One of the easiest homemade candies you can make is homemade fudge – and this classic Rocky Road Fudge is one of the best! You’ll love these rich and creamy chocolate fudge squares, loaded with marshmallows and nuts.
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Easy Homemade Fudge, Rocky Road Style!
When it comes to homemade treats, don’t limit yourself to cookies and brownies! It’s easy to forget that you can make candy at home, but seriously, making your own candy is fun and doesn’t have to be complicated! I particularly love making homemade fudge. It’s so indulgent and satisfying, with a rich, velvety texture.
This rocky road fudge is made with marshmallows and nuts, like the beloved ice cream. The combination of sweet, fluffy marshmallows, crunchy salted nuts, and chocolate is unbeatable! Everyone raves over rocky road fudge, so if you do make some, be prepared for it to disappear!
Looking for more fun and festive fudge? Here are a few more recipes: Grinch Fudge, Pralines and Cream Fudge and Easy Peanut Butter Fudge.
What’s the Difference Between Heavenly Hash and Rocky Road?
You may be more familiar with Heavenly Hash ice cream than Rocky Road, but they are basically the same thing. Chocolate, marshmallow, and nuts are the star of each one. Depending on the brand, Heavenly Hash ice cream may contain actual chocolate chunks, in addition to the marshmallows and nuts. It may also have a marshmallow swirl, rather than pieces of marshmallow.
If you’d rather make this a “Heavenly Hash” fudge, just throw in some chocolate chips or chunks, and try using marshmallow fluff, swirled through the fudge once it’s poured into the pan. You really can’t go wrong!
The Ingredients You Will Need
The ingredients for this recipe couldn’t be simpler. All you need are five basic pantry staples, which you may already have on hand. Pro tip: Keep these ingredients on hand, and you can make fudge anytime!
- Chocolate Chips: You’ll need one and a half regular bags (about 18 ounces) of semisweet chocolate chips. You could also use dark chocolate chips, if you’d rather.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Sweetened condensed milk makes the fudge sweet and creamy, and helps it set properly.
- Butter: Butter also gives the fudge the correct texture, and adds a wonderful flavor and slight shine.
- Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows are best, so that they can be evenly distributed throught the fudge.
- Nuts: I use sliced almonds or walnuts in this recipe.
What Kind of Nuts Are in Rocky Road?
It depends! Peanuts are a popular choice in Rocky Road, but any kind of nuts are fine. From almonds to pecans, pistachios to walnuts, you can use whatever you like. Sliced almonds are one of my personal favorites.
How to Make This Decadent Treat
One of the best things about making your own fudge is that, unlike many other candy recipes, you don’t need any special equipment, like double boilers or candy thermometers. It’s as easy as can be!
- Prepare the Pan and Melt the Fudge Ingredients. To begin, line an 8×8 square baking dish with parchment paper or wax paper, and set it aside. Then place the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and butter in a saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring thoroughly, until the chocolate chips are melted and everything is mixed to a smooth consistency.
- Add Half the Marshmallows and Nuts. Take the saucepan off the heat, and stir in half of the marshmallows, plus half of the nuts. Before the fudge hardens, pour it into the baking dish, and smooth it out with a spatula.
- Top and Chill. Sprinkle the remaining marshmallows and nuts over the fudge, pressing in gently to help them stick as needed. Cover the pan, and chill for 2 hours.
- Enjoy! Cut the fudge into squares, and serve.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
What else should you know about this recipe? Well, I do have a few helpful tips I’d like to share. These tips will help make sure that your rocky road fudge turns out just right.
- No Dairy Substitutions: While you might be tempted to use something else in place of the sweetened condensed milk, I don’t recommend it. Other canned milk products, like evaporated milk and coconut milk, just don’t have the same texture and taste, and they won’t allow the fudge to set properly.
- Chocolate Considerations: Fudge typically has a pleasant, milk-chocolate taste, but you can only get that flavor if you use semisweet chocolate chips, or darker. Milk chocolate will not taste chocolate-y enough, once you add the remaining ingredients.
- Cutting the Squares: Cut this into squares as large or small as you like. Fudge is traditionally cut small, since it is so rich, but you could do larger squares for an ultra-indulgent serving size, if you like
Easy Variations
An easy way to customize this recipe is to vary the ingredients that you mix in! There are so many yummy additions that go perfectly with chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts – here are just a few, for inspiration.
- M&Ms: Reduce the amount of nuts and marshmallows, and add in some colorful M&Ms, for a fun candy version of this rocky road fudge.
- Andes Mints: Chopped Andes Mints are a fabulous way to turn regular fudge into mint chocolate fudge! With the marshmallows and nuts, it’s an irresistible combination.
- Peanut Butter Cup: Mini peanut butter cups are another great mix-in. You can also chop up regular-sized peanut butter cups.
- Rice Crispy Treat: Using a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut up Rice Crispy Treats into tiny squares, and mix those right into the fudge for a special crispy crunch.
How to Store Homemade Fudge
Homemade fudge is incredibly easy to store! Just place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate. It will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Sure! Wrap the fudge tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, and then seal inside a freezer bag (press out as much air as you can before sealing). Freeze for up to 2 months.
Rocky Road Fudge
Ingredients
- 3 cups dark/semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 18 ounces
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 5 ounces mini marshmallows
- 4 ounces sliced almonds or walnuts
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or wax paper, and set aside.
- Add the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter to a medium saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring well all the way to the bottom of the saucepan, until the chocolate melts and everything is well combined.
- Remove the mixture from the heat, and mix in half of the marshmallows and almonds.
- Quickly pour the fudge into the baking dish, and spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining marshmallows and almond slices over the top of the fudge.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, before cutting into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
More Classic Candy Recipes
- Almond Joy Truffles
- Cherry Divinity
- Homemade Butter Mints
- Caramel Pecan Clusters
- Soft Rum Caramels
- Sponge Candy (Honeycomb Candy)
- Easy Nanaimo Bars
- Best Christmas Crack
- Peppermint Oreo Truffle Balls
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