite and rich as pure chocolate, but if you enjoy eating it right out of the package you will like it in a homemade fudge recipe.
Types of Chocolate to use in fudge making recipes:
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chocolate bars or blocks
- Finely chop the chocolate so that it melts more quickly. The smaller the pieces the faster and more evenly it will melt.
- You can also grind the chocolate up in the food processor or use the cheese grater attachment to grate the chocolate.
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chocolate chips
- Melt chocolate chips whole.
- Be sure to use chocolate chips that you love eating right out of the bag.
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candy melts wafers or pure chocolate callets
- You can melt these whole or chop them up to make melting go more quickly.
This smooth and creamy vanilla white chocolate fudge is made with just two ingredients: White chocolate and frosting. Can’t get an easy fudge recipe easier than that.
How do you make fudge with frosting?
Ah yes, the famous 2-ingredient fudge!
To make fudge with frosting, combine one container of store-bought frosting and chocolate chips (choose complementary flavors), melt on the stove-top of microwave, pour into a greased container, and let it set in the refrigerator. That’s it!
How do you make fudge with sweetened condensed milk?
Sweetened condensed milk, which is essentially the sugar syrup part of fudge-making in a can, is a great ingredient for making quick and easy fudge! You simply need to heat the condensed milk with chocolate chips on the stove-top or microwave, and add any flavoring or mix-ins you like.
What is sweetened condensed milk?
- Sweetened condensed milk is milk that has been pasteurized and condensed (heated and cooked to remove most of the water) and is then sweetened with sugar.
- The sugar not only adds sweetness to the condensed milk but it also helps to thicken it and to prolong the shelf life, keeping microorganisms from growing in it.
- You can, if you’d like, make your own homemade sweetened condensed milk but I just buy cans of it from the grocery store. You’ll find it in the baking aisle next to the evaporated milk. Be sure you grab the correct cans. See more details below.
Can I use any brand of sweetened condensed milk to make fudge?
- Yes, but note that there are subtle differences in each brand of milk.
- Some brands of sweetened condensed milk are very thick while others are runny and thin.
- Some are off white in color while others are almost tan in color.
I’ve used several different brands of sweetened condensed milk while developing all these fudge recipes and the fudges have all set up nicely and tasted great. I do prefer to use the thicker, more caramel colored Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, but I’ve been happy using store brands from Aldi, Walmart, and Kroger.
Can I use evaporated milk when a recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk?
NO! Make sure to NOT interchange sweetened condensed milk (which is more of a sugar syrup) with evaporated milk (which does not have sugar added and has more water content). Some fudge recipe do use evaporated milk, because it is a more stable ingredient and can be cooked to higher temperatures without curdling than regular milk, but recipes that use evaporated milk in place of regular milk are more likely to have more traditional candy-making steps.
The two different types of canned milk are almost always on the grocery store shelf right next to each other, so be sure to choose the correct cans.
This cookies and cream easy fudge recipe uses sweetened condensed milk.
How should you store fudge?
With proper wrapping and care, your fudge can last for weeks, even months! Wrap fudge in wax paper and store in an air-tight container. A metal tin works the best to keep the air out and keep fudge fresh.
How long does fudge last?
Fudge will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks and up to 6 months depending on how it is stored. Adding mix-ins like cookies and nuts will shorten the shelf life. Cookies will soften and nuts can get stale.
Can fudge be stored at room temperature?
Most of the fudge from each easy fudge recipe will keep for at least two weeks and up to 1 month if stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.
Can fudge be refrigerated?
Yes. Fudge will keep for at least a month if stored in the refrigerator, although you will find the fudge dries out more quickly in the fridge.
Can you freeze fudge?
Absolutely! Fudge freezes very well. To thaw, remove the wrapped fudge from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a couple hours before unwrapping. You can keep fudge fresh in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Will fudge get moldy?
- Yes, fudge will get moldy when it get’s too old.
Can fudge melt?
- Yes! If exposed to temperatures over 110 degrees F fudge will begin to melt.
- Fudge will become soft at temperatures above 80 degrees F.
Will fudge melt in the mail?
- I don’t recommend sending fudge in the mail when the outdoor temperatures are over 85 degrees F. Remember that the fudge may sit on a very hot truck for hours before being delivered.
Can easy fudge be remelted?
- If you are making an easy fudge recipe, it can be remelted. I’ve remelted fudge successfully as I have been experimenting with the correct quantities to add to the fudge. If your fudge is too soft, you can remelt it and add more melted chocolate.
- Just be careful to not over-heat the chocolate. It may become greasy if over-heated.
Oh, maple walnut fudge, you are divine.
Now that you know all about How To Make Easy Fudge, be sure to check out our How To Make Easy Fudge Recipes page. There you will find images and links each amazing easy fudge recipe we have created to date.
If you have any questions about making any easy fudge recipe be sure to leave it in the comments section below.
