20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (2024)

Beef Fat Fudge image

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (1)

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Robin Bashinsky

Create this ultra-sweet treat at home with our collection of favorite easy fudge recipes.

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Gingerbread Fudge

Gingerbread Fudge image

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (2)

Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Gingerbread Fudge Recipe

This gingerbread fudge is the perfect “something different” to add to your holiday confections spread. Offering all of the toasty, familiar flavors of gingerbread and the creamy-rich texture of your favorite fudge, it’s the perfect mash-up of two holiday favorites. Plus, in keeping with the classic marshmallow fluff base, we’ve also kept this homemade holiday candy as easy as can be to mix up. We topped our gingerbread fudge with crushed gingersnap cookies and crystalized ginger for a little added oomph, but you could stir in toasted walnuts or pecans for crunch if you prefer. This holiday fudge recipe yields plenty for sharing, just be sure to store the fudge in the refrigerator when you’re finished snacking.

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Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (3)

Pumpkin Fudge Recipe

Stumped over what to do with those extra cans of pumpkin? Whip up a batch of pumpkin fudge featuring white chocolate chips and marshmallow creme.

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Dark Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Dark Chocolate Walnut Fudge image

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (4)

Credit: Sheri Giblin; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey; Prop Styling: Amy Stone

Dark Chocolate Walnut Fudge Recipe

This classic fudge recipe is delightfully chocolatey, smooth, and creamy like a truffle. Making the candy takes only25 minutes, but the fugde must sit at room temperature overnight to cool slowly and set without forming sugar crystals. Purchase high quality 60%-70% chocolate for best flavor and decadence.

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Eggnog Fudge

Eggnog Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (5)

Eggnog Fudge Recipe

Use up leftover eggnog with this nutty fudge recipe that also calls for chopped red candied cherries, chopped pecans, and chopped almonds.

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Chocolate-Bourbon-Fudge Balls

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20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (6)

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Chocolate-Bourbon-Fudge Balls Recipe

These delightfully tipsy, no-bake treats will be a hit at holiday parties. Make the mixture up to two days in advance. Store the fudge balls in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container.

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Bittersweet Fudge with Sea Salt

Bittersweet Fudge with Sea Salt

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (7)

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Bittersweet Fudge with Sea Salt Recipe

Sprinkled sea salt brings out rich, dark chocolate flavor in this bittersweet chocolate fudge. Flaky types of salt shaped like pyramids or thin shards show up the best and won't overpower the sweet.

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Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Fudge

Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (8)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Fudge Recipe

Make the combination of peanut butter and chocolate even better by stirring in instant coffee granules and topping the fudge with chopped peanuts.

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Mocha Almond Fudge

Mocha Almond Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (9)

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

Mocha Almond Fudge Recipe

Infuse bittersweet chocolate with instant espresso powder and chopped, toasted almonds for a mocha-flavored fudge that's simply to die for. This fudge recipe is a great choice for holiday gift baskets as well!

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Maple-Walnut Fudge

Maple-Walnut Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (10)

Credit: James Carrier

Maple-Walnut Fudge Recipe

This decadent fudge recipe combines chopped, toasted walnuts with sweet maple syrup for a salty-sweet flavor explosion. For best results, be sure to buy pure maple syrup, not the artificially flavored varieties.

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Fudge Ring

Fudge Ring

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (11)

Credit: Oxmoor House

Fudge Ring Recipe

Kids will love helping prepare this tasty dessert, which features a homemade ring mold filled with fudge, crushed cream-filled cookies, and candy-coated chocolates.

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White Chocolate Cookies 'n' Cream Fudge

White Chocolate Cookies 'n' Cream Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (12)

Credit: Oxmoor House

White Chocolate Cookies 'n' Cream Fudge Recipe

This easy fudge recipe will have family and friends begging you for more -- and the recipe! Reviewer Vickie recommends preparing in mini muffin tins to take along to get-togethers.

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Crunchy Chocolate-Ginger Fudge

Crunchy Chocolate-Ginger Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (13)

Crunchy Chocolate-Ginger Fudge Recipe

Candied ginger and crushed gingersnaps give this 5-ingredient fudge recipe a bit of holiday flair.

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Popcorn and Peanut Fudge

Popcorn and Peanut Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (14)

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Lynn Miller

Popcorn and Peanut Fudge Recipe

This fudge pairs salted peanuts and plain popcorn with semisweet chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Plus, the popcorn and peanuts add irresistible crunch.

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Easy Swirled Fudge

Easy Swirled Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (15)

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Easy Swirled Fudge Recipe

Don't want to mess with a candy thermometer? Try this microwaveable fudge recipe which features a swirl of chocolate and white chocolate flavors.

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Butterscotch Fudge

Butterscotch Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (16)

Butterscotch Fudge Recipe

You won't need a candy thermometer to make this easy fudge from brown sugar, Marshmallow Fluff, and evaporated milk.

