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This Easy Chocolate Fudge recipe is made with just 3 ingredients! Chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla come together to make a homemade fudge that’s bursting with chocolate flavor. It’s a simple treat to put together for gifts and sharing this holiday season.
Table of Contents
Easy Homemade Chocolate Fudge
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE FUDGE
THIS FUDGE RECIPE ONLY TAKES 3 MINUTES!
Get the Recipe
Easy Homemade Chocolate Fudge
I’ve been loving testing out new fudge recipes lately. Did you catch my Easy White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge recently? SO good! Both that fudge and this one are so rich and creamy, it’s hard to stop eating them!
Now, there are two great things I’ve found about fudge lately. One – it can be incredibly easy to make. And two – it’s a delicious treat to snack on when taking care of twins. 😉 The only problem with that is it might be too easy.
But of course easy is exactly what we need this time of year. So much going on, so little time and oh my gosh, Christmas is like 10 days away. When did that happen?!? I’m so not ready. And if you’re not fully prepared and need something quick, this fudge is for you. Not to mention, it’s a great chocolate fix if you’re losing your mind a bit and chocolate makes you feel better. 🙂
So to get started making this easy chocolate fudge, you’ll need just three ingredients – chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Hopefully you’re like me and already have those 3 things in your pantry at all times.
Grab a 9×9 inch pan and line it with parchment paper and set that aside. Then put the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave them for one minute, then stir to combine and let the residual heat do as much of the melting as it can. If it needs another 30 seconds or so, go ahead and heat it some more, then stir it until it’s melted.
Once everything is melted together, add the vanilla extract and combine everything. Working quickly, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Let the fudge cool to room temperature before cutting into squares. You could also let it cool in the fridge to speed up the process, but it doesn’t have to be refrigerated.
THIS FUDGE RECIPE ONLY TAKES 3 MINUTES!
This chocolate fudge is so easy to make, it takes all of about three minutes! A minute to prepare the pan and ingredients, a minute to melt the chocolate and a minute to spread it out into the pan. Seriously – SO EASY! You will be enjoying the best chocolate fudge before you know it! Dense, rich, chocolatey, delicious! What are you waiting for?!
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 59 reviews
Author:Lindsay
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:1 minute
Total Time:11 minutes
Yield:20-25 pieces
Category:Dessert
Method:No Bake
Cuisine:American
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Description
This easy chocolate fudge recipe is made with just 3 ingredients and is full of rich chocolate flavor! A simple Christmas or holiday gift you’ll love.
Ingredients
2 cups (12oz) semi sweet chocolate chips (do not use milk chocolate)
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Line a 9×9 square pan with parchment paper that covers the sides of the pan. 2. Place the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir well to combine and allow the heat to melt the chocolate chips. If needed, microwave for another 30 seconds or so, until the chocolate is completely smooth. 3. Stir in the vanilla extract, then quickly transfer the mixture to the lined pan and spread evenly. 4. Refrigerate the fudge until firm, 2-3 hours. 5. Cut the fudge while it’s still cold (right out of the fridge) and store in an air tight container. Fudge can be stored at either room temperature or the fridge. It will be softer at room temperature.
Why won't my 3 ingredient fudge set? This often happens when the condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture isn't hot enough to start. Everything must be completely melted before it is transferred to the pan to cool.
Add a simple wooden or paper stick, some transparent gauze wrapping, a bow and a creative label to any piece of fudge, and you've now got something that looks more like an expensive candy apple than a humble square of 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.
Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.
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!
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. Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.
How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over.Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.
The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.
Homemade fudge is wrapped in foil and wax paper to keep it fresh while shipping. Christmas cookie tins used to ship homemade treats. A simple, homemade gesture can go a long way — literally, almost 3,000 miles.
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.
Options for what you can do with your unset fudge:
OPTION 1) Depending on how runny it is, you can either use it as a frosting for cakes, or a sauce for ice-cream. OPTION 2) Freeze it overnight. Cut it into squares. Cover each square thickly in melted chocolate, ensuring no part of the fudge is exposed.
The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals. The result is creamy and smooth with a distinctive semi-soft texture and just a hint of sugar crystals.
High-quality fudge tastes smooth and creamy because it contains small sugar crystals. It has a deep brown color and a satiny sheen. Poor-quality fudge tastes grainy because it contains large sugar crystals.
The sugars probably crystallized, a common mistake when making candy like fudge or caramel. If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon.
Tiny microcrystals in fudge are what give it its firm texture. The crystals are small enough, however, that they don't feel grainy on your tongue, but smooth. While you ultimately want crystals to form, it's important that they don't form too early.
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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