Recipe for Chocolate Fudge With Evaporated Milk - Southern Plate (2024)

Enjoy rich and creamy squares of decadent fudge thanks to this old-fashioned recipe for chocolate fudge. It takes just 6 ingredients to make this easy chocolate fudge.

Recipe for Chocolate Fudge With Evaporated Milk - Southern Plate (1)

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Ladies and gentlemen, this is not just a recipe for chocolate fudge I am bringing you today. This is ammunition 😉. Yes, you heard me right! Put a good easy chocolate fudge recipe in the right hands and you can take over the world. You can get your car tuned up, your grass cut, your dog walked, and have the doors to any building opened for you with a red carpet rolled out in your honor. How do you do this, you ask? Just hold out a plate of fresh, homemade fudge.

This is a no-fail and super easy fudge recipe that anyone can make (I promise!). Mama and Grandmama have been making it this way for as long as I can remember. So, how do you make chocolate fudge? All you have to do is boil the butter sugar, and evaporated milk (yep, we don’t use condensed milk in this fudge recipe), and then add in the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, vanilla, and nuts (these are optional). Then you have to patiently wait for the chocolate fudge to set before you can indulge.

This recipe for chocolate fudge makes the creamiest melt-in-your-mouth fudge imaginable. If you can stop at one piece… well, you have more control than me!

Recipe for Chocolate Fudge With Evaporated Milk - Southern Plate (2)

Recipe Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter
  • Marshmallow creme
  • Evaporated milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips (dark chocolate chips)
  • Sugar
  • Pecans or chopped nuts of your choice (optional)

How to Make Chocolate Fudge

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Place your butter…

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Sugar…

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And evaporated milk in a saucepot.

I like to get a really big can of evaporated milk so I can use what is left in my coffee. It makes the BEST coffee creamer!

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You’ll need a candy thermometer because we are going to cook this to the “soft ball” stage.

The candy thermometer has that written on it so you know.

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While that is heating up in your saucepan, take some butter and smear it all over the bottom and sides of a 9×13 pan.

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Place your candy thermometer in the pot. Make sure just the tip is beneath the liquid but don’t let the tip touch the bottom.

It has a handy dandy clip that lets it hook onto the sides.

Bring that to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Keep a watch on your thermometer so you will know when it gets to the soft ball stage.

This is going to take about five minutes on medium-high heat.

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Once it gets to the soft ball stage, remove the saucepot from the heat and pour in the chocolate chips.

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Add in the marshmallow creme and mix together.

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Add in your vanilla and nuts if using.

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Stir that all up until the chocolate chips melt. It is gonna take a few minutes but don’t worry, it’ll melt.

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Pour into your prepared pan.

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Allow the homemade chocolate fudge to cool completely before cutting into squares.

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This old-fashioned chocolate fudge recipe makes 3 pounds. Enjoy that delicious bite-sized chocolate flavor!

Storage

  • Store leftovers of this easy chocolate fudge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can store it at room temperature, but it will become quite soft.
  • You can also freeze them for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before devouring!

Recipe Notes

  • Here are some fun variations to make this recipe for chocolate fudge your own:
    • Substitute the pecans for chopped walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, or pistachios.
    • Add 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts to make rocky road fudge.
    • Top the fudge with crushed peppermint candy canes at Christmas. You could also substitute vanilla for peppermint extract.
    • Another festive touch is to add 1/2 cup of red and green candied cherries along with (or instead of) the chopped nuts.
    • Top the fudge with sprinkles before cooling.
    • When you add the vanilla extract, stir in a tablespoon of bourbon or rum for an adults-only fudge.
    • Add 1/2 cup of dried fruit, like dried cranberries, raisins, or candied cherries.
    • Add 1/2 cup of peanut butter chips instead of the nuts.
    • Use white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips instead.
  • If you have leftovers, you can add crumbled fudge to a cup of hot milk to make the best hot chocolate you’ll ever taste. You can else melt it to make a hot fudge sauce and pour it over ice cream or a cake.

Check out my other fantastic fudge recipes:

Fuss-Free Striped Fudge

Cinnabun, Chocolate, and Peanut Butter Fudge!

Fuss-Free Oreo Fudge

Chocolate Meltaways: A Fabulous Fudge Recipe

Fuss-Free Peppermint Fudge

Recipe for Chocolate Fudge With Evaporated Milk - Southern Plate (16)

Easy Chocolate Fudge Recipe

Enjoy rich and creamy squares of decadent fudge thanks to this old-fashioned recipe for chocolate fudge.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, fudge

Ingredients

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 3/4 cup butter or 1 1/2 sticks
  • 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips 12 ounces
  • 1 1/2 cup marshmallow cream
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan and heat to boiling.

