Need a quick treat to take to a Christmas party, or a last-minute gift for a neighbor? Make this easy fudge recipe in five minutes. You can dress it up by adding mix-ins, or keep it simple with only two ingredients. No one will know how easy it was to make!
Thanksgiving is over, and the Christmas carols are on. It’s officially Christmas around here!
Okay, it actually doesn’t really feel like Christmas to me right now because I’m writing this from a condo in Hawaii listening to the waves lapping against the shore (I know, I’m super spoiled). Still, I know that when I go home to snowy Utah in 3 days, I’m going to get into full celebrate-the-season mode.
I have one main goal for Christmas this year: KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Am I the only one who feels like Christmas has the ability to switch really quickly from a wonderful, Christ-centered holiday full of family and fun to an over-commercialized, crazy-busy madhouse? This year, I’m trying to guard against that. I’m trying to streamline my gift-giving. I’m trying to limit my commitments outside my home. Mostly, I’m just trying to remember what is most important and make decisions accordingly.
That’s where today’s recipe comes in. It’s the easiest Christmas treat you can possibly make. It would make a great contribution to a cookie/candy exchange, a Christmas potluck party, or a gift for a friend/neighbor/teacher/bus driver/whoever.
Fudge.
Often, people think of fudge as a time-consuming, messy, fussy dessert, but this version takes less than five minutes and only two ingredients (unless you decide to add in extra mix-ins, which is fun and still easy).
I learned how to make it from my mom when I was a little girl. Because it’s so simple, it’s a great recipe to let kids help with in the kitchen!
Beware though, if your kids are anything like mine, they will want to lick the spoon, and the bowl, and have a chunk (or five) of fudge when it’s done. The good news is that you can cut it into really small pieces so you don’t completely sugar-overload them.
So, this season, choose to simplify. Spend time making memories, not rushing around like a crazy person (take it from a trying-to-change crazy person). Hopefully this easy fudge recipe will save you a bit of time and help you enjoy your family just a little more. Merry Christmas!
Five-minute easy fudge recipe
This super easy fudge recipe comes together in five minutes, but no one will ever guess how easy it was to make! Dress it up by adding mix-ins, or keep it simple with only two basic ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips (get the good kind)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- Optional mix-ins (see note)
Instructions
- Combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave on high (does anybody ever really use any other setting?) for one minute, and stir.
- Continue microwaving in 30 second intervals, stirring between each time, until everything is nice and melty. When it stirs together nicely and looks uniform, it’s done! (Mine only took about 1 minute and 30 seconds.)
- Pour in a greased (or parchment-lined) 8×8 pan, and refrigerate for one hour.
- Remove from pan (if you leave some extra parchment sticking up, it pops right out), and cut into squares for serving.
Notes
The basic recipe has only two ingredients, but the options are limitless with mix-ins.
Variations:
Rocky road – mix in mini marshmallows and chopped pecans/walnuts.
Peppermint – sprinkle crushed candy canes on top
Other ideas: coconut, macadamia nut, pistachio, sprinkles, sea salt, chopped candied cherries.
You can also experiment with adding various flavorings (extracts) to the fudge. Try mint, almond, orange, or cherry.
Source: My wonderful mom (I'm pretty sure she got it off the back of a can of sweetened condensed milk ages ago.)
See, the possibilities really are endless. Any way you make it, it’s a quick and easy treat.
Enjoy!
Want more simple Christmas ideas? Try these:
Can I use cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips
I haven’t tried with cocoa powder, so I can’t say how it would work, but let me know how it goes if you decide to experiment!
Could you use white chocolate chips instead of the chocolate chips?
Thanks!!
Yes, you can!
Would you be able to use white chocolate chips in this recipe instead of the chocolate chips?
Thanks!!
I haven’t tried white chocolate, but I’ve seen other recipes that have, and it seems to work fine. I think you’d have success!
How much marshmallows and nuts do I use??
It’s really flexible depending on your preference, but I’d start with 2 cups of marshmallows and 1 cup chopped nuts and add more if desired. Enjoy!
I made this and it really was sticky and not set solid. Any tips for next time?
Hmm, I’ve never had that problem, so I’m not sure what to recommend other than double checking the amounts called for in the recipe and making sure that you’re using sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. Sorry I can’t be more helpful without seeing exactly what you did.
Sherry, I had the same problem. I was very careful and even measured the chips with a food scale. I did wonder as I was pouring it into the pan simply “melted and mixed” if the sugars had been brought to a high enough temperature to change the consistency and “set” the fudge. Apparently not. I suspect her microwave is a bit higher wattage. Maybe if she would use a candy thermometer to tell us the temp of the mix when she is finished microwaving it. That would help us decide if it had been heated “enough.” Maybe I will try it again and cook it more until it’s consistency begins to gum up a bit or as some would say, “thicken.”
I just the recipes from you ok