I am an admitted holiday slacker. You know how Sara spends 3 days decorating her house for every holiday and says things like her epic Valentine’s Day breakfast are no big deal? I would love to be awesome like that, but alas, I am not. I am a low-key holiday-er.
Now, granted, we just got back from vacation…
and during the last few days of our vacation, I caught a little virus and haven’t been feeling great. And even though I didn’t eat turkey on Thanksgiving this year, I’ve been busy baking my own little butterball, if you get what I’m saying. Do you get what I’m saying? We’ll get to meet the little turkey in June, which means I’m smack dab in the middle of lovely morning sickness and exhaustion. So yeah, it may be the week after Thanksgiving, but I still have a stray Halloween decoration up, nary a Christmas tree in sight.
Because I’m already behind and because I’m a holiday slacker, one of my favorite holiday treats is this fudge. It is so dang easy, not like that temperamental toffee that I can only get to work 1/3 of the time, or time-consuming like caramel-wrapping. You can make it in less than a half hour, let it chill in the fridge for up to a couple of days, then cut it into squares and deliver it. Or eat it all yourself. Although I’m pretty darn sure that 5 pounds of fudge translates into much, much more than 5 pounds of body fat.
I got the original version of this recipe years ago off the same mommy message board where Sara and I “met” (all over again) when my oldest was a baby. I’ve tweaked a few things to be consistent for the widest amount of readers, but Kathy Jacobs, wherever you are, this is the easiest, most delicious fudge I’ve ever made.
You’ll need a 12-oz. can of evaporated milk, 4 cups of sugar, and 2 1/4 cups of mini marshmallows.
I know some people think marshmallows in fudge are cheating. Are they? Maybe. But marshmallows also make consistently good fudge because the “candy” part is already done for you. And anything that makes the holidays easier (and yummy fudge into my snack plans) is good in my book, cheating or not.
Cook the marshmallows, sugar, and evaporated milk
over medium heat, stirring frequently (constantly at the end, preferably with long sleeves and a hot pad, not that I’m speaking from any kind of firsthand experience), until the mixture reaches 230 degrees. Remove from heat.
While the marshmallow mixture is cooking, line a 9×13″ pan with aluminum foil, allowing the edges to hang over the edge. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
While keeping an eye (and spoon) on the marshmallow mixture, combine 1 12-oz. bag of milk chocolate chips, 1/2 c. of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 sticks of butter, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a large glass or metal mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer).
When the marshmallow mixture has finished cooking, pour it over the chocolate chip mixture. Use a heavy-duty mixer, a handheld electric mixer, or a whisk to beat the mixture together on low speed until the chocolate is completely melted, all the ingredients are fully combined, and it’s just starting to lose its sheen.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.
Now…this is a great jumping-off point for adding other ingredients. If you want to add nuts, you could always add chopped walnuts or pecans to the mixture before pouring the it into the pan. You could use those fancy new-fangled peppermint marshmallows instead of regular marshmallows to make peppermint fudge and then sprinkle chopped Andes mints on top of the fudge before it cools. You could top it off with marshmallows and chopped nuts for rocky road fudge or even make half of the fudge mixture with peanut butter chips and then swirl the two mixtures together. The sky is the limit. Well, at least the candy-making sky–you can’t make the fudge into, say, 2 million dollars, awesome as that would be.
After the fudge has cooled completely, cut it into 1″ squares and deliver it to unsuspecting neighbors, friends, and teachers. And yourself. Never forget to deliver fudge to yourself.
This will make about 117 1″ pieces of fudge. That’s a lot of happy people with very little effort on your part.
Creamy Chocolate Fudge
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Kathy Jacobs
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
1 12-oz. bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and marshmallows and insert a candy thermometer into the mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (constantly at the end) until the temperature reaches 240 degrees.
While the marshmallow mixture is cooking, line a 9×13″ pan with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
After you spray the pan, combine the butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla in a large glass or metal bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). When the marshmallow mixture is cooked, pour it over the chocolate chip mixture. Beat the mixture with a hand-held electric mixer, your stand mixer, or a hand-held whisk on low speed until the mixture is well-combined, smooth, and just starting to lose its sheen. Pour it into the prepared pan. Chill completely in the refrigerator before cutting into 1″ squares.
Optional Mix-Ins, Toppings, and Changes:
-Use peppermint marshmallows and top with chopped Andes mints for peppermint fudge
-Use 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 peanut butter chips (in 2 separate bowls) and then swirl the two mixtures together for peanut butter fudge.
-Add 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
-Top with chopped walnuts or pecans and marshmallows for rocky road fudge
Makes 117 1″ squares/5 pounds of fudge.
Make sure to check out the fun giveaway on The Scoop as well!
Congratulations! The best part of being pregnant during Christmas time it that you don’t have to feel guilty about the sweet treats you eat. And marshmallow in fudge is definitely acceptable!
Congratulations! I am pregnant and due at the end of June. Yay for Junebugs! I have been pretty sick too, but my doctor gave me Zofran and now my life is back!! I didn’t even decorate for Halloween this year, so you get a thumbs up from me for even doing that while puking your guts out!
I’ve always made my fudge with marshmallows and had no idea it was cheating. I didn’t know there was another way 🙂 Oh well, I’m stickin’ to it!
And good luck with baby #3!
Congratulations Kate! Thanks for sharing this recipe, may have to try this instead of my easy peasy Eagle Brand Condensed Milk version!
Congrats! June is a great month…That’s when I was born! That fudge looks really yummy. Thanks for sharing. And don’t worry, I had my halloween decorations up clear til past Christmas one year and I had no kids nor was pregnant. College will do that to you I guess. 🙂 Congrats again!
