One of the single greatest things about Christmas, in my opinion, is HOMEMADE FUDGE in all its varieties .
I’ve been having a moment with festive fudge – you know the ones . The ones that are sweet, easy to make, and make a wonderful holiday gift?
YEAH, THOSE. Fudge is Christmas in dessert form .
1. Pralines and Cream Fudge Recipe
This one is basically two amazing desserts packed into one. You get a luscious white chocolate fudge AND those dreamy southern pralines in every single bite. YES!
Pralines are all about that caramel flavor and nutty crunch. The recipe points to pecans, but really, you could get creative and use anything from almonds to hazelnuts.
2. S’mores Fudge
Okay, this s’mores fudge is so unbelievably good, you’ll be making it all year long. I can promise you that.
Sometimes I just need a little texture and crunch with my fudge, and this recipe absolutely brings it. It’s a total flavor and texture wonderland.
You’ve got those sticky pockets of marshmallow, plus crushed graham crackers mixed right in. It’s just so good.
3. Grinch Fudge
I think this one might be my favorite, and can you even blame me? It’s just so incredibly cute. Those little hearts are everything!
The fun green color is going to make the kids go wild for this recipe.
It’s made with just white chocolate and condensed milk, so it’s super simple. You could totally add some almond or peppermint extract if you wanted to jazz it up.
Just be sure not to add anything that could mess with that perfect Grinchy color, like chocolate chips.
Also, a little pro tip: the size of the heart sprinkles you find will determine how big you should cut the squares. Bigger sprinkles need bigger pieces of fudge!
4. Maple Walnut Fudge
Using authentic maple syrup here is key. It has this wonderfully complex taste that is a mix of vanilla, caramel, and something like chewy prunes or dates.
So make sure you get the good stuff, not the cheap pancake syrup!
Because the maple syrup is already so sweet, you’ll use heavy cream to bring this fudge together. Buttery walnuts give it an excellent texture.
And I’m telling you, taking a few extra minutes to toast the nuts is so worth it. It helps bring out their natural oils and makes the flavor pop.
5. Easy Penuche Fudge Recipe (Brown Sugar Fudge)
Penuche is a brown sugar fudge that has so much caramel flavor. It’s just delightful! The name comes from the Spanish word for raw sugar, *panocha*.
While classic recipes just use brown sugar, butter, and milk, this one kicks it up a notch. It adds marshmallow Fluff for a lighter feel and corn syrup for better stability.
It also calls for evaporated milk, which makes this fudge creamier than you can even imagine.
6. Candy Cane Fudge
This vanilla and peppermint fudge is that perfect blend of sweet and fresh. It’s an ideal holiday treat, loaded with crushed candy canes for a little extra crunch.
I love that this one gets its flavor from the candy canes themselves, not from peppermint extract, which can sometimes be a bit much.
The result is a more subtle flavor that is just as scrumptious.
7. Hot Chocolate Fudge Recipe
Talk about a Christmas triple threat! This recipe is where it’s AT.
First, you have a layer of rich, dark chocolate fudge. Then it’s topped with a creamy white chocolate fudge layer. Honestly, you could stop right there and have an amazing holiday treat.
But you can’t have hot chocolate without mini-marshmallows, right? Just pour them over the top of the warm fudge and give them a little press so they stick. Perfection.
8. Turtle Fudge
Turtle candies give you that perfect pairing of chocolate and caramel, and they usually have a crunchy, nutty element, too.
This fudge is no different! It uses luscious, soft caramel candies and pecans to get that classic Turtle experience.
I personally find that semi-sweet chocolate is great for balancing the sweetness from the caramel, but dark chocolate would be fantastic, too.
Milk chocolate, on the other hand, might make it a little too sweet.
9. Dark Chocolate, Almond & Cherry Fudge
Chocolate and cherry are such a beautiful combination. Both flavors are dark and intense, and they just work together.
