Simple Four-Minute Fudge Recipe (AKA Joelle's Fudge) (2024)

Christmas is just kicking off around here. This week I’m pulling out the big guns: we’re baking. And by baking I mean microwaving up this simple four-minute fudge recipe my friend Joelle shared with my mommy group 18 years ago. Here’s the story behind the simple four-minute fudge recipe & why we try to make a batch every year. Yes, I know… a story before the recipe. Feel free to scroll past it (but its super sweet!)

The Story Behind Joelle’s Simple Four-Minute Fudge Recipe

I spend a lot of my life online.

Maybe too much time- but that’s not for this particular post to dissect!

It’s where my friends live for the most part. So it’s where I socialize.

My internet friendships have blossomed over the years into real-life besties.

I don’t know if this is weird, but the people I’m still in touch with that I first met in person are pretty limited.

Limited to, oh, 5 people?

Including 2 neighbors I met in the past year.

Apparently, I don’t get out much. Ha!

This is the brief (I’ll try to be brief, I swear!) story of my first group of ride-or-die women who I’ve known for 18 years now.

And how I look forward to sharing Joelle’s fudge with them every holiday season.

The April 2005 Mommas

Before there was Facebook or even Twitter, I was hanging out with all the hormonal and judgy mommies and mommies-to-be on Baby Center.

To be fair, we weren’t all judgy.

But… to be honest? Most of us were. Ahem.

Ahhhh, youth.

During those late nights with “morning” sickness, insomnia, and worry over every twinge and tweak our bodies put us through, friendships were made.

Secrets were shared.

Confessions given.

And tons of LOLs occurred.

All because we all got knocked up in August 2004 and expected April 2005 babies. What a time to be alive!

Through my pregnancy with my daughter, my lifelong tribe of friends from around the world formed in the April 2005 Mommas.

These ladies have held me up in my darkest hours when Jacob died; they’ve cheered my success; they’ve supported my blog(s) and my travel business.

I love them.

And I know for a fact that they love me.

They may not always like me (hey, I still get judgy at times, so you know, it’s cool) but I know they love me fiercely.

Friendships like these are what I hope my children find someday.

It freaks me out sometimes to think I trust so much of my life and heart with people I’ve never met in real life, but when someone shares their favorite simple four-minute fudge recipe with you (thank you, Joelle!), it just instills trust, you know?

We’ve got a tradition of sharing fudge variations online and man, some of these are creative and amazing.

Here’s the basic four-minute fudge recipe to get you started; but trust me when I say the variations are only limited by your creativity.

(Speaking of Christmas— if you are looking for aGluten-free Christmas Cookies recipe, check that one out!)

Simple Four-Minute Fudge Recipe

Four-Minute Fudge Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 bags of chips (any combination that you want to be based on the desired flavor)

My family loves thesimple four-minute fudge recipe: the rocky road version.

This simple four-minute fudge recipe uses 2 bags of semi-sweetchocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped walnuts.

It’s truly simple enough that even the littlest of helpers can assist in making this deliciously sweet dessert.

Simple Four-Minute Fudge Directions

1. Mix everything in a glass bowl and start heating up in the microwave in 30-second increments.

2. You want to pull the bowl out, mix and scrape the sides, and make sure you don’t burn it!

3. Once it’s melted, pour it into your pan.

I like an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper. This makes it easier to remove the fudge after it’s set.

4. If you are adding special additions (like marshmallows and walnuts) add them in before you pour them into the pan.

5. Set in the fridge or freezer until solid.

See- simple four-minute fudge!

And oh so good.

Some suggested flavors for your own simple four-minute fudge recipes

• Milk chocolate
• Oreo (crushed Oreos with white and dark chocolate layers)
• Kahlua (topped with chocolate-covered espresso beans)
• Chocolate peanut butter
• Maple bacon pecan
• Almond Joy
• Snickers (with a homemade nougat layer)
• White chocolate candy cane
• Butterbeer
• Dark chocolate toffee
• Birthday cake
• Mint Chocolate Oreo
• Butterscotch with marshmallows
• Chocolate with walnuts and coconut
• Chocolate with Butterfinger candy bar prices
• White chocolate candy cane

Prep Time: 1 minute

Active Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Easy fudge recipe! How easy? 4 minutes and 3 ingredients easy! But wait- there's a ton of variations you can try out too when you make this Christmas fudge. Perfect for teacher gifts and for friends year round!

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 bags chips (any combination that you want based on the desired flavor)
• Optional for Rocky Road Fudge: 1 bag mini marshmallows; 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Mix everything in a glass bowl and start heating up in the microwave in 30-second increments.
2. You want to pull the bowl out, mix and scrape the sides, and make sure you don't burn it!
3. Once it's melted, pour into your pan.
4. I like an 8X8 pan lined with parchment paper. This makes it easier to remove the fudge after it's set.
5. If you are adding special additions (like the marshmallows and walnuts) add them in before you pour into the pan.
6. Set in the fridge or freezer until solid.

Notes

You can use a lot of different flavors to change up this basic recipe. See post for additional suggestions and inspiration.

Want More Delicious Dessert Ideas? Check Out These Posts

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