Just 5 ingredients and under 20 minutes of prep time for this EASY Fudge Recipe! Super simple with no candy thermometer required, this might be the easiest candy recipe I’ve shared yet.
Easy Fudge Recipe
This easy fudge recipe is my lazy day candy recipe (and you know I love lazy recipes). It’s simple, low maintenance, and not fussy at all. It’s the laid back cousin to my well-loved (but slightly fussier) peanut butter fudge and old-fashioned chocolate fudge.
And yet, despite its effortlessness, it’s still absolutely perfect. Smooth and creamy texture. Rich chocolate-y-ness. Decadent and sweet but still flavorful and addictive. I’ve had other easy fudges in the past that taste like biting into a waxy chocolate chip, this is not that fudge. It has its own distinct (and creamy, did I mention creamy?) fudge texture and flavor.
I think you’re going to love it.
How Do You Make Easy Fudge?
You need just 4 ingredients for making this easy fudge:
- Sweetened Condensed Milk (make sure this is condensed milk and not evaporated milk, this fudge will not work with evaporated milk)
- Chocolate Chips (more on this below)
- Finely ground sea salt (or you can use regular table salt)
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
Combine all of your ingredients except for the vanilla extract in a saucepan over low/ medium/low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and the ingredients are well-combined and smooth. Unlike many fudge recipes that require boiling or attaining a certain temperature, this easy fudge recipe only needs all of your ingredients to be melted together. No boiling, no candy thermometer.
Once your ingredients are all smooth and melted, remove from heat and immediately stir in your vanilla extract. Pour the fudge at once into a pan that’s been lined with lightly greased foil and allow the fudge to set for several hours until firm all the way through.
One important thing to note: this easy fudge only requires a few minutes of attention on the stovetop, but don’t walk away or stop stirring or it may burn and the chocolate could seize, which is just about the only way you could ruin this recipe
Let’s Talk Chocolate Chips
We’re only using a handful of ingredients for this easy fudge recipe, so it’s very important that we use quality ingredients. I recommend using flaky sea salt over table salt and if you happen to have it on hand, I highly recommend a splash of Madagascar bourbon vanilla over the regular stuff. However, the most important ingredient is the chocolate chips.
Quality chocolate chips will yield a quality fudge. Personally, I recommend Ghirardelli. I promise I’m not affiliated with them but I’m always happy with the results when I use their chocolate.
I wrote this easy fudge recipe with chocolate fudge specifically in mind and used semisweet chips, but you can use other flavors of chocolate chips instead. I’ve had success making this with milk chocolate and white chocolate chips (I’ve used white chocolate to make my cake batter fudge and my peppermint bark fudge).
Can I Put Fudge in the Refrigerator to Set?
I have a lot of candy recipes that I don’t recommend putting in the refrigerator, but it’s actually perfectly fine to put this easy fudge in the refrigerator to speed up the setting process. It will still take about 1 hour for the fudge to set completely, but it’s much faster than leaving it out at room temperature.
How to Store Fudge
For best results, store in an airtight container. It can be kept at either room temperature or in the refrigerator. This easy fudge will keep for up to two weeks when stored properly.
Enjoy!
Other Candy Recipes You Might Like:
I hope you’ll check out my Easy Fudge Recipe video at the bottom of the post! If you enjoy watching, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 100 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
Easy Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips¹ (340g)
- 1 14 oz can condensed milk (396g)
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt (you can substitute regular table salt if needed)
- 1 Tablespoon butter, salted or unsalted will work, use whichever you have on hand plus additional for buttering pan
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract I like using vanilla bourbon extract whenever I have it on hand
Instructions
- Prepare an 8x8 or 9x5 pan by lining with foil and lightly greasing the foil with butter. Set aside.
- Combine chocolate chips, condensed milk, sea salt, and butter in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Keep the heat low (or at most, medium low) and stir continuously because if the chocolate gets too hot it will seize and your fudge will not turn out.
- Stir constantly until chocolate chips are completely melted and smooth and all ingredients are well combined.
- Once ingredients are melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Immediately pour into prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth out fudge.
- Allow fudge to cool completely and allow several hours to set and firm up completely (this can be expedited by placing your fudge in the refrigerator). Once firm, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Can I add Nuts to my Fudge?
Yes! Stir in 1 cup (105g) of chopped nuts once all of your ingredients are melted together and just before removing from heat. Walnuts are so good in this chocolate fudge!Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Grandma Glenda
This is great and very easy fudge! My husband loves my fudge which is his mom’s and my mom’s recipe. Cocoa, sugar, milk with vanilla and a tbsp of butter. Cook to soft ball stage and put in a buttered pie plate. I always wondered why it was a little grainy. Ow I no why! Thank you so much. If my husband likes it, it will be my new go to. ❤️👍
Jeanne
I followed this recipie exactly, even freezing to set. When taking it out to slice, it became soft, mushy and hard to slice. Put back in freezer. Needless to say I’m disappointed as I made alot of this fudge.
