I originally got this recipe from the Hershey website, but I’ve changed it a little and made my own flavor variations. Believe me when I say that old-fashioned fudge is well worth the extra time. It’s deliciously creamy and rich, but firm in texture.
Toasting the Nuts
Grease an 8×8 pan and set aside. If you’re adding nuts to the fudge, preheat the oven to 350 and toast for 15 minutes:
1 c. chopped nuts (I use walnuts for nutty fudge or almonds for a rocky road variation).
Set the toasted nuts aside.
Cooking the Fudge
Use a large pot with a heavy bottom. Add and stir occasionally over medium heat until the candy reaches soft-ball stage:
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. milk (sea level) or 1 ⅔ c. milk (high altitude)
⅔ c. cocoa
⅛ t. salt
Candy stages can vary a lot based on your altitude. My fudge reaches soft-ball stage around 224 degrees, but at sea level, it’s more like 235 degrees. I haven’t used a candy thermometer since mine broke, and I’ve had great success with the cold water test.
Remove the fudge from the heat and DO NOT STIR. Add to the top and let it sit until it reaches 110 degrees (warm to the touch):
1 t. vanilla
6 T. butter
additional ingredients (unless otherwise noted)
Here comes the fun part. Stir the fudge until it starts to lose its gloss. For this recipe, it takes about 4 1/2 minutes, and it gets a lot harder to stir toward the end.
Variations
Nutty: Stir in 1 c. chopped, toasted walnuts.
Peanut butter: Stir in 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter. If you’re really skilled, you can make a beautiful swirl. I’m not so talented, so I just mix it in at the same time as the butter and vanilla.
Rocky road: Stir in 1 c. chopped, toasted almonds and 1 c. mini marshmallows. Wait until the last 30 seconds of stirring to add the marshmallows, or they’ll melt.
Spread the fudge in the prepared pan and cool completely. It really doesn’t “pour” at this point, so you’ll have to press it down with your hands. On the bright side, you can eat it pretty much right away since it firms up so quickly. It will continue to get firmer as it cools.
Candy cane: Sprinkle 1/2 c. crushed candy canes over the top after putting the fudge in the pan.
Cut the old-fashioned fudge into small squares before serving. (Yum!)
Find more candy recipes here.
Old-Fashioned Fudge (4 Flavor Options)
Equipment
- 8×8 pan
Ingredients
Basic Fudge
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk whole, 1 2/3 for high altitude
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 tablespoons butter
Candy Cane
- 1/2 cup candy canes crushed
Nutty
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Peanut Butter
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Rocky Road
- 1 cup almonds chopped
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Instructions
- If you're making a variation with nuts, toast them in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350. Grease the 8×8 pan.
- Use a large pot with a heavy bottom. Add and stir the sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt occasionally over medium heat until the candy reaches soft-ball stage (235-240 degrees).3 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups milk, 2/3 cup cocoa, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Remove the fudge from the heat and DO NOT STIR. Add the vanilla and butter to the top and let it sit until it reaches 110 degrees (warm to the touch).1 teaspoon vanilla, 6 tablespoons butter
- Stir the fudge until it starts to lose its gloss. For this recipe, it takes about 4 1/2 minutes, and it gets a lot harder to stir toward the end.
- Nutty: Stir in 1 cup of walnuts.1 cup walnuts
- Peanut Butter: Stir in 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter. If you’re really skilled, you can make a beautiful swirl. I’m not so talented, so I just mix it in at the same time as the butter and vanilla.1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- Rocky Road: Stir in 1 cup chopped, toasted almonds and 1 cup mini marshmallows. Wait until the last 30 seconds of stirring to add the marshmallows, or they’ll melt.1 cup almonds, 1 cup mini marshmallows
- Spread the fudge in the prepared pan and cool completely. It really doesn’t “pour” at this point, so you’ll have to press it down with your hands.
- Candy Cane: Sprinkle 1/2 c. crushed candy canes over the top after putting the fudge in the pan.1/2 cup candy canes
- Cut the fudge into 1-inch squares and serve.