how to make easy fudge – easy fudge recipe FAQ

If you are tired of struggling to make traditional homemade fudge you’ve come to the right place! Here at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com you will find dozens of easy fudge recipes that can be made in under 10 minutes using as few as 2 ingredients.
Continue to read answers to all your questions 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 here on HowToMakeEasyFudge.com can be made in minutes without the use of a candy thermometer. We have been working to develop simple foolproof fudge recipes and we have learned so much along the way. 

Continue to read to find answers to all the most pressing fudge making questions. 

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. You can see all of our easy fudge recipes here. 

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. Overly soft fudge that doesn’t set up firm 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.
• When making easy fudge using chocolate and sweetened condensed milk, frosting, or sauce your fudge will be too soft if you don’t use enough chocolate. 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.
  • 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 blended with something creamy like sweetened condensed milk then chilled to re-harden, they create the structure needed to make a nice smooth and creamy yet firm fudge. 

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 adjust the recipe. 

Start with the basics and add flavorings and mix-ins from there. 

• Dark Chocolate Fudge
• White Chocolate Frosting Fudge
• Vanilla Condensed Milk Fudge
• Milk Chocolate Fudge

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 firm and ready to cut sooner but others may take longer. 
• If you remove your fudge from the pan and it’s too sticky to cut, chill it longer. 
• One trick is to set the fudge upside down so the bottom drys a bit before cutting. 
• The time it takes will depend on how hot the fudge was when poured into the pan, the temperature of your refrigerator and the ingredients used. 
• You can also allow the fudge to set at room temperature which will take between 6-8 hours. I like to cover my fudge and leave it 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 too 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 simply 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?

We 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, we prefer to line a baking pan with Nestle Premier White Morsels (a specially treated foil found in your grocery store) or parchment paper.
  • You can lightly spray the parchment 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.
• Use a non-stick pan for easier removal if you don’t have any foil or paper to line your 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.
  • If you prefer your fudge to be on the thick side use a smaller pan.
  • If you want pretty slices of fudge use a loaf pan.
  • There are a few recipes here that are made in a 9 x 13-inch pan like our deliciously creamy peanut butter fudge. 

What type of pan do you use for fudge?

• Glass, ceramic, non-stick metal, aluminum, tin foil or silicone pans will all work when making fudge.
• Lining the pan as mentioned above is the most optimal but if you use a silicone pan there is no need to line the pan. The fudge can be easily removed from a flexible silicone pan. 

What chocolate do you use to make an easy fudge recipe?

It is very important that you use chocolate that you like to eat! A bad tasting or bland tasting chocolate isn’t going to make a great fudge. If you like a particular brand of chocolate right out of the package then it will taste good in fudge. Don’t use a chocolate you don’t like hoping it will taste better as fudge. It won’t! 

Chocolate flavors to use in easy fudge recipes:

• 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.

• 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. 

• 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. 

• confectionery coating (also known as, Candy Melts, melting candy, almond bark)

  • These chocolate-like products swap out palm kernel 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.
  • We use a lot of white confectionery coating (Nestle Premier White Morsels) to make our easy fudge because it has a nice creamy texture, a lovely vanilla flavor, and they are easy to find in most grocery stores. 

Types of Chocolate to use in fudge making recipes:

• 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.

• chocolate chips

  • Melt chocolate chips whole.
  • Be sure to use chocolate chips that you love eating right out of the bag.

• 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 we 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, we’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 but note that there are subtle differences in each brand of condensed milk and you may need to slightly alter the recipe for great results.
  • Some brands of sweetened condensed milk are very thick while others are runny and thin.
  • If you notice your sweetened condensed milk is really thin you may want to add a bit more chocolate to the recipe in order to ensure you have a nice firm fudge to cut into.
  • Some are off white in color while others are almost tan in color. 

Can I use evaporated milk when a recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk?

• NO! not for most of our easy fudge recipes.
  • Make sure to NOT interchange sweetened condensed milk (which is more of a sugar syrup) with evaporated milk (which is thinner and has no sugar added).
  • 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 long will homemade fudge stay fresh?

• Fudge will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks and up to 3 months depending on how it is stored.
  • Plain fudge will have the longest shelf life. 
  • Once you add mix-ins like cookies and nuts, those ingredients will shorten the shelf life.
    • Cookies mixed into fudge will soften. 
    • Toppings like cookies or peppermint can become moist and soft. 
  • Always use the freshest ingredients when making your fudge to enhance the shelf life. 

How should you store fudge?

With proper wrapping and care, your fudge can last for weeks at room temperature.

Here are several different ways to store your fudge at room temperature:

• Wrap fudge in wax paper and store in an air-tight container.
• Wrap your fudge tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap in tin foil and place in a zip top bag
• Line a metal tin with parchment or wax paper and fill with fudge. 
  • A metal tin works the best to keep the air out and keep fudge fresh. 

Can fudge be refrigerated?

• Yes fudge can be refrigerated if packaged using any of the methods above. 
  • Note that refrigerated fudge should be removed and kept in it’s packaging for about an hour before unwrapping to avoid any condensation forming on the top of the fudge. 

Can you freeze fudge?

• Yes you can freeze fudge for up to 3 months if it is wrapped properly.
  • Wrap the fudge well in plastic wrap or wax paper then wrap it tightly in tin foil and place in a zip top bag or airtight container to avoid ice crystals forming on the top of your fudge. 
  • To thaw your frozen fudge, remove the wrapped fudge from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a couple hours before unwrapping. This will keep your fudge from developing beads of condensation on them which will make the surface of your fudge sticky. 

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?

• Only in hot temperatures.
  • We 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 it’s too soft or too hard?

• Yes. The trick to remelting fudge is to use the lowest setting on your microwave and allow it to melt really slowly. 
  • Break up the fudge into small pieces, place in a microwave safe bowl and heat on the lowest setting for 30 seconds. then let the bowl sit in the microwave for 3 minutes before stirring. 
  • If needed heat for 10 second bursts of low power until the fudge becomes smooth.
  • You can then add a bit more chocolate if the fudge was too soft or add a bit of sweetened condensed milk, frosting, or whatever creamy ingredient is called for in the recipe to make the fudge softer. 
  • Spread it into a pan and let it firm up. 

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.