The Best Fudge Recipe Ever

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This fudge achieves silky perfection with just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes. One bite of the richest, creamiest chocolate fudge you’ve ever tasted, and you’ll be hooked on this quick and easy treat recipe.

This fudge achieves silky perfection with just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes. One bite of the richest, creamiest chocolate fudge you've ever tasted, and you'll be hooked on this quick and easy treat recipe.

If you’re looking for the Best Fudge Recipe, you can stop right here. This homemade fudge is so simple and yummy that everyone will love it!

The Best Fudge Recipe Ever

I’ve been trying to make goodies to take over to the neighbors, but for some reason, everything seems to be disappearing before I can even get it on the plate. So last night, I was in the kitchen until late getting a bunch of stuff made! I wanted something delicious but needed it to be quick and easy.

Then I remembered this recipe.

It’s the best fudge recipe I’ve ever tried, and it is so easy to make. It only takes a few minutes to mix up a few simple ingredients, and then you just let it set up. It’s perfect to take to holiday gatherings or to give as gifts.

Tip: If you like fudge, you’ll love these Fudge Brownies too!

Chocolate Chips

 Ingredients in Best Fudge Recipe

  • Cream. This is plain heavy cream. Do not use half and half, evaporated milk, or whole milk in this recipe. You need the good stuff!
  • Sweetened condensed milk. You will need one can of sweetened condensed milk for this recipe to add sweetness and the perfect creamy texture. I’ve also used Coconut Sweetened Condensed milk for a dairy-free version that’s just as tasty.
  • Chocolate chips. I like to use milk chocolate chips in this batch of the recipe, but semi-sweet chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips or dark chocolate will also work.
  • Unsweetened chocolate. This is the baking chocolate that you should be able to find in baking aisles. This adds a deeper chocolate flavor in addition to the chocolate chips.
  • Vanilla extract. You can use homemade Vanilla Extract or store-bought.
Pouring Old Fashioned Fudge Recipe

Step-Step Instructions for Making the Easy Chocolate Fudge Recipe

In a saucepan, warm the cream and the sweetened condensed milk together over medium heat on the stove top. Stir continually, and do not boil.

Tip: Freeze your leftover cream in Cream Cubes for other recipes.

Once the milk mixture is warmed and almost to the boiling point, remove it from the heat and add in the chocolate chips and chocolate bars. Stir well. You do not need a candy thermometer for this simple recipe.

Return to the heat to make sure all the chocolate has melted and is smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the hot mixture into a very well-greased 8×8 baking dish or a pan lined with wax paper or tin foil. Let it cool overnight or for several hours in the fridge until it’s set up.

Cut into bite-sized pieces and enjoy cold or at room temperature.

You can use some of the variation recipes below if you want to change it up from plain chocolate fudge.

My four year old daughter and I just whipped up a batch of fudge…and are licking the bowl clean. We can’t wait for the fudge to cool! Thanks for sharing another awesome recipe!

Jeana, Little House Living reader
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The Best Fudge Ever Recipe

This recipe promises the creamiest, richest fudge you've ever tasted. It make slices that melt-in-your mouth. With so many levels of chocolatey decadence, this easy fudge will become a household favorite!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Best Fudge Ever
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 20 servings
Calories 253 kcal
Creator Merissa

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 12 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 cups chocolate chips I used milk chocolate
  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, warm the cream and the sweetened condensed milk up together. Stir continually and do not boil.
  2. Once the milk mixture is warmed and almost to the boiling point, remove it from the heat and add in the chocolate chips and chocolate bars. Stir well.
  3. Return to the heat to make sure all the chocolate had melted and is smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla.
  4. Pour the hot mixture into a very well greased 8×8 pan or a pan lined with wax paper or tin foil. Let it cool overnight or for several hours until it’s set up.
  5. Once it is setup, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Nutrition Facts
The Best Fudge Ever Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 253 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 0.05g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 18mg6%
Sodium 48mg2%
Potassium 132mg4%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 29g32%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 205IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 101mg10%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Fudge Variations

Yum. Chocolate! This easy fudge recipe is amazing just as it is, but if you want to change it up, here are some variations you could try:

Add-ins:

Stir in one or more of these ingredients to your fudge before pouring it in the pan:

  • Marshmallows
  • Walnuts or Pecans
  • Candied Cherries
  • Dried Fruits
  • Peppermint Extract for Peppermint Fudge
  • Coconut
  • Pistachios or other chopped nuts

Toppings:

Add these on top of your fudge as it sets up:

  • crushed peppermints or candy canes
  • melted white chocolate drizzle
  • chocolate shavings
  • mini marshmallows
  • sea salt
  • Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

Be creative! Or don’t and just eat it as is.. either way, you won’t be disappointed!

Dairy-Free Fudge Recipe

To make this fudge recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free chocolate chips, coconut cream in place of the cream, and sweetened condensed coconut milk in place of the milk. I made the fudge this way last year and it was a huge hit!

Easy Homemade Caramels Recipe

More Treat Recipes

Did you make this recipe and love it? Please leave a star rating on the recipe card above and be sure and share it with your friends on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and through Email with the sharing buttons below.

Do you enjoy making fudge? Have you tried this recipe?

Me and Kady

Merissa Alink

Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.

