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Chocolate Peppermint Fudge is soft, creamy, and topped with drizzled white chocolate and crushed peppermint pieces. This fudge is so easy to make and has pieces of peppermint throughout for a refreshing crunch. This is the perfect treat to share for the holidays!
I am a huge fan of Christmas candies. I grew up eating different kinds of Christmas candy every year because my Grandma loved making and sharing them. It doesn’t feel like Christmas to me until I’ve made some homemade toffee, sweet and sticky soft caramels, and of course, some fudge!
Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
Fudge is one of my favorite things in the whole world. It is soft, creamy, and just melts in your mouth. I usually make chocolate fudge, and the chocolate flavor is just out of this world amazing. This chocolate peppermint fudge is a great twist on the original! It is soft and creamy like fudge should be, and then it has nice little bites of crunchy peppermint candies throughout. It is also drizzled with white chocolate on top to make the perfect balance of flavors!
I am a fudge fanatic, which is why I have so many awesome fudge recipes on my website (like this must-try chocolate caramel fudge or this super easy Reese’s fudge). I can’t get enough of my vanilla fudge, or my crowd-pleasing peanut butter fudge. Every year I have to make about 4 different flavors! It is so fun to make and this chocolate peppermint fudge doesn’t require a candy thermometer or anything special! It’s all made over a double boiler so it’s easier than traditional fudge and you will love the results!
Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients come together to make one of the most decadent desserts out there. Most of these things you will have conveniently in your pantry. You can use candy canes instead of peppermint candies if you wanted to. You can find the exact measurements below in the recipe card
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Sweetened condensed milk has been cooked down to remove the water, and then sugar is added to make it sweet. It’s so tasty, and helps to make the fudge very soft and creamy.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: You can use darker chocolate chips if you like a richer flavor. Semisweet chocolate chips are easy to work with and will make great fudge.
- Peppermint Extract: Just a little peppermint extract in the fudge will give it a nice peppermint flavor that you would expect in a peppermint fudge! You could use peppermint oil if you wanted to. If you are, I would just add a little less because peppermint oil is stronger in flavor than extract.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a little flavor and helps all of the other flavors shine in this fudge.
- Crushed Peppermint Candies: You will be putting these in the fudge and on top. You can crush them up however big or small you would like.
- White Chocolate Chips: White chocolate chips are for melting and drizzling on top. They add a little different flavor that blends the peppermint and chocolate perfectly. This is an optional garnish. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to.
Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Recipe
This fudge recipe is one of the easiest you will find! It is all done over a double boiler, so you don’t have to find your candy thermometer. It is as simple as melting the ingredients together and pouring it into the pan. Then top with your super cute and full of holiday cheer garnishes. Now you have a holly jolly treat to share with friends and family that everyone will love!
Make the Fudge
- Prep: Prepare an 8×8” square baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper, allowing any excess paper to just hang over the edges.
- Boil: Bring a large of water to boil on the stove, then reduce the heat to medium-low, bringing water to a simmer.
- Make Double Boiler: In a heat-safe glass bowl, one that fits over your pot, combine your sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. We will be using a double broiler method to melt the chocolate by placing the bowl over the pot of simmering water so the bowl is partially submerged in the water but not touching the bottom of the pan.
- Melt: Stirring continuously, melt the chocolate and mix the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together completely. The mixture should be thick and completely smooth.
- Remove From Heat: Remove the glass bowl from the pot and away from the heat. Be careful! The bowl will be extremely hot!
- Add Flavor: At this point, you will add your peppermint, vanilla, and ¼ cup of your crushed candy cane mixing to incorporate thoroughly. Pour your fudge into the prepared 8×8 pan.
Prepare and Add Garnish
- Melt: In a microwave-safe dish, melt your white chocolate chips in 10-second increments, stirring the chips in between each heating. Don’t hear for more than 10 seconds at a time or you will burn your chocolate
- Drizzle: Once the white chocolate is melted thoroughly, drizzle it over the top of your fudge. Put your melted chocolate into a Ziploc bag and cut a very small hole in the corner, pipe it back and forth in lines across your fudge. I went one direction, then diagonal in another direction, to add some detail on the top.
- Sprinkle: Finally, sprinkle the top of your fudge with your remaining crushed candy canes and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Cool and Cut: When your chocolate peppermint fudge has completely set up, remove it from the pan and cut it into your desired sizes, I did about 2” square pieces.
Tips for Making Chocolat Peppermint Fudge
This fudge recipe is so easy! You can also make it your own. Follow my tips and get ideas from my experience with this recipe. You will love the way your chocolate peppermint fudge turns out.
- Optional Garnish: The white chocolate detail looks really pretty on top, but you can leave it out if you’d like.
- Take Out the Crunch: I know people who would rather their fudge be smooth and crunch-free, so don’t feel bad if you want to leave the crushed peppermint out of this recipe as well, you can just use the ¼ cup crushed candy cane for garnish or leave it out altogether! You still added the peppermint oil or extract, so your fudge will still have a minty flavor.
- Peppermint Candies: I used peppermint candies, but you can use candy canes instead if you already have some in your house.
Storing Leftover Fudge
Fudge is such a great Christmas treat because you can make it well ahead of time. It stays delicious and fresh for a long time, and is so easy to share with friends and family. Here are my tips for storing your chocolate peppermint fudge.
- In the Fridge: You can keep the fudge in the fridge for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container. The longer it sits out on the counter the harder it will get, so I like to put mine in the fridge to keep it soft and moist.
- In the Freezer: Fudge is a really rich dessert, and this recipe makes enough for 16 people. If you want to save some for later, it is easy to put it in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Put it in the freezer and enjoy for up to 3 months!
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Prepare an 8×8” square baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper, allowing any excess paper to just hang over the edges.
-
Bring a large of water to boil on the stove, then reduce the heat to medium low, bringing water to a simmer.
-
In a heat safe glass bowl, one that fits over your pot, combine your sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips.
-
We will be using a double broiler method to melt the chocolate by placing the bowl over the pot of simmering water so the bowl is partially submerged in the water but not touching the bottom of the pan.
-
Stirring continuously, melt the chocolate and mix the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together completely. The mixture should be thick and completely smooth.
-
Remove the glass bowl from the pot and away from the heat. Be careful! The bowl will be extremely hot!
-
At this point you will add your peppermint, vanilla, and ¼ cup of your crushed candy cane mixing to incorporate thoroughly. Pour your fudge into the prepared 8×8 pan.
-
In a microwave safe dish, melt your white chocolate chips in 10 second increments, stirring the chips in between each heating. Don’t hear for more than 10 seconds at a time or you will burn your chocolate
-
Once the white chocolate is melted thoroughly, drizzle it over the top of your fudge. Put your melted chocolate into a ziploc bag and cut a very small hole in the corner, pipe it back and forth in lines across your fudge. I went one direction, then diagonal in another direction, to add some detail on the top.
-
Finally sprinkle the top of your fudge with your remaining crushed candy canes and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
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When your fudge has completely set up, remove it from the pan and cut it into your desired sizes, I did about 2” square pieces.
Serves: 16
Calories258kcal (13%)Carbohydrates28g (9%)Protein3g (6%)Fat15g (23%)Saturated Fat9g (45%)Polyunsaturated Fat0.5gMonounsaturated Fat4gTrans Fat0.02gCholesterol4mg (1%)Sodium13mg (1%)Potassium203mg (6%)Fiber2g (8%)Sugar21g (23%)Vitamin A19IUVitamin C0.1mgCalcium41mg (4%)Iron2mg (11%)
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
