Easy Peppermint Fudge is a creamy rich white chocolate fudge recipe with crunchy candy cane pieces. The perfect treat for the holiday season!
From Gingerbread Fudge to Eggnog Fudge to Peppermint Fudge, creamy festive fudge made with classic holiday flavors is the perfect Candy for your Dessert table, gift baskets, and to have on hand all winter long.
This creamy, rich Peppermint Fudge full of crushed candy canes is the perfect dessert for the holidays. The sweet minty flavor and rich white chocolate fudge combination are like Christmas in a creamy, cool bite. Put out this peppermint candy on a tray with other sweets at your next holiday get-together or wrap them up as an extra festive treat in your holiday gift baskets.
If you’ve never tried making fudge, you’ll be surprised just how easy it is to make Peppermint Fudge. You only need 5 ingredients to make this easy Christmasy white chocolate fudge.There’s no special equipment needed, no baking, and the hardest part is waiting for the fudge to set in the fridge without sneaking bites!
If holiday baking stresses you out, this is an easy recipe to make ahead of time and freeze. You can make this fudge months in advance and then just leave it in the freezer until you need it. Come Christmas time all you have to do is let the fudge thaw out in the fridge. Making holiday desserts ahead of time and keeping them in the freezer is a great way to reduce the work you have to do in December, and keep the holidays as stress free as possible.
How to Make Peppermint Fudge
- Prep: Start by preparing your pan. Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spray that with non-stick cooking spray. This will make sure you have no problems with the fudge sticking to the pan.
- Melt: Add the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and salt to the saucepan, and make sure to keep the burner on low heat so it doesn’t scald the milk. Continue stirring until the chocolate is melted.
- Flavor: Turn off the heat then stir in the peppermint extract. To crush your peppermints or candy canes without making a mess, put them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to break them apart. Once the candy canes are broken apart add all but a handful to the Peppermint Fudge mixture.
- Set: Pour the fudge mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula to even out. Add the remaining candy canes to the top. Put the pan in the fridge and let it set for 4 hours. Once it’s set, cut into squares and serve or store.
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FAQs for Peppermint Fudge
The hardness or softness of fudge depends on how much sugar and moisture there is in the recipe and how it’s cooked. If there’s more sugar compared to moisture, the fudge will be harder. Also, cooking it for a longer time and at higher temperatures will make it harder, while shorter cooking times will keep it softer.
The secret to awesome fudge is making sure you have the perfect balance of sugar and milk, and that they aren’t overcooked so you get creamy fudge that is smooth, creamy, firm but also soft. Using sweetened condensed milk helps take the guesswork out of fudge making and gives you consistently smooth and creamy fudge.
The name “fudge” for this sweet treat has an interesting history. Some say it originated from an accidental “fudged” batch of caramel that didn’t set properly. Others claim it comes from the term “fadge,” which means to fit or shape something together. Either way, it’s a tasty name for a deliciously indulgent dessert!
One possibility is that you didn’t cook it long enough and didn’t reach the right temperature. Another reason could be that the sugar to moisture ratio was off, making it too soft. There isn’t really a way to fix fudge that is too soft, besides maybe freezing it, however it will still taste delicious.
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Key Ingredients
- White Chocolate: White chocolate adds a creamy and rich flavor to the fudge. It is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, without the cocoa solids found in dark or milk chocolate.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Condensed milk is a great way to make fudge for beginners, because you always get smooth and creamy fudge as long as you don’t let it boil. You don’t have to worry about reducing it or other trouble areas with traditional fudge making.
- Peppermint Extract: Peppermint extract gives the fudge its refreshing and minty flavor. You want to use peppermint, not spearmint, because it has a better flavor for candies and sweets.
- Peppermint Candy: Crushed candies or candy cane pieces give this fudge a delightful crunch and add bursts of peppermint flavor throughout it. They also create a festive appearance, making it a perfect treat for the holiday season.
Can Peppermint Fudge be made ahead of time?
Yes, Peppermint Fudge can be made ahead of time. In fact, you’ll need to make it at least 4 hours in advance, preferably overnight, to allow it to fully set and blend the flavors. After the fudge is set, you can store the fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks or even freeze it for about 6 months. Enjoy it frozen or let it thaw at room temperature before serving.
Variations
- Chocolate: Instead of making White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips to make regular chocolate fudge. Another way to add chocolate is to spread Chocolate Ganache on top of the set fudge, then chill it until it’s hardened and cut as usual.
- Vegan: To make Vegan Candy Cane Fudge replace the sweetened condensed milk with coconut condensed milk. You’ll also need to replace the white chocolate with a dairy free chocolate chip.
- Oreo: For some extra flavor crush some Oreo cookies to put in the fudge recipe at the same time you add the candy canes. You could also add Thin Mints for crispy, minty chocolate cookie flavor.
- Nuts: For some extra crunch, why not add in some chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans to the fudge? If you’ve got some Candied Pecans, this candy is a perfect way to use them up!
- Toppings: For decorations try sprinkling on some mini marshmallows or red sprinkles on top before you put the pan in the fridge to harden.
Tips for Gifting Peppermint Fudge
- Fudge makes a great edible gift for the holidays. The best way to package homemade fudge is in a decorative cookie tin.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of your tin or use festive tissue paper. Put a layer of fudge squares over the paper. If you want to add more than one layer of fudge put another layer of paper then add the fudge on top of that. Continue until the container is full.
- If you’re planning to ship the fudge, it’s best to use express shipping. Put your candy tin a shipping box of a similar size.
- If you’re worried about the fudge melting in transit, put a gel freezer pack in the package. Wrap the freeze pack in plastic just to make certain it doesn’t leak.
- It’s also a good idea to let the person you’re sending the gift to know to expect food, so they can get it stored properly when it arrives.
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How to Store
- Serve: You can keep Candy Cane Fudge at room temperature for up to a week. Be sure to keep it in a ziplock bag or other airtight container. Store it in a cool place so that the fudge doesn’t melt.
- Store: To keep the White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge longer, store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you put the fudge squares in a ziplock bag, layer them with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
- Freeze: This is a great dessert recipe to make ahead of time and store in the freezer. Candy Cane Fudge will keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces white chocolate chips
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 cups crushed peppermint candies , or candy canes
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 pan with foil and spray with vegetable oil spray.
- Add white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and salt to a large saucepan on low heat.
- Stir until chocolate is melted.
- Turn off heat and add in peppermint extract.
- Mix in all but a small handful of the crushed peppermint candies.
- Spread into baking dish.
- Sprinkle on the remaining peppermint candies into the baking pan.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours before slicing.
Hello! Is there any way to make this diabetic friendly? Thanks.
Yummy, I love fudge recipes! And peppermint is one of my favorite flavors, can’t wait to give these a try.
I hope you enjoy them.
Yummy! My hubby and daughter love this recipe!
Glad to know it was a hit, Beth.
I’ve made this so many times, its a family favorite over here!
Thanks for the 5 star rating, Colleen.