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Chocolate Fudge Recipe: Gourmet Fudge at its Best

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If you are looking for a fudge recipe that’s perfect for giving, look no further. This creamy, soft gourmet fudge outdoes the other recipes you’ve tried. I’m sure of it — and I’ve been convincing people for years that this is the best fudge recipe out there.

several squares of the best fudge recipe, one with a bite out of it, on a brown paper background

A long-ago friend of mine was well-known for her fabulous desserts. Notably, she had the best melt in your mouth chocolate fudge recipe ever. Seriously. She was kind enough to share it with me years ago, and I’ve been using this recipe ever since.

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You know those gourmet fudge booths at the county fair where they charge one million dollars for a half pound? Hubby insists on breaking our bank every time he has the opportunity, then proceeds to say, “yours is better.” My kids concur that this is the best fudge recipe they’ve tried.

Related: Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce: Indulge Your Sweet Tooth

The BEST fudge recipe

Another friend, after listening me wax poetic about my wonderful fudge recipe, scoffed, saying this was no different than the recipe on the back of the marshmallow fluff jar. (Hi Chris!)

+Oh, but it is, I told him. Try it. He did, and for the past half-dozen or so years, he whips up a batch of this chocolate fudge recipe, and considers it the kickoff of holiday season.

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You need to make this. I have no qualms whatsoever saying that this is the best fudge recipe you’ll make, hands down. All credit to Andrea for that!

This recipe makes about five pounds of fudge, so you’ll have plenty to share and still have some left for yourself. The melt in your mouth fudge goodness will knock their socks off.

several squares of gourmet fudge, one with a bite out of it, on a brown paper background

★ Did you make this gourmet fudge recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★

several squares of gourmet fudge, one with a bite out of it, on a brown paper background
3.82 from 66 votes
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Andrea’s Best Fudge Recipe

This recipe makes about five pounds of fudge, so you'll have plenty to share and still have some left for yourself. The melt in your mouth fudge goodness will knock their socks off.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 48 servings
Calories 213 kcal
Author Kris Bordessa

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Put chocolate chips, butter, and marshmallow cream in a large bowl. Set aside.

  2. In large (7-8 quart) stock pot, bring milk and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Continue stirring frequently for exactly eight minutes. Pour hot mixture over ingredients in bowl.

  3. Stir until well mixed, then beat with an electric mixer until fudge begins to hold its shape. Beat in vanilla. Stir in nuts if you like them.

  4. Pour fudge into a buttered 13″ x 9″ pan and refrigerate until solid.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

I use a 13″ x 9″ plus an 8″ x 8″ pan – using only the one makes a really deep fudge; too deep for me.

After I grease the pans, I place a piece of waxed paper in the pans so that the edges extend out of the pan on two sides. When the fudge is ready to cut, use the wax paper to help lift the slab out of the pan and flip it onto a cutting board for easy cutting.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Reader Favorites from Attainable Sustainable

  4. Thanks for this! I made fudge for Thanksgiving and it didn’t turn out well. I needed a new recipe and there it was in my inbox.

    Reply

  12. I’m checking back in to report. I made this fudge last week and it was sooo popular I’m making it again today. To quote my hubby, “I don’t usually like fudge, but this is really good.”

    We already tried mixing in mini marshmallows and walnuts for rocky road and I did cranberries and almonds in another. Today I’m planning on dividing the batter into three and doing another rocky road, a chile-ancho batch and then giving my kids free reign on deciding on the other.

    Reply

  24. I can vouch for this recipe. My kids (and me too) LOVE it. It’s chocolatey, creamy, and oh-so-addicting. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  32. I Had Never Made Fudge. Always Thought It Would Be Too Hard.  Tried This Today, It Was Easy To Do And Tasted Great!  Thank You!

    Reply

  34. I make a similar recipe, but use 1 cup whole milk, 4 cup chocolate chips, and 2 sticks of butter. The rest of the ingredients and proportions are the same, but only boil 3 minutes. I am eager to try the homemade marshmallow fluff.

    Reply

  36. I’m not real sure what I did wrong. I followed the directions to a ‘t’ but my fudge didn’t set up completely. It’s a bit too soft (almost like refrigerated frosting). When it finally started to boil it grew quick and almost boiled out of the pan. So I turned down the heat a little so it didn’t get out of control. I’m guessing that’s where I messed up. I did boil for the full 8minutes. Anyone else have that problem?

