5 Minute Chocolate Fudge is a creamy chocolate fudge recipe generously filled with pecans.
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.
Microwave Fudge
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!
Yes, you can make this fudge on the stove. Keep the heat low and use a double boiler method. The microwave melting method makes this recipe ultra-quick and easy. However, if you don’t happen to be a fan of the microwave (or don’t have one), you can easily melt the chocolate, milk, and butter in a double boiler on the stovetop. It will just take a few minutes longer.
Yes, you can freeze fudge. Wrap it tightly in parchment (cut or uncut) and then slide it into a zip-close freezer bag. Press the air out of the bag and freeze flat.
Yes, nuts can be added to almost any fudge recipe. No other adjustments will need to be made.
No, you can not make this without regular sweetened condensed milk. Nothing else will work. The sweetened condensed milk contains sugar which is vital to the taste, texture, and consistency of this recipe.
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
- Combine the chocolate, the milk, and the butter in a medium-size glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir to combine and heat another 15 seconds if needed.
- Add the extract and stir until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of pecans.
- Scoop into a parchment-lined loaf pan. Spread with a spatula to approximately 1-inch thickness.
- Top with remaining chopped pecans. Chill until ready to serve.
- Slice into 1-inch squares and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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.
5-Minute Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans plus about 2 tablespoons for topping
Instructions
- Combine the chocolate, the milk, and the butter in a medium size glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir to combine and heat another 15 seconds if needed.
- Add the extract and stir until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of pecans. Scoop into a parchment lined loaf pan. Spread with a spatula to approximately 1-inch thickness. Top with remaining chopped pecans. Chill until ready to serve. Slice into 1-inch squares and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 10/15/17 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/4/22}
Anmie says
Made this for 1st time made without nuts, chilled overnight, when ready cut in pieces but stuck to parchment too sticky.
Where did I go wrong please?????
Mary Younkin says
Hi Annie, while the nuts affect the texture a bit, it shouldn’t be too sticky to remove from the parchment. Was it firm enough to cut and pick up? Did you by any chance substitute or adjust any ingredients?
Annie says
Hi, I cut it up in in cubes, but wouldn’t come away from parchment, used exact ingredients, have put in freezer to see if that works!!!!!
Mary Younkin says
That’s so strange, Annie. I’m wondering if the brand of parchment used can affect the end results. Hopefully, the freezer will do the trick!
Lura says
Talks about how easy it is but takes you to various websites without ever giving the measurements or ingredients. Should be easy.
Mary Younkin says
Hi Lura, there’s a handy “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page if you do not need or are not interested in all of the additional information provided. Some people appreciate having all of the questions answered before they get started. There are additional variations and recipes provided as well for those who are interested.
Donna Southard says
Do you know of a non-dairy alternative for sweetened condensed milk? Thank you.
Mary Younkin says
I do not, Donna.
Staci Coushman says
Donna, you can make sweetened condensed coconut milk.
Just search for a recipe.
CINDY FEINZIMER says
Hi Mary,
Do you have a recipe for chocolate fudge using Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk?
Thank you,
Cindy
Mary Younkin says
I imagine that would work here as well, Cindy. I haven’t tried it myself though.
Deb walker says
There is a nondairy sub- sweetened condensed coconut milk. It will give a different but delish flavor. If I wasn’t allergic to milk I would still use it!
Mary Younkin says
That’s great to know, Deb.
Bonnie steen says
When you say loaf pan, do you mean a bread loaf pan or a square 8×9 pan
Mary Younkin says
I’m referring to a bread loaf pan. I use those pans to make smaller batches of fudge. A doubled recipe will fill an 8-9″ square pan.
Dorothy says
Hi I tried this also and it wouldnt come away from the parchment paper. Also used the correct ingredients
Mary Younkin says
Hi Dorothy, did the fudge set? Was it firm enough to slide a knife between the paper and the fudge? I’ve never had it stick to anything. The most common thing that seems to happen when fudge hasn’t set is that people might accidentally use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk, or they use a bit too much of the condensed milk.
Sandra Mason says
I just made 2 batches of fudge using your recipes. One plain chocolate and the other with orange extract. If licking the spoon is any indication, they’ll both be great! Easy, peasy recipes! I’m making white chocolate fudge with pecans and caramel next.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the fudge, Sandra!