This Best Fudge Recipe was originally published on Little House Living in December 2014. It has been updated as of December 2023.

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52 Comments

  1. My four year old daughter and I just whipped up a batch of fudge…and are licking the bowl clean. We can’t wait for the fudge to cool! Thanks for sharing another awesome recipe! 🙂

  2. ok so what did I do wrong, followed directions to a T and let it set overnight and still not solid, really have to put it on spoon to try to eat it, can not pick up wit fingers

    1. More then likely you didn’t heat it to the right temp. Another thing to remember about fudge that I learned from my Grandmother is “Low and slow” so don’t try to do it on high heat it will not work. Hope this helps!

    2. So if your fudge doesn’t set up it is most likely due to the weather. If the barometer is low you should not make candy of any kind. Wait until a sunny day for fudge making. 🙂

      1. Sounds like people are having a very difficult time with your recipe. Expensive ingredients to use and go through all the process and it becomes a flop!!!! No thank you, I won’t be trying this recipe until it’s revised.

        1. I’ve made this recipe many many times without issue and do not have a reason to revise it at this time. Which ingredients in this recipe would you consider expensive? Sweetened Condensed Milk can be made at home if one does not want to buy it from the store.

        2. I made several batches of this fudge recipe last year with no problem at all. I delete all other fudge recipes that come up in my email feed because this really is the best. Easy and super yummy.

  3. You cannot substitute cream or anything else for sweetened condensed milk. Borden’s is the most popular brand of sweetened condensed milk.

  4. Hi, I live in the UK, I have just been reading your wonderful fudge recipe, can you tell me if your measurements are I cup sizes, we use metric sizes here, and I didn’t want to add too much or too little, thank you. Lynn.

  5. Thank you for sharing this, I have been looking everywhere for a fudge recipe that didn’t have marshmallow cream in it!!!!

  6. Oh… Fudge, how I love thee…

    But I gotta ask about the serving plate… Is that a flattened blue mason jar? Because it is way. too. cool.

  7. Merissa, this does look VERY good. We always have fudge at Christmas, and I love trying new recipes for it. One year I tried an amazing peanut butter fudge with chocolate topping….and could never find the recipe again. So I am pinning yours to make sure I have it on hand! 🙂 Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us at Treasure Box Tuesday! ♥

  8. Oh my…. yum!!!!
    Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!

  9. So glad to run across this!! I made the marshmallow cream kind for 25 years, but haven’t had fudge since we went organic a few years ago. Thanks!

  10. I added chopped cranberries soooooooo good. Will make for Christmas it will be pretty for neighbors gifts.

  11. When people ask questions about your recipes that are things you have obviously left out – such as amounts or sizes of ingredients. It is the courteous thing to do to not simply answer the commentor who posed the questions in the comment area, but also to actually go in and fix your mistake in the ingredients and/or directions part of your recipe. i cannot believe the number of people who post recipes and do this, never thinking to actually correct such things so still others won’t come along with the same questions, having to read through everyone else’s comments and your answers (possibly) to find out what you SHOULD have already fixed when someone initially pointed it out to you. Thank you for your courtesy and consideration to your readers.

    1. Maria, I’m sorry that you have had trouble. Please be aware that we do go in and fix recipes if needed and as far as comments go…it would be impossible to keep up with every single one as we get hundreds or even thousands each week. I do the best I can but my family time always comes before blog time so it can be limited.

      1. I think she is referring to there not being a listed amount of vanilla extract, which you clarified for someone in the comments 🙂 Love your blog as we are trying to make most food from scratch now, and can’t wait to try this recipe!

  12. Ha – love the title! But when it comes to fudge, it’s worth it, even if it’s not the healthiest! Thanks for sharing at the Thoughtful Spot!

  13. Good Morning Merissa!

    I ALWAYS appreciate what has been GIVEN to me freely and your site is wonderful.

    If you ever post a recipe for kindness and manners, someone will surely complain about it. Alas.

    I am very curious to try this recipe. I have never made chocolate fudge except for the one on the back of the marshmallow cream container.

    I prefer to set it in the fridge because it gives it a texture I prefer but that is how Mom always did it. I don’t know how to describe it – more solid perhaps? Either way, it’s fudge! Enjoy the experience.

    I wish you and yours wonderful holidays and a Happy New Year.

  14. 4 stars
    I’m going to give it a try. It sounds perfect! Loads of great tip[s in the comments too.
    I always struggle with storage to keep fudge the right texture. Double wrapped (wax paper and then foil) and in an airtight container is suggested.
    And for those trying fudge for the first time – how many pieces does this recipe yield?
    Thank you!

  15. Yummo! And, what a coincidence, my husband was just asking me over breakfast when I was going to make fudge again and I’d lost the recipe I used years ago. A time saver to see your recipe and woohoo, you’re right that its simple. Going to give it a go. Thanks, Merissa!

  16. Melissa,
    I’ve never written but have really enjoyed your blog for a long time. I love scratch cooking and it all tastes so much better! I think you are awesome to do all that you do!!
    Merry Christmas!

  17. If I wanted to use your dairy free version you say to use coconut cream instead of heavy cream but do you mean coconut milk? Coconut cream is solid and not liquid. The consistency of those two are very different.

    1. No, coconut cream will work much better in this recipe than coconut milk. Coconut milk will not give it the same texture as the cream in the final product.