Sam
Hi Jeanne! This really needs to set at room temperature or even in the refrigerator. The brand of chocolate chips may have also caused an issue here. I hope it turns out better next time.
Patti Bristow
Being disabled leaves me unable to to much in the kitchen. However, this recipe is so simple I can sit and make it.
Thanks for the recipe!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Patti! 🙂
Mari Brinkman
Hi ~ I am excited to make this fudge ! I have a question regarding adding the butter. I have land of lakes butter with olive oil. Will that work ?
Thank You !
Mari in So. Cal.
Sam
Hi Mari! Is that the spreadable kind that comes in a tub? Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend that for this recipe :-/
Arlene S
Can fat free condensed milk be used? It’s all I have on hand?
Sam
Hi Arlene! Honestly I have never tried it, but I would be worried it wouldn’t be thick enough. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns so I can pass the information along to any others that may have this question. 🙂
Dana
I’ve used fat free condensed milk for this recipe for many years. It works as well as regular condensed milk.
I also use orange extract, yum!
Sam
Thanks for the feedback, Dana! 🙂
Debbie
Do you have an easy peanut butter fudge recipe?
Sam
Hi Debbie! I do have a peanut butter fudge recipe. It’s not quite as easy as this but definitely worth it. 🙂
Sheila
Debbie, I do and it is delish. Microwave 14 Oz. Sweetened condensed milk, 12 to 14 ounce white chocolate chips until melted, in 1 minute increments. Stir in pinch of salt, 1 tsp of vanilla and 3/4 cup peanut butter, whatever type you like, I used chunky. Pour into a lined 8×8 pan. I lined mine with non stick foil and refrigerate until firm, approximately 3 hours. Can be stored for up to 3 days in refrigerator and frozen for 1 month.
Jackie
Hi Sam, can this fudge be frozen? If so, does if have to individually wrapped?
Sam
Hi Jackie! It can be frozen. You could either freeze the entire pan as it is or if you want to cut it up I would separate the pieces. 🙂
Julia
Hi Sam ma’am. (Sorry, its just that I am WAYYYY younger than you and I am supposed to be calling elder people like that) you are my cooking idol! I love all your recipes! I have tried sooooooo many! Thank you so much!
Yours,
Julia
Sam
Thank you so much! 🙂
Julia/Jules
I love this recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Julia! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Diane
My grand daughters & I made this last weekend! LOVED IT!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Diane! 🙂
Lisa B.
Do you think this would dissolve in warm milk? I’m trying to find an easy way to make “hot chocolate on a stick”. Most of the recipes that I have seen seem to resemble fudge. I wondered if this recipe might not be a more forgiving recipe. It would need to set up to a fairly stiff consistency for my purpose so that a it would set around a popsicle or lollipop stick .
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Lisa! Honestly, I am not sure, as I have never tried it. If you do, I’d love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Alby
Can you use 12 oz of chocolate squares instead of chips?
Sam
The fudge may not be as firm, but I think it could work. 🙂
Ramona Wallace
P.S. I forgot to say that the fantasy fudge I referred to I make in the microwave.
Ramona Wallace
I don’t usually have success with cooking candy on the stove (so my husband did those candies.) So I make fantasy fudge. How do you think they compare? I do know, as a kid, my mom made candy on the stove and said you had to be careful not to scrape the side of the pan or, as she put it, the candy would turn to sugar, or be gritty. Your thoughts?
Sam
Hi Ramona! This fudge is really easy. In a traditional fudge you have to worry about scraping the sides and the fudge becoming gritty but you don’t really need to worry about it here. I haven’t had a fantasy fudge so I can’t give you a good comparison, but this is a pretty tasty fudge recipe. 🙂
Ava
This is the best fudge recipe ever !!!!! It has the perfect consistency and was finished within days in my home! We find it amazing if you sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top 🙂
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Ava! 🙂
Emi
Once again, you hit a classic recipe out of the ballpark, Sam. This fudge was INCREDIBLY easy, and only took an hour and fifteen minutes to set in the fridge. The bottom wasn’t quite as firm as I would have liked it at an hour, so I ate a few pieces, flipped the block of fudge over, and popped it right back in there. This is now my go-to recipe for fudge. HIGHLY recommend to any considering using this.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Emi! Fudge can always be tricky too so I’m glad it turned out so well. 🙂
Emi
I’m glad too! The only other time I tried fudge it was another “easy fudge recipe” [not that yours isn’t easy :)], and when it was done, it had the consistency (and taste) of hot fudge sauce that has been in the fridge :/. Thank you again!