Sharon says
I followed the recipe to the tee & it turned liquid. It never set up & then I recooked it in a double boiler, which took another 2 hours. Sorry but this was unacceptable in my opinion. Not sure what happened
Mary Younkin says
Hey Sharon, I am not entirely sure what you did with the double boiler that required two hours cooking time. If you followed all the ingredients (making sure it was sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk) and didn’t change a thing, I can’t imagine why it didn’t firm up. And it’s honestly not “liquid” when you first stir it together – as seen in the videos. Without being in your kitchen, it’s hard to guess where things might have gone wrong. I can certainly appreciate your frustration though as I hate wasting ingredients as well.
Janet Taylor says
The fudge tastes great. However, I had the same issue, that others did, of the fudge sticking to the parchment paper !! I even put the pan in the freezer for an hour, but it still STUCK !! I wonder if I sprayed it with cooking spray, it would help ? I made 4 pans of this fudge to sell, so I wanted it to be very good. It did taste good, but was disappointed, that it stuck.
Mary Younkin says
Sorry to hear that, Janet! Is it sticking because it wasn’t fully set? I can typically lift the fudge out of the pan with the parchment paper and then just peel it off. While I wasn’t in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong.
If it still hasn’t set and you don’t want to waste those ingredients, you can probably salvage all of those ingredients by scooping it out of the pan with a melon baller and rolling it into balls. You can then roll them in cocoa powder and turn them into truffles. While definitely more work, I hate to see ingredients wasted.
James S. says
I just tried your 5 minute fudge. I also spayed my parchment paper with a little butter spray to keep from sticking. But I am concerned that it will not set firm because just a few seconds in microwave will not allow mixture to get to right cooking ” Setting ” temperature. Will see in couple hours. Tried but very concerned. Thanks anyway
Mary Younkin says
Hi James, it will need more than a few seconds, but it doesn’t actually need to “cook” the way traditional fudge does on the stove. The chocolate simply needs to melt to a stirrable and smooth consistency. It should firm up nicely in the fridge.
Kristen Alexander says
Tasted delicious, but like so many others commented, it absolutely sticks to the parchment paper. Then, when eating, it sticks to your fingers and anything else it touches. I used exactly the correct ingredients, and bought parchment paper (Target) as that isn’t something I use. Lifted it out of the pan by the parchment paper, but couldn’t peel the paper back off the fudge. I couldn’t have given it as a gift, but for us to eat at home, it was fine but messy. I would prefer a recipe that allows the fudge to be stored at room temperature also.
Mary Younkin says
This is definitely a refrigerator fudge, Kristen. That said, it shouldn’t have stuck like that. Is there any chance you subbed an ingredient?
Bob L Fowler says
Can I substitute semi-sweet chips instead of dark chocolate?
Mary Younkin says
Sure. That will work fine, Bob.
Pam says
This is the basic fudge recipe that I have used for the past 40 years but I have never added butter to the fudge. Just chips, sweetened condensed milk, nuts and vanilla. Always turns out perfect.
Mary Younkin says
It’s a terrific one, Pam.
Donna M Webster says
Hi, I just made this fudge and it came out very sticky and soft I even froze it to see if that would make it easier to slice. Fingers crossed.
Mary Younkin says
If you accidentally used too much sweetened condensed milk, that can happen. Hopefully it firmed up for you, Donna.
Charmaine miles says
Is it best to freeze before cutting? I am finding it way too soft after 4 hours in the fridge.
Mary Younkin says
It shouldn’t be that soft. I typically refrigerate most fudge recipes overnight before slicing. You can certainly freeze it though.
Nataly says
The measurements in this seems off, it turned into soup. Also, loaf pan? The mixture made way more than what would fit into a loaf pan, I had to use a round cake pan. It stuck to the parchment as well. I suggest you be a bit more specific with your instructions, because this was terrible.
Mary Younkin says
The two most common errors are too much condensed milk OR accidentally subbing evaporated milk for the condensed milk. Both of those things will increase the amount and prevent the fudge from setting. The measurements listed in the recipe card are quite precise and do work.
Yvonne says
If it’s that easy to make , why dose it 4 hours and 5 minutes 🤔
Mary Younkin says
5 minutes to make, 4 hours to chill and firm up in the refrigerator, Yvonne.
Cindy says
This may help some of those having trouble with their fudge. I started making this fudge recipe the first Christmas I was married–1972. Yes, that is almost 50 years of fudge being made every year! When I started making it, butter was not added, and it was perfect. I am assuming they changed something in the chocolate chips 5-6 years ago, because my fudge was not seeming creamy as it always had. I saw that recipes were adding 2 Tbsp. butter and I started adding that. It was too soft. It set up but stuck to the parchment. I took it down to 1 Tbsp. butter and it is perfect–creamy and smooth, and doesn’t stick.