This easy microwave eggnog fudge can be whipped up in under 10 minutes and has an incredibly creamy texture and lovely eggnog flavor. This homemade candy will be the perfect addition to your Christmas desserts or holiday gifts.
I'm guessing if you are here looking at this easy fudge recipe that you love eggnog with its creamy custard flavor and hints of nutmeg as much as I do and you have been looking for a fudge recipe that won't require you to boil sugar, use a candy thermometer, or measure out sticky marshmallow fluff. Doesn’t that sound great?
If however, you aren't familiar with eggnog, or egg nog, it is a chilled drink typically made using eggs, sugar, and milk and is often spiced using nutmeg or cinnamon and is sometimes served with a splash of rum or whiskey.
In the United States eggnog is most often served at Christmas and New Year's and you can buy cartons of it from the grocery store from early November until mid-January. You can also make homemade eggnog if you prefer.
To make this easy eggnog fudge you will need some eggnog, along with white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, nutmeg, and a splash of eggnog flavoring. It took me a while to come up with just the right formula for this recipe being eggnog has a very mellow flavor.
I started by making a vanilla fudge then added in eggnog and a bit of nutmeg for flavoring.
The first few batches of fudge I made were too soft, too sticky, and too bland. After quite a bit of experimenting, I found that the fudge really needed the flavor of a good white chocolate that isn't too sweet, a very flavorful eggnog, and a little boost of eggnog flavoring.
Ingredients:
- white chocolate
- sweetened condensed milk
- eggnog
- nutmeg
- eggnog flavoring
Choosing white chocolate:
- When making a white chocolate-based fudge I typically choose to use Nestle Premier White Morsels because they have a really nice flavor and they're easy to find in most local grocery stores, unfortunately, I found that they were just too sweet for this eggnog fudge recipe.
- Instead, I chose to use Ghirardelli White Chocolate Premium Baking Bars. The velvety texture of these candy bars really adds to the creaminess of the fudge and the flavor is very custard-like which is perfect. Plus these candy bars can also be found in many grocery and discount stores.
- There are many brands of white chocolate on the market however and you can choose your favorite. I also really enjoy the flavor of Callebaut White Chocolate and Lindt White Chocolate and both would make delicious eggnog fudge.
The Best Eggnog for this fudge.
- There are many brands of eggnog on the market and I have tried a lot of them over the years my absolute favorite is Southern Comfort Egg Nog so that is what I used to develop this recipe.
- I also tried a store brand and wasn't as happy with the flavor of this fudge.
- Whatever eggnog you choose you want it to taste more than just custard. It should have nice spice notes to it too.
Flavor eggnog fudge using:
- LorAnn Oils Eggnog Flavoring
- You can find small 1-dram bottles on Amazon and by adding just a dash of it to this fudge recipe I found that it really enhanced the creamy custard flavor and really made this fudge taste like eggnog.
- Rum Extract
- I also made a batch of this fudge using rum extract which added a slightly different flavor but was also quite nice. If you are unable to find the eggnog flavoring you can certainly pick up a bottle of rum extract at your grocery store to use in this recipe.
- Rum or Whiskey
- If you want your fudge to be boozy like our Fireball Fudge or Vodka Fudge, you can add a bit of rum or whisky but you'd need to increase the amount of white chocolate to balance out the texture. Too much booze will make the fudge too soft.
- I have not yet experimented with adding booze to this eggnog fudge but would suggest starting by adding 4 ounces of white chocolate and 1 ounce of rum or whisky. If that's not strong enough for you then double that amount, just know that the more you add, the more diluted the eggnog flavor will be.
Nutmeg:
- It's always best to grate your own nutmeg.
- Freshly grated nutmeg is much more flavorful than nutmeg you can buy in a jar or tin.
- Use a microplane grater to grate about ¼ teaspoon for this recipe. If you want more spice, add a bit more.
Supplies
- mixing bowl - Use a microwave safe bowl if making the fudge in the microwave. Otherwise, use a medium saucepan if making the fudge on the stove.
- 8-inch or 9-inch square pan - If you use a 9-inch pan the fudge will be very thin. You can also pour your fudge into an 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan then cut your fudge into slices.
- non-stick tin foil or parchment paper - I always recommend lining your pan with non-stick tin foil or parchment paper for easy removal.
Find some of these ingredients and supplies on amazon (commission earned for sales).
Video
You can learn more about making, packaging, and storing your fudge on our Easy Fudge FAQ page.
Recipe
Creamy custard flavored eggnog fudge sprinkled with a bit of fresh nutmeg makes a wonderful dessert to serve at Christmas or to give as holiday gifts.
- 24 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 7 tablespoons egg nog
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon eggnog flavoring or rum extract
Stir together the white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, eggnog, and half of the nutmeg.
Heat in the microwave on 70% power for 90 seconds.
Remove and stir.
Heat on 70% power for 45 seconds then let the bowl sit in the microwave for about 3 minutes.
Remove and stir.
If the white chocolate is not completely melted, heat at 70% power for 15-second increments, allowing the bowl to rest, then stir until melted.
Alternatively, you can melt these ingredients in a saucepan set over LOW heat on the stove. Remove the pan from the heat when 75% of the white chocolate is melted and stir until melted and smooth.
Stir in the eggnog flavoring or rum extract.
Pour into an 8-inch square pan that has been lined with non-stick tin foil or parchment paper and spread into an even layer.
Sprinkle on the remaining nutmeg.
Cover and either set the pan aside for about 4 hours or refrigerate for about 2 hours.
Once firm enough to cut, peel off the foil or parchment paper and cut into 36 squares.
- Store the fudge in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- Extend the shelf life by storing it in the refrigerator.
- This fudge can be wrapped well in tin foil or plastic wrap and placed in a zip-top bag and then frozen for up to 3 months.
If you enjoy this easy fudge recipe be sure to check out more recipes that would be great to serve at Christmas or to package and give as gifts.
- Fruity Pebbles Fudge - March 30, 2024
- Hot Chocolate Fudge - November 14, 2023
- white chocolate macadamia nut fudge - June 12, 2023
Kennedy
This looks amazing I love eggnog!
Beth
Thanks Kennedy! I love eggnog too.
Amanda
I’m so stuck on this. I followed all the directions to a “T” and used all the correct ingredients, but my fudge just will not harden! It’s been in the freezer for 24 hours and it’s still thick and sticky - impossible to cut into squares. What is up with that? I tripled checked that I did everything right, so what do I do now?😥😥😥
Beth
Hi Amanda, I am so sorry for the delay in responding. I hadn't logged in to the site this week. I'm also sorry to hear your fudge is too soft. Without knowing the exact brands of white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, or eggnog that you used the best I can do is to assume that the white chocolate had a higher percentage of cocoa butter or your sweetened condensed milk was too thin (store brands are usually thinner than Eagle Brand or Carnation) or you eggnog was thin. Any of these things could affect the way the fudge firmed up.
You can slowly melt the fudge and stir in some more melted white chocolate. To cool the fudge you'd need to pour it out onto marble or granite (or a metal cookie sheet). Spread it out then scrape it up. Spread it out then scrape it up again. Then repeat this until the fudge cools and thickens. Then press it into your pan. I've had success doing this many times when I've experimented with fudge recipes and got the ratio wrong to begin with.
If you make the fudge again using the same brand of ingredients increase the amount of white chocolate by a few ounces. That should help.
Alicia
Thanks for that suggestion, which I will try as I had the same problem using Cadbury chocolate, Nestle condensed milk and Paul's egg nog (the Bundaberg rum flavour is amazing). Love the flavour of your recipe and how quick it is to make.