    Reply

  38. When it says “heavy stock pot”, take it seriously! My pot was too small, and now we have every window and door open to clear the smoke. My cell phone screen cleaned up well, but the ceramic cooktop will take some elbow grease. The good news is, the fudge is the best, smoothest ever! I will make again, but I will follow the directions!

    Reply

    • The original name of the recipe is “Five Pounds of Fudge.” I don’t think it makes 5 pounds, but it makes a fair amount. I get a 11″ x 17″ pan plus an 8″ x 8″.

      Reply

  42. I just bought all of the ingredients and can’t wait to make this fudge. I do have one question – when stirring the milk and sugar for 8 mins, is the heat still on medium-high?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  44. I like to use peanut butter it is so creamy, also try white chocolate. I’ve done a lot of fudge it’s a big hit in family

    Reply

  46. Is that 4 cups of sugar or 4 1/2 or 4- 1/2 cups which would really be 2 cups…it’s just a little confusing for me right there
    Thanks

    Reply

  48. Help! I made this fudge and while the flavor was so good there was a gritty texture that ended up making the fudge crunchy!

    Reply

    • It sounds almost like something crystallized. Was there a lot of crunchy? Or just a bit? Possibly the sugar at the edge of the pan that got hot (and not stirred) crystallized?

      Reply

  52. Got a question. My mom has always made fudge and she tells me you can only make it on a beautiful sunny day or it will not firm up like it needs to. Does the same go for this fudge?

    Reply

  58. Whoa! I just made this and I have one word “Heavenly” At first I thought you were nuts using a mixer but I can see why now. Thank you for sharing! I will be definitely be doing more for gifts.

    Reply

  60. I’m making this tomorrow but I’m using granulated Dominos sugar it says natural on it but it’s not the brownish cane sugar. Will it still work correctly?

    Reply

    • Absolutely. My personal preference is to use cane sugar. Sugar that’s not identified as cane sugar is most likely made from sugar beets that are likely genetically modified. But any granulated sugar will work.

      Reply

  62. OMGOODNESS!!! This is wonderful!! I made it today..sleeting and snowing outside and it was great. It reminds me of the fudge I made as a kid. We had to beat it by hand until the candy lost its gloss. This is sooooo much easier. It did take about 15+min with a mixer. Next time I’m using my kitchen aid. Thanks!

    Reply

  66. Would love to make this but in the re cope it says it makes a 13×9 and an 8×8 pan, and in the comments you say an 11×7 and an 8×8….which is it?

    Reply

    • My error in that comment; shouldn’t be answering from memory. As I said in the post, the original recipe calls for JUST a 13″ x 9″ pan. I found that to be way too thick, so I use that plus an 8″ x 8″. That’s personal preference. If you have an 11″ x 9″ pan, use that; it won’t make or break the recipe. The thickness of the fudge will just be a bit different.

      Reply

  68. I made this fudge yesterday , And i didn’t have evaporated milk like the recipe said , so i made my own evaporated milk using the recipe. Once i put my fudge in the fridge to set it was not setting at all , so I put it in the freezer overnight + half a day. It has still not Set!!

    Reply

    • Without being in your kitchen, it’s so hard to say what went wrong. This is not a firm fudge, but should be sliceable. If it’s really not setting up, I’d use spoons to scoop it and roll balls to make truffles. Roll them in some cocoa powder.

      Reply

  72. Thank you! This is my mom’s Christmas fudge. We just moved and I haven’t been able to put my hands on her recipe. My children and grandchildren have tried not to pout but they will love knowing that the Christmas fudge is back on the goodie menu. (Maybe I won’t tell them for another week!) This really is fabulous fudge and so easy to make. Thanks again for posting this.

    Reply

  76. Since this fudge recipe cools in the fridge is it necessary to keep it refrigerated after it hardens and is cut into pieces? I would like to place some in tins for Christmas and take to friends.

    Reply

    • I keep it refrigerated. It won’t hurt to have it UNrefrigerated for a good while, but it gets a bit gooey at room temp, and messier to eat.