    3 cups sugar, 2/3 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup butter

  • Stir constantly for about 5 minutes over medium heat or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage on your candy thermometer (238 degrees).

  • Remove the saucepan from the heat.

  • Add the remaining ingredients. Stir vigorously until well blended.

    1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cup marshmallow cream, 1/2 cup pecans, 1/2 tsp vanilla

  • Pour into a greased 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely and then cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds.

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Recipe for Chocolate Fudge With Evaporated Milk - Southern Plate (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to use evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk for fudge? ›

Choose Pure Vanilla Extract- For a wonderfully rich and robust flavor, pure vanilla extract is recommended over imitation vanilla. Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet.

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

Tips for Making Fudge
  • Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
  • Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
  • Beat Thoroughly.
Mar 8, 2023

Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream in fudge? ›

Evaporated milk is often called for in fudge recipes, for the creamy milkiness it imparts, and this Rocky Road Fudge is no exception. Evaporated milk contributes a wonderful creaminess to the cheese sauce in this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese (pictured above).

Why is my evaporated milk fudge not setting? ›

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough. This mistake is super easy to avoid if you use a candy thermometer and cook the fudge to the temperature specified in the recipe (usually between 234 and 239°F).

What happens when you use evaporated milk instead of condensed? ›

For the most part, if you find yourself without condensed milk on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of evaporated milk. The consistency will be the same, but since evaporated milk is unsweetened, you'll need to add sweetener to match the recipe's intended flavor profile or to suit your personal preference.

Which has more sugar condensed milk or evaporated milk? ›

However, sweetened condensed milk provides much more sugar than evaporated milk, as some is added during processing. For example, a single ounce (30 ml) of sweetened condensed milk has just over 15 grams of sugar, while the same amount of nonfat evaporated milk contains just over 3 grams (3, 4).

How do you make fudge creamy and not grainy? ›

A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals.

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).

Why shouldn't you stir fudge after it reaches the correct temperature? ›

Avoid crystallization

During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. If you stir the mixture, these crystals could fall in and crystallize a part of the sugar again.

How much evaporated milk equals 1 cup of milk? ›

For the same consistency as drinking milk, mix ½ cup Evaporated Milk and ½ cup water to make 1 cup of regular drinking milk. How can I use Evaporated Milk for extra richness and creaminess in my recipes?

What is a substitute for half-and-half in fudge? ›

Evaporated milk as a substitute

Evaporated milk is milk that has had water content removed making it more concentrated than regular milk. You should be able to use this as a 1:1 substitute for half and half. I personally prefer the combo of cream and milk, but in a pinch evaporated milk will work.

Is evaporated milk healthier than half-and-half? ›

It makes an excellent direct swap for half-and-half in many instances, but keep in mind that evaporated milk has less fat and more protein than half-and-half.

Why can't you make fudge when it's raining? ›

As strange as it sounds, it is a fact that weather affects fudge making. This is because when the weather is damper with an increased humidity level your Homemade Fudge Recipe will take longer to boil.

Why is my old fashioned fudge not hardening? ›

The most common culprit behind unset fudge is inaccurate temperature control. If the sugar mixture hasn't reached the correct temperature, your fudge won't set. Ensure you use a reliable candy thermometer and follow temperature guidelines meticulously to achieve the desired consistency.

What to do with failed 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.

Why is my condensed milk fudge grainy? ›

– There are a number of reasons why the fudge was grainy. It might be that you haven't dissolved all the sugar before boiling the fudge mixture. It could be that there just wasn't enough fluid or fat to enable the sugar to dissolve or it might even be that the fudge wasn't beaten long enough or hard enough.

Why is condensed milk not advisable? ›

Because condensed milk is more concentrated than the same volume of regular milk, it contains more lactose. Sweetened condensed milk includes a lot of calories, but it also has a lot of saturated fat, which is dangerous for people with diabetes and heart issues.

How do you thicken condensed milk fudge? ›

Beat the mixture until it just loses it's shine and becomes very thick (this should take about 5-10 minutes). The longer you beat once it starts to thicken then the more crumbly the final fudge will be. If you like it smooth - beat it only until comes away from the sides of the pan and sticks well to the spoon.

Does evaporated milk taste the same as condensed? ›

Evaporated milk and condensed milk are both shelf-stable canned milks that are easily found at most grocery stores. The main difference is that condensed milk is very sweet, and evaporated milk is unsweetened.

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