Congrats on the new baby!
Fudge is one of my favorite Christmas treats. My Mom has always made the best in my opinion. I asked for her recipe for the first time last year and tried it (as we didn’t live in the same state). It turned out great. But, she’s even more of a cheater than you, she used marshmellow fluff, not even just regular marshmellows 😉 And all in the microwave!
I will be trying this recipe though. I’m a sucker for anything chocolate and mint, and your mention of those peppermint marshmellows drew me in!
Congratulations!! I’m always looking for a good fudge recipe. Have you ever done more semi-sweet to milk chips ratio? I love dark chocolate, and just wondering. I’ll probably try it anyway, because it’s very rare to find milk chocolate anything in my home. 🙂 Hope the morning sickness terminates soon!!
You can totally play around with the semi-sweet to milk ratio–the original recipe actually called for all semi-sweet, and while I’m normally a bigger fan of semi-sweet, for some reason, even with all the sugar, I felt like it came out a little bitter. But yes, definitely feel free to mess around with the ratios! 🙂
Congratulations! And…oooooo the fudge looks yummy and easy. I like easy and since I’m looking at a fifteen hour work day only two days before my annual Christmas Cookie party, I may be going the easy route this year! Thanks for sharing!
Oh girl, morning sickness is the worst. Hope you recover in time to eat lots of Christmas cookies!! Can’t wait to see the little butterball next summer!!
This is my grandmother’s recipe too.. you’re right, it’s ALWAYS good:)
Congratulations, having just gotten out of that stage myself a couple weeks ago, I feel for ya! I couldn’t even check your site or cook meat for 8 weeks or even plan a menu! One of my girls had a bday while I was sick and it was all I could do to make a cake, then a few weeks later another daughter had a bday and I was feeling myself again. She got a themed party. How sad. So I totally understand the decorations and I’m impressed you can post a recipe at all!! Best of luck!
Congratulations!!!!!
Congratulations! That is very exciting news. Hope you get over the morning sickness soon.
Congratulations! What a blessing babies are.
I can’t wait to try this fudge recipe. I have also put your cookbook on my Christmas list. I am hoping with the name, authors, and publishing company, my husband will get the hint. Ha ha.
Thank you, Thank you. I am a celiac (aka wheat-a-phobe) and as such have to take my own desserts to holiday get-togethers. I always make enough to share, but once everyone finds out my cupcakes are gluten-free, they skip them. As such, I had 3 dozen triple chocolate and pecan pie cupcakes over Thanksgiving. They were awesome, so I couldn’t let them go to waste. Alas, I let them go to waist as my skinny jeans can attest this morning. But, fudge will be my savior for Christmas. Wait. Let me reword that. Fudge will be my jeans savior for Christmas. No one has to know it’s GF and I don’t have to consume it all myself. Yeah me!
Yippee! Congratulations! And, yippee, I love fudge!! 🙂
So exciting! My little turkey will be here in March. I am only about 3 weeks out of my misery, so thankful it’s in time for the holidays!
How exciting, Congrats!!
That fudge looks so heavenly! I love the combination of milk chocolate and semi-sweet chips. It’s the only way to make chocolate fudge in my opinion. It’s how my mom always makes it. Yum! Andes mints on top sounds sooo good too!!
Congratulations!!! I’m pregnant and due in June too! 🙂 Also, Mmmnnnn….fudge! 🙂
Congratulations Kate! So super exiting! And I can’t think of a better way to announce a pregnancy than with a recipe of 5 lbs of fudge. They both sound great!
Congratulations!!
And, wow, this fudge looks delicious!
Wow! I just made a similar version of this recipe (http://mormonmavens.blogspot.com/2011/11/budge.html). We call it “Budge” because that’s what my toddler calls it! I used all semisweet, though. I’m not much of a milk chocolate fan, but I wonder what it would taste like in this recipe.
Congrats on the new baby! And don’t feel bad about no Christmas decor….I don’t have any up yet either and I don’t have morning sickness as an excuse.
Fudge is my favorite Christmas treat EVER! Vanilla fudge though – chocolate is a close second!
MMMMMM,…Your creamy chocolate fudge looks so superb & mighty pretty too!
😉
Congrats for your new baby to be! That’s great news!
Congrats for your new baby to be! That’s great news!
MMMMMM,…Your creamy chocolate fudge looks so superb & mighty pretty too!
😉
Congrats on the new baby!! I had to read that paragraph twice to realise what it meant!! Can’t wait to find out more and thr fudge looks amazing.
Yay for a new baby! That is such exciting news 🙂 Thanks for the awesome recipe–I can’t wait to try it out!
Screw visions of sugar plums…I am having visions of this creamy chocolate fudge!!
I’m so stinkin’ excited for your little butterball. I can hardly wait to find out if it is a he or a she, and what names are on your list for consideration…wait- this isn’t even my grandchild! I’m super happy for you and Sam. Love the pictures of your babies at WDW too. So cute.
Anyway, I make a hot fudge sauce (it’s pretty much the only recipe I’ve ever created by myself) that uses sweetened condensed milk, semi sweet chocolate (not chips) butter and marshmallows, and it is awesome. I eat it with a spoon- right out of the jar. I’m afraid I’d do the same thing with this fudge. Yes, marshmallows can be an ingredient in fudge. There, I’ve just given you permission.
So stinkin’ excited…! Hope you won’t be too sick for too long.
Do you share your recipe for hot fudge sauce?
Sure. You can find it here-
http://nanasangelbabies.blogspot.com/2011/11/they-win-some-they-lose-some.html
Oh yum this looks wonderful and I love the idea of peppermint marshmallows!
And YAY on your own butterball!!! Congrats!!!