Meltaway Fudge

This post may include affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

This is THE fudge recipe to make for your holiday cookie boxes! I’m incredibly picky when it comes to fudge. It needs to be simple to make, full of flavor, and extra creamy with that melt-in-your-mouth texture where your teeth sink effortlessly into every bite. This recipe checks every single box and then some! Plus, it makes a generous batch, making it perfect for sharing and gifting.

Doing The Research

When developing my own fudge recipe, I knew it had to be absolutely perfect. It holds a special place in my heart, as it’s a treat our family friends would always gift us every year for the holidays. But with so many different ways to make homemade fudge, what makes this recipe stand out?

I did so much research on old and new recipes. More recent versions rely on sweetened condensed milk, but I’m not a fan of the flavor that it gives fudge. Older recipes are incredibly sweet and use a crazy amount of sugar and corn syrup with barely any salt. However, I do love the texture of some old-fashioned fudge!

So this recipe marries the two together to create the best fudge recipe for the modern day. It uses a balance of milk and dark chocolate for layers of flavor, along with marshmallow fluff for creaminess, extra butter for a soft bite, and just the right amount of salt to balance everything out. It’s unfussy, reliable, and a recipe you’ll be turning to again and again.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Fudge Recipe

• Incredibly creamy: Every bite has a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture that isn’t too firm or crumbly. It’s like the fudge you get at a shop!
• Rich chocolate flavor: It’s full of deep chocolate flavor without being overly sweet, balanced with milk and dark chocolate and a good amount of salt.
• Easy to make: No complicated techniques or special equipment needed. The ingredients do all the work for us.
• Perfect for sharing: This recipe makes a big batch, so there’s plenty to go around, which is exactly what fudge was meant for!
• Great for the holidays: Homemade fudge is one of my favorite additions to Christmas cookie boxes and holiday dessert trays. Everyone always loves it and it keeps for a long time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe is easy to follow as it’s ALL about the ingredients. Don’t swap anything out and you’ll end up with incredibly delicious chocolate fudge!

1. Hershey’s Symphony Chocolate – There’s something about the very specific milk chocolate flavor of a Hershey’s bar that just works so well in fudge. It’s sweet, creamy, and gives off a marshmallow-like flavor which pairs well with our other key ingredient!
2. Dark Chocolate Chips – To balance the sweetness of the milk chocolate, we’re using an entire bag of dark chocolate chips. The best part, you don’t have to measure any of the chocolate.
3. Marshmallow Creme – I’ve always loved fudge made with marshmallow. It adds a soft and unique texture that just can’t be replicated otherwise. We’re using a whole jar to really up the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
4. Sugar – Since fudge is a candy, expect to use a lot of sugar. This recipe calls for 4 cups, but we use a few simple techniques to ensure there’s no crystallization.
5. Evaporated Milk – The lack of water in a can of evaporated milk is what allows this fudge to set. It also adds so much richness, further enhancing the creamy consistency.
6. Butter – This fudge uses a slightly higher amount of butter to ensure each piece is perfectly soft.
7. Vanilla – An entire tablespoon goes in here, because it makes a lot! And we want as much flavor as we can get.
8. Salt – Most fudge recipes only use about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. But between the chocolate, marshmallow, and sugar, that’s just not going to cut it! So we’re 4x the amount and using 1 teaspoon in this recipe.

Tips for Making the Creamiest Fudge

• Preparation – Have everything chopped and prepared ahead of time. Fudge is all about timing, so it’s important that every ingredient is ready to go right when you need it.
• Ingredients – Don’t stray from the specific ingredients listed. They were selected for a reason! And the slightest variation in chocolate can prevent fudge from setting properly.
• Crystallization – If this happens, your fudge will set grainy rather than creamy. When sugar clings to the sides of the pot and hardens, it then gets mixed back into the batch and causes this reaction called crystallization. To prevent this, very carefully stir the fudge all throughout the process in order to avoid sloshing it up against the sides of the pot.
• Stir – When the chocolate is added to the hot syrup, don’t whip it with a whisk. Instead, stir with a wooden spoon until everything is evenly melted. We don’t want to whip air into our fudge, as this can also cause crystallization.
• Pour – Right when the fudge comes together, immediately pour it into the prepared pan and spread it as fast as you can. The surface wants to set almost immediately so to get a smooth top, have your offset spatula ready to go.
• Set – For best results, allow it to set at room temperature. This takes a few hours but is worth it! You can always transfer the fudge to the refrigerator after it has set at room temperature.
• Slice – For clean slices, use a large knife and run it under hot water. Wipe it clean and make swift cuts. Avoid dragging it through the fudge. Also rinse and wipe down the knife between each slice.

Meltaway Fudge FAQs:

For even more holiday recipes, check out my:

• Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cake
• BEST Gingerbread Cookies
• Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
• Blossom Cookies
• Gingerbread Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
• Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookie Bars

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this chocolate fudge recipe. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

Print