With its more bitter taste, I always think of this as more of a grown-up fudge. It’s so elegant looking, too, and would be a stunning addition to any dessert table.
Just a reminder to grab dried cherries for this one, since fresh ones have too much extra moisture.
10. Caramel Peanut Butter Pretzel Fudge
Sweet, salty, crunchy, and smooth. This fudge recipe is the whole package!
The yummy base is a mix of peanut butter and marshmallow. Then, you dress it all up with chopped Caramel Milky Way Bites or Rolos and some peanut butter-filled pretzels.
11. Butter Pecan Fudge Recipe
The flavor of butter pecan is so rich and decadent. This fudge is melt-in-your-mouth perfection.
You’ll want to make sure you toast the pecans to really enhance their flavor. You can do this easily on the stovetop or in the oven.
For the fudge itself, using both brown and white sugar gives you those wonderful caramel notes and just the right amount of sweetness.
12. Christmas Oreo Fudge
The winter edition of Oreo cookies are seasonal, but so worth tracking down for this recipe! They have a festive red filling and fun Christmas designs that really make this fudge pop.
But don’t worry, if you can only find regular Oreos, it will taste just as amazing.
The fudge base is vanilla, so you could even use any kind of Oreo you love, like golden, peanut butter, or strawberry cheesecake!
13. Easy Maple Walnut Fudge
Even though this recipe is a little more involved, one taste and you’ll agree that it’s completely worth it.
And when I say it’s more involved, I just mean you’ll have to keep a closer eye on it than usual.
That’s because you’ll be making a kind of maple syrup caramel and then beating butter into it.
It really helps to have a candy thermometer for this one, since the mixture needs to hit 238 degrees Fahrenheit (or 114°C) so that it will set properly.
14. Eggnog Fudge Recipe
Eggnog is just quintessentially Christmas. It’s so rich and creamy! So if you’re looking for a sweet holiday treat, why not make the most of it?
I mean, eggnog is only available for a short time each year!
If you love that melted ice cream taste with warm spice and a light, boozy finish, this is the fudge recipe you have to try.
15. Pumpkin Fudge
In my house, pumpkin spice season starts the second I pull out my flannel shirts and doesn’t end until I put my thick sweaters away.
And Christmas is right in the middle of all that!
This satisfying pumpkin fudge gets its color and taste from real pumpkin puree, plus a good amount of pumpkin spice.
The result tastes like a pumpkin latte met a slice of pie. What could be better?
16. Snickerdoodle Fudge
Don’t be fooled by the pale color of this Snickerdoodle fudge. I just know that after one bite, you’ll be totally hooked!
The fudge itself is incredibly rich and creamy, but it’s that cinnamon sugar topping that will have you coming back for another piece.
17. Maple Bacon Fudge
Would you believe that this dreamy fudge only needs three ingredients? It’s true! And one of them is a tub of pre-made maple bacon frosting.
I’ve had a little trouble finding this since it’s a limited-edition item, but around the holidays, you can usually find it near the other baking supplies.
When you mix it with melted white chocolate, it becomes super fudgy and will firm up perfectly for slicing once it cools.
18. Caramel Apple Fudge
If you’re wondering how you get juicy apple flavor into fudge, don’t worry. The secret is using a spiced apple cider drink mix to get that signature taste.
First, you make an apple-infused white chocolate fudge. Then, you swirl a rich caramel fudge right over it.
It tastes just like a creamy apple candy. I bet it would be amazing with that cinnamon sugar topping from the snickerdoodle recipe, too!
19. Cranberry Pistachio Fudge
When it comes to Christmas fudge recipes, I don’t think it gets more festive-looking than this!
That creamy white fudge is just loaded with ruby red cranberries and bright green pistachios. It’s exactly what you need for this year’s holiday party.
You get those tart notes from the chewy berries and a delicious crunch from the nuts.
Depending on how small you want the final pieces to be, you might want to chop up the cranberries. If you’re going for bite-sized fudge, whole berries can sometimes be a bit too big.