      Reply

  78. Recipe said use 2 cups homemade mashmello cream or 1 jar 7 oz marshmallow fluff
    My store only had large tub type container so I used 2 cups
    I think this is why it’s more frosting like than fudge
    My mistake but this could be why it doesn’t firm up

    Reply

  82. I LITERALLY JUST finished making this! I’ve never made it this way before, I’ve always made it the “easy” way or “lazy” way lol, but I wanted to make it the “right” way, I researched MANY recipes, I wanted one that would make A LOT as well!! Anyways, I chose yours!! (Thank God I did! I am not disappointed) anyways, everything went GREAT, then got to the mixing with my hand mixer, and I was mixing, and I knew you said “mix till it starts to set” or something to that effect, but I remembered on MANY recipes them saying to mix till it looses its shine almost, but I kept thinking OMG, HOW Am I gonna know WHEN to stop mixing, it seemed like a LIFETIME, I didn’t know if I was over mixing or what, but I kept going till it felt kinda THICK but not too thick, and then I started pouring into my pans (I also did like you and 8″ x 8″ and 11″ x 13″ ) and I think I stopped mixing at the exact PERFECT timing!! It started setting up rather quickly as I was adding to the pan, and I tasted from the bowl as did my son and it’s out of this WORLD!! So THANK YOU!! I’ve found my recipe from HERE OUT!! Sorry for the long post, but I am so excited and happy!!

    Also, how do you do your peanut butter fudge?? )”(measurements) Thanks so much!!

    Reply

  86. you know, I bake a lot of things. But I have always struggled with fudge. I LOVE fudge. I made this yesterday and wow, it is really the best ever. Im really picky about my fudge and this has to be a favorite now. I gotta quit eating it though!!!!!!

    Reply

  88. I just made this and it is delicious. I tweaked it a little (not on purpose lol) I used condensed milk, instead of evaporate milk. I used half milk chocolate chips and half semi sweet chocolate chips. It does make quite a bit. I made 3 kinds…. Plain, with walnuts, and Rocky road. It set it very well, but because I realized I used the wrong milk, I let it boil a couple of minutes longer and I also used a copper pot as I’ve heard copper is good for candy making. Also I used a little less butter because I wanted it to dry out a little more than it usually does (I like mine dried out).
    This recipe is so much better than the easy ones. This tastes like I knew what I was doing. Thank you for it.

    Reply

  90. Perfect! I’ve been trying fudge recipes for the past 3 months or so. They all call for pretty much the same ingrediants (in varying amounts). This is definately the best I’ve made!! I wish I had had nuts to put in, but someone ate the last of them for a snack. I used my kitchen aid and probably only mixed 5-8 minutes. Set up perfectly and was able to take to a party within a couple hours. A keeper recipe for sure.

    Reply

  92. Has anyone tried white chocolate? butter scotch? peanut butter?

    I know I can mix those all in at the very end – just wondering how they would hold up in the main recipe…

    Disney sells a 2 inch by 1 inch chunk for 6$ and we usually buy a 30 $ box to share. For that amount of groceries, I can make 3 recipes, and if I split the batch to make different combos, then I that is a couple different choices to split up for teacher gifts!!!

    Reply

  94. I see the recipe calls for 2 cups of your homemade marshmallow fluff which would be 16 oz. or 1 – 7 oz jar of the store brand. That seems like a big difference. Is this right?

    Reply

  96. Hi can you use this fudge recipe and turn it into peanut butter chocolate layered fudge? If so how would’ve you go about doing this? Thank you.

    Reply

  100. You mentioned that it gets kinda gooey at room temperature. I am looking for something to put in tins and give as gifts. Will this fudge hold up to that?

    Reply

    • I give it as gifts and people love it. I just keep it in the fridge in tins until I’m ready to pass it off to the recipient.

      Reply

  102. Miss Kris, this is the most forgiving recipe ever. WOW. I cut it in half, used a different chocolate (got mine from the folks at Brown and Hailey- yes almond roca).scorched the milk sugar mix and it is still the best fudge I’ve ever made!! The fudge set well and it is so tasty I cut it in really small pieces. As per others comments I need to hide this or give most away, I can’t leave it alone. THANKS SO MUCH.

    Reply

  104. Hi – I really want to try this, it sounds and looks delicious! How do you store it (fridge, freezer etc)? And how far in advance can you make it?

    Reply

    • I keep it in the fridge until I serve/eat it, because it is a somewhat soft fudge. You can make it a week or so ahead of time.

      Reply

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