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Paleo Almond Fudge

Paleo Almond Fudge image

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (17)

Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Paleo Almond Fudge Recipe

Creamy and decadent, but not overly sweet, this paleo fudge is everything we want in an afternoon pick-me-up. No, its not your nana’s traditional sugar-rich holiday fudge, but a subtle crunch from finely ground almond flour paired with this paleo candy’s salty-sweet factor makes it an incredibly satisfying bite—especially when a dessert craving strikes. We found that Barney’s Bare Smooth almond butter works exceptionally well in this recipe, and can be found at most health food markets and online. Pro-tip: Use plastic wrap to help press your fudge into the pan without it sticking to your hands.

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Pumpkin Spice Fudge

Pumpkin Spice Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (18)

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Pumpkin Spice Fudge Recipe

We turned the classic pumpkin pie (and the trendiest of fall spice blends) into a tasty confection. Fudge doesn't require the tempering, rolling, and shaping of other made-from-scratch candies. If you don't have a candy thermometer, do the cold water test: Drop a small amount of the cooked sugar mixture in cold water. If it forms a soft ball, the mixture is ready for pouring into the prepared pan.

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Two-Ingredient Fudge

Two-Ingredient Fudge image

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (19)

Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Two-Ingredient Fudge Recipe

Requiring a mere 2 ingredients (both of which are likely already in your pantry), this is the fudge you can make with one only one hand. Packing an intensely chocolatey flavor, this easy fudge recipe is sure to please.

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Red Velvet Fudge

Red Velvet Fudge

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (20)

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Red Velvet Fudge Recipe

If you like red velvet cake, you'll love this fudge.

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Beef Fat Fudge

Beef Fat Fudge image

20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (21)

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Robin Bashinsky

Beef Fat Fudge Recipe

Make no mistake, a fudge recipe sporting beef fat in place of butter is a treat for the adventurous eater—but this salty-sweet chocolate candy is in no way a “stunt food” not fit for consumption. In fact, the balance of bittersweet chocolate and rich, savory beef fat makes perfect sense on the palate—just take a bite, and you’ll understand. Furthermore, you’ll understand just why this is the perfect homemade treat to gift all of your food enthusiastic friends this holiday season. The final step of whipping your candy mixture creates a stable matrix and gives the fudge volume and a delightfully creamy texture. Given the chocolate candy’s heavier flavor profile, the lighter density works very well.

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20 Fast and Fabulous Fudge Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water. Cook it over low heat until the fudge dissolves. Then bring the fudge back up to the temperature specified in the recipe and follow the remaining steps. The flavor may be slightly diluted, but the texture will be improved.

How do you know when fudge is beaten enough? ›

After letting the fudge cool, it's time to beat it. It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould.

What would cause fudge not to harden? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›

Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

How do you keep homemade fudge from being grainy? ›

To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.

What went wrong with my fudge? ›

If the fudge is very soft and slightly chewy then it is possible that it did not quite cook to soft ball stage and next time the mixture should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature (soft ball is 112-116c/235-240F and a sugar or candy thermometer can help).

How to make fudge more solid? ›

How do you fix fudge that is too soft? Bring the fudge back to a boil with 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of cream. If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.

Should I stir fudge while boiling? ›

You should mix the cream, butter, and sugar when making your fudge, but put down the spoon once it has reached its boiling point. Stirring while your sugar mixture is boiling will only form sugar crystals and make your fudge crunchy rather than silky smooth.

What happens if you over stir fudge? ›

Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a boil, do not stir it. If you do, the sugar can crystallize, giving your fudge a gritty texture. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.

When should you not make fudge? ›

Humidity can cause fudge to boil over in the pan or stay soft when set, so try to avoid working on humid days if at all possible. If waiting for a less humid day isn't feasible, you'll need to boil your fudge at a slightly higher temperature than usual — or just order some delicious fudge from Wockenfuss!

Is there any way to fix fudge that didn't set? ›

To fix it, you can reheat the fudge mixture over low heat and continue cooking until it reaches the proper temperature. Be sure to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Alternatively, you can try to salvage chewy fudge by mixing it into ice cream or using it as a topping for desserts.

How do you make homemade fudge firmer? ›

​Harden the fudge:​ Place your container or tins in the fridge for 2 hours, which is the time it takes for the fudge to set. Once it's hardened, cut the fudge into 12 pieces or remove it from the muffin tins. Store in the fridge or the freezer (if you don't devour it right away).

What temperature should fudge be cooked at? ›

Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.

What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

Why is my fudge not creamy? ›

If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.

How do I get my fudge to harden? ›

Freezing your fudge is the key to a hardened result.

Why does fudge fail? ›

Homemade Fudge Doesn't Always Set

If your fudge doesn't firm up after a few hours, you either have too high an amount of liquid to sugar, or your mixture hasn't reached the soft-ball stage. Using a candy thermometer can help home cooks avoid this problem.

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