This fudge recipe comes together in just a few minutes and it is perfect for gifting, snacking, and serving for any occasion. Made with or without nuts, this fudge is a favorite sweet treat year-round.
Chocolate Fudge
To make this Chocolate Pecan Fudge, you simply combine everything in a glass bowl, heat for a couple of minutes, pour onto a tray, and refrigerate until firm. I like to sprinkle a few spoonfuls of extra chopped nuts on top of the fudge before refrigerating, too.
Once the fudge is set you can slice the fudge into whatever shapes and sizes you like. 1-inch squares are my preferred way to cut this fudge but bigger squares, triangles, and rectangles would also be good! I like how the small squares of fudge make it easier to share with family and friends or pack into a box with parchment paper for a gift. This chocolate fudge is rich enough that a little goes a long way so even just a batch of it is enough to satisfy all of our sweet tooths.
How to Make 5 Minute Fudge
Traditional old-fashioned fudge is a time-intensive and finicky candy to make. Old-fashioned fudge requires a candy thermometer and a considerable amount of time spent stirring the hot mixture over the stovetop. Delicious for sure but, in my opinion, rarely worth all the time, effort, and special equipment. This method of making fudge may not be traditional but it produces a homemade chocolate fudge that’s just as delicious as the old-fashioned kind. Nothing beats being able to melt baking ingredients to the perfect consistency in just moments. All it takes is a microwave (or stovetop) and a few ingredients, plus a little hands-off time waiting for the fudge to set. Since you don’t even need the stove for this recipe, it’s also a great one to make with kids! Kids will love creating their very own chocolate fudge. For little ones it’s almost magical to see the melty chocolate mixture turn into cuttable fudge after just a little time in the fridge. Now that I’ve been making fudge this way, I’m thrilled to be making countless varieties of fudge in just minutes. There are so many EASY FUDGE RECIPES here, be sure to check them all out!
Chocolate Fudge Recipes
Chocolate fudge with pecans is delicious just as is but you can also use the basic recipe as a guide to making chocolate fudge with different mix-ins. Starting with the basic combination of chocolate, butter, and sweetened condensed milk gives you a canvas for making just about any kind of chocolate fudge you can imagine. This recipe would be delicious with almonds or walnuts instead of (or in addition to) pecans. Dried fruits, pretzels, peppermint candies, marshmallows, peanut butter chips . . . the list of good ideas goes on and on. This peanut butter fudge we filled with Oreos is still something my kids ask to make. Get creative! You could also skip the nuts and mix-ins all together to create a simple but still completely heavenly basic chocolate fudge. Sometimes the simplest desserts are the ones we love best! Alternatively, you can really mix it up with white chocolate and caramel, like the heavenly fudge pictured above. I’ve also recently been enjoying No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Bites and this Homemade Almond Joy recipe. Nothing beats having candy recipes at your fingertips that only require a handful of ingredients and a few minutes time. Butterscotch Fudge and Caramel Peanut Butter Pretzel Fudge are both on my list to try this year. Creamy chocolate fudge filled with peanuts and marshmallows makes a chewy, crunchy, salty, sweet Rocky Road Fudge that all ages will enjoy. If you’ve avoided making your own fudge because you assumed you’d need tons of time and a professional candy thermometer to get it right, these are the recipes for you! The taste and texture are everything we love about old-fashioned fudge except you only need 5 minutes instead of several hours! Kitchen Tip: I use this bowl, this spatula, and this pan to make this recipe.
Easy Chocolate Fudge Recipe
PLEASE NOTE: This recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk, not heavy cream, not half and half, nothing else will work. Trust me on this. The sweetened condensed milk contains sugar which is vital to the taste, texture, and consistency of this recipe. Even if you’ve had success subbing with something else in other recipes, I promise that you NEED to use sweetened condensed milk for this fudge recipe!
Homemade Candy
If you’re looking for more great fudge recipes, you’ll want to check out our other top fudge recipes, too. This White Chocolate Caramel Fudge has been one of the most popular fudge recipes on the site since I first shared it. That doesn’t surprise me. Rich creamy white chocolate and buttery caramel make this fudge recipe unbeatable. Chocolate and peanut butter lovers must give this Buckeye Fudge a try, too. Inspired by the popular candy, it’s a thick nutty peanut butter fudge topped with delicious dark chocolate that tastes just like a Buckeye. The Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge has been an enormous hit with every single person who has made it. Peanut butter and powdered sugar together make the fudge smooth, sweet and almost laughably easy to make. The kids can even make it on their own! Dark Chocolate Coconut Fudge is filled with sweet, chewy bits of coconut and then topped with a generous sprinkling of coconut. Creamy dark chocolate peppermint fudge is topped with crushed candy canes for a wonderful Christmas treat. {originally published 10/15/17 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/4/22}
