How to make delicious Famous Carnation Fudge Recipe! This is the chocolate fudge dreams are made of! Soft, easy to make, and oh so delicious chocolate fudge!
Carnation Fudge Recipe
Today I made fudge for the first time. I have always wanted to make fudge but had heard that it was really hard to make. When I told my Mom I was going to make fudge she told me she hoped it turned out better than the fudge my grandmother used to make.
I guess her fudge would never harden and you had to eat it with a spoon. I am very happy to say that today's fudge turned out amazing. I made milk chocolate and peanut butter fudge. I am normally a chocolate person but have to say the peanut butter fudge is really good.
Ingredients needed to make Carnation Fudge
This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need to make an epic Carnation Fudge! Specific measurements and step by step instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sugar
- Carnation Evaporated Milk
- Salt
- Butter
- Mini Marshmallows
- Chocolate Chips
- Vanilla
Optional - chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or your favorite nuts, peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips
Equipment needed to make Carnation Fudge
Medium Saucepan
8-inch square baking pan - This is the perfect size for this fudge recipe.
Parchment Paper - I really like these 12x12 paper liners. They are easy to pull out and you can easily cut them down to fit an 8-inch baking pan. You can also use greased aluminum foil but we prefer to use parchment paper.
Dough scraper - I know that these are normally used when making bread but I love using it to cut fudge. It cuts clean lines and you can easily cut them without having to try and contort your wrist to a crazy angle to get a clean cut.
Treat Boxes - If you are gifting your fudge these treat boxes work great. They are not holiday-specific so you can use them year-round. Just wrap a cute ribbon around them or make a fun label and you are good to go. This fudge is the perfect delectable holiday gift.
Recipe Adaptations
Here are some of the easy variations that can be made from the original Carnation Famous Fudge recipe.
Milk Chocolate Fudge - you will need Milk Chocolate Chips
Butterscotch Fudge - You will need Butterscotch Flavored Chips
Peanutty Chocolate Fudge - You will need Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Chips and ½ cup chopped peanuts
Can You Freeze Fudge?
You can freeze fudge but you want to make sure you protect the fudge from moisture.
The best way to freeze fudge is to cut the fudge into pieces and wrap individual pieces in Saran Wrap so they are protected from moisture. Place all of the wrapped pieces in a Ziploc Bag or Freezer container.
Only place the amount of fudge in each bag that you will want to defrost together. You can use snack-size freezer bags if you know you only want the temptation of pulling out a small amount of Carnation Fudge at a time.
When defrosting the fudge you want to leave it in the plastic freezer bag until it is defrosted to room temperature. This will prevent moisture from getting into the fudge.
What is the best way to store fudge?
The best way to store your homemade fudge is in an airtight storage container at room temperature.
Keeping fudge in an airtight storage container will prevent your homemade fudge from drying out.
You do not want to store fudge in the refrigerator. The refrigerator will cause the fudge to dry out and it may also pick up the scents and flavors of food near it. The last thing you want is for your famous fudge to start tasting like cucumbers or other veggies.
How long does fudge last?
It really depends on how you store the fudge. If you store it in an airtight storage container the chocolate fudge can last 3-4 weeks if not longer.
Additional Dessert Recipes
Here are some of our favorite holiday sweet treats to make as gifts and for holiday parties:
White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Do you love recipes? Check out our copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes.
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Carnation Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups White Sugar
- ⅔ cup Evaporated Milk 5 fl.-oz. can
- 2 Tablespoon Butter or margarine
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Mini Marshmallows
- 1 ½ cups NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels 9 oz.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Optional
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts - chopped
Instructions
- Line 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper
- Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan.
- Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract.
- Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted.
- Pour into a prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
- Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 36-48 pieces.
Notes
SUBSTITUTE 1 ¾ cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels.
SUBSTITUTE 1 ⅔ cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels.
SUBSTITUTE 1 ⅔ cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels and ½ cup chopped peanuts for pecans or walnuts.
Nutrition
Recipe originally shared December 11, 2011, updated in 2020
Peggy
I have been making this fudge for decades and it is the only recipe I use. I use semi sweet chocolate and milk chocolate, depending on who I am making it for.