Hersheys Cocoa Fudge tastes just like a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows on a cold winter day. This is the perfect Christmas or winter treat.
If you make Hersheys Cocoa Fudge this holiday season, you kids will be thanking you. This easy fudge recipe just made your average hot chocolate with marshmallows into something even better than you could have imaged. This decedent treat will be a crowd pleaser.
For more flavor packed fudge recipes, check out this collection of 45 Easy Fudge Recipes.
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What We Love About This Recipe
This rich chocolate fudge has a nice gloss and sheen that is irresistible. This fudge is so delicious it truly can not be beat.
- 20 Minute Dessert: Whip up this easy fudge recipe in a matter if 20 minutes then allow to set to for 4 hours and you have yourself a mouth watering treat.
- Easy Ingredients: For this homemade fudge all you need is a handful of pantry friendly ingredients.
- Makes Great Leftovers: Store in the fridge and you will have fudge on hand for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredient Notes
- Condensed Milk: It is important that you use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. You can also make your own sweetened condensed using this recipe from Add A Pinch.
- Dehydrated Marshmallows: I used the dehydrated marshmallows, if you can’t them at the store you can also use normal mini marshmallows.
- Hot Cocoa Mix: You can use the Swiss Miss, Hershey’s cocoa hot chocolate mix, or any cocoa mix of your choosing.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chocolate – If you’d like you could also do all milk chocolate chips or all dark chocolate chips for extra rich and decadent fudge.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – If you happen to have sweetened condensed coconut milk, no need to purchase condensed milk, the condensed coconut milk will work just as well.
- Add Nuts – For a marshmallow-nut cocoa fudge, just add nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds. There is nothing more tempting then a nutty rich cocoa fudge.
How to Make Easy Fudge
These are the basic steps for making Christmas Fudge. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions, serving size and nutrition information.
STEP 1: PREP PAN
Start by preparing a square 8×8 inch square pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and grease with butter or margarine.
STEP 2: MAKE FUDGE MIXTURE
In the bowl of a double boiler on the stove top, place sweetened condensed milk and butter, mix with a wooden spoon or non stick spatula, scrape down side of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until heated through and well mixed. Add the dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips, continue stirring until the chocolate chips are completed melted, stir to bottom of the pan. Then remove from heat.
STEP 3: ADD THE COOK FUDGE TO A PAN
Mix in a teaspoon vanilla extract and hot chocolate mix and stir until combined. Pour the melted fudge mixture evenly into the prepared pan and top with marshmallows.
STEP 4: SET AND CUT
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting. Cut into 16 even squares. Serve or store in the fridge.
Prep and Storage Tips
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME
Easily make this recipe ahead of time, in fact it is probably best to make ahead of time as you need at least 4 hours for the fudge to set. Make 1-2 days before you plan to serve them.
HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE
You can freeze this Christmas fudge recipe, by storing in an freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
The soft ball temperature is when the mixture reaches 236 degrees f on the bulb of candy thermometer and the texture changes to a pliable consistency, not melted but also not completely set. Or drop a small amount of mixture into very cold water, if a ball forms it is ready.
Yes it is very important and crucial not to skip this step, if you do not butter foil or pan for fudge you will have a very difficult time getting out of the pan.
This recipe can be doubled or halved, if doubling use a 16 x 9-inch pan and if you are halving use a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Proportionally increase or decrease ingredients.
If your batch of fudge is not setting right, either it hasn’t hardened or it set and is now crumbly, you can actually remelted it to try again, you can add a bit more of condensed milk as needed to bring to the correct consistency.
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
- Warm Knife: Using a warm knife will help you easily slice into the fudge when cutting. Simply fill a glass up with hot water and allow your knife to sit in the hot water for 30 seconds to a minutes, remove wipe off the water and slice the fudge. Allow fudge to sit out at room temperature.
- Even Fudge Slices: To get the perfect even squares, start by cutting in half vertically, then those halves in half, repeat on horizontally and you will have 16 perfect 2×2 inch fudge squares.
- Double Boiler Method: If you have never used the double boiler method to melt chocolate or make fudge, here’s a quick video tutorial that will set you up for success! You will need a glass bowl and a heavy 4-quart saucepan with about an inch of water at the bottom of saucepan.
- Grease Edges Well: Ensure you grease the edges of pan down well so the chocolate fudge will slide right out of the pan.
- High Altitude Directions: If you live at a higher altitude, for the best fudge results, you should lower the temperature when cooking. To be more precise, reduce the temperature 2 degrees for every 1,000 feet above sea level.
- Salt: A little pinch of salt will enhance the rich cocoa fudge.
What to Serve with Hersheys Cocoa Fudge
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Hersheys Cocoa Fudge
Ingredients
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk, 1 can
- 1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1 ½ Cup Milk Chocolate Chips
- 4 ounces Pouches Hot Chocolate Mix, 1.38 oz (3 pouches)
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- Dehydrated Marshmallows
Instructions
- Start by preparing a square 8×8 inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and grease with butter or cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a double boiler, place sweetened condensed milk and butter. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until heated through and well mixed.
- Then add the dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips, continue stirring until the chocolate chips are completed melted. Then remove from heat.
- Mix in the vanilla and hot chocolate mix and stir until combined.
- Pour the melted fudge mixture evenly into the prepared pan and top with marshmallows.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting. Cut into 16 even squares.
Expert Tips
- Warm Knife: Using a warm knife will help you easily slice into the fudge when cutting. Simply fill a glass up with hot water and allow your knife to sit in the hot water for 30 seconds to a minutes, remove wipe off the water and slice the fudge.
- Even Fudge Slices: To get the perfect even squares, start by cutting in half vertically, then those halves in half, repeat on horizontally and you will have 16 perfect 2×2 inch fudge squares.
- Double Boiler Method: If you have never used the doubler boiler method to melt chocolate or make fudge, here’s a quick video tutorial that will set you up for success! You will need a glass bowl and a heavy 4-quart saucepan with about an inch of water at the bottom of saucepan.
- Grease Edges Well: Ensure you grease the edges of pan down well so the chocolate fudge will slide right out of the pan.
- High Altitude Directions: If you live at a higher altitude, for the best fudge results, you should lower the temperature when cooking. To be more precise, reduce the temperature 2 degrees for every 1,000 feet above sea level.
Estimated Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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