Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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Old fashioned homemade vanilla fudge, made with real vanilla beans, is a sweet bite sized dessert that’s perfect for a holiday treat!

This homemade vanilla fudge combines the goodness of butter, heavy cream, sugar and real vanilla beans to create an irresistible bite sized dessert.

Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (1)

VANILLA FUDGE

I always make some kind of fudge during the holidays, and this Vanilla Fudge did not disappoint! This sweet fudge wasn’t as easy as my Five Minute Microwave Fudge, but it is certainly worth the effort. It really was pretty simple to make. Don’t let boiling sugar scare you!

Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2)

How do you make vanilla fudge?

There are a ton of different fudge recipes out there. There’s really no right or wrong method. I’ll explain how I made this version of vanilla fudge below.

  1. The main process behind this vanilla fudge recipe is to cook the ingredients on the stove. You will do this until it reaches the soft ball stage of 238 degrees F. Any lower and your fudge might not set. Any longer and it will be too hard. Invest in a good candy thermometer.
  2. While the fudge is boiling, you do not stir it. You can, however, use water to wash and sugar that is crawling up the sides back down into the pot. Water boils at 212 degrees F and then it turns to steam. Because the fudge gets much hotter than that, all of your water will evaporate before the fudge hits it’s ideal temperature.
  3. I add split vanilla bean pods to the mixture. You will remove them before the fudge begins to set, but it definitely pays in the flavor department to keep the pods in as long as possible.
  4. Once you remove your hot vanilla fudge mixture from the stove, you’ll pour it into a bowl with a bit of butter. Again, you won’t stir this mixture. You’ll allow this to cool quite a bit, then you’ll stir it well, and finally you’ll spread it into your pan until it is fully cool.
Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (3)

Other great homemade fudge recipes:

  • Eggnog Fudge
  • Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
  • Five Minute Microwave Fudge
  • Easy Brown Butter Pecan Fudge

Vanilla Fudge

Prep10 minutes mins

Cook25 minutes mins

Total35 minutes mins

Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (4)

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Old fashioned homemade vanilla fudge, made with real vanilla beans, is a sweet bite sized dessert that’s perfect for a holiday treat!

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set cold tablespoon of butter in large bowl (glass or non-reactive metal) and set aside.

  • Line a 8-inch square baking pan with foil lined parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment side with butter.

  • In a medium sized heavy saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar fully dissolves. This will take about 10 minutes.

  • Increase heat to medium to bring mixture to a boil. Do not stir. Insert a thermometer. Allow mixture to continue bubbling. Occasionally wash down sides of pot with water using a silicon brush to avoid crystals from building up. Cook until the fudge meets the soft ball stage of 238 degrees F. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

  • As soon as the fudge hits the soft ball temperature, pour it into the bowl with the tablespoon of butter. Do not scrape the bottom of the pot as there may be over cooked parts you do not want in your fudge. Do not stir the fudge when it hits the bowl. Simply allow it to cool undisturbed with the thermometer in place. When the fudge reaches 110 degrees F, start to stir the mixture. After about 5 minutes of stirring, the fudge will lighten in color and start to lose it’s sheen. Remove vanilla bean pods and pour into prepared pan. Quickly spread fudge to make an even layer, as it will set quickly.

  • Allow to cool in pan at least one hour.

  • To cut, lift the foil lined parchment and transfer the fudge to a cutting board. Cut into 36 bite-sized pieces.

  • Store in an air tight container at room temperature. Fudge can also be frozen for longer storage.

Notes

Serving size = 1 piece

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart’s vanilla fudge recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 21mg, Potassium: 7mg, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 155IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me acomment below

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Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (5)

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Homemade Vanilla Fudge Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

Why is my microwave fudge not setting? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

What is vanilla fudge made of? ›

Mix confectioners sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat until mixture is hot and creamy. Pour into the prepared pan; refrigerate until fudge has set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What is homemade fudge made of? ›

Fudge is a dense, rich confection typically made with sugar, milk or cream, butter and chocolate or other flavorings. The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals.

What is vanilla fudge ice cream? ›

Smooth Vanilla ice cream swirled with our signature homemade fudge.

Can you fix fudge that didn't set? ›

OPTION 4) If you think the reason it didn't set was because you didn't heat it to the right temperature, you could try putting it back into the pan and re-cooking.

What is the secret to perfect fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

What ever happened to Vanilla Fudge? ›

The band has toured as recently as 2022 with three of the four original members: Stein, Martell, and Appice, with Pete Bremy on bass. Bogert retired in 2009 and died in 2021.

What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

What makes fudge so good? ›

It's the size of sugar crystals that makes the knees of fudge lovers buckle…the smaller the crystals, the less they are perceived on the tongue and the more the fudge tastes smooth and creamy. Cooking, and beating after cooking, is the key to successful fudge.

Why don't you stir fudge? ›

Don't stir the fudge while it is cooking. During the cooking process, very tiny crystals form from the sugar, giving the fudge its smooth texture. When you stir the fudge it encourages the sugar crystals to attach to each other and get bigger, or crystallize, which is what causes the fudge to become grainy.

Why does homemade fudge get hard? ›

Overcooking the sugar mixture often leads to hard fudge. Cooking it to a temperature higher than the soft-ball stage (234-240 degrees F) can cause this issue. Use a reliable candy thermometer to monitor the temperature closely. Next time, remove the mixture from heat as soon as it reaches the soft-ball stage.

Can you use evaporated milk instead of milk in fudge? ›

Evaporated milk is often called for in fudge recipes, for the creamy milkiness it imparts, and this Rocky Road Fudge is no exception.

What is vanilla fudge famous for? ›

Vanilla Fudge was a rock band that formed in the 1960s and is often credited with being one of the early pioneers of the psychedelic rock genre. They are best known for their 1967 cover of the song ``You Keep Me Hangin' On,'' which was a major hit for the band.

Why is fudge called fudge? ›

The exact origin and inventor of this delicious confection are hotly debated. However, many believe the first batch of fudge was created by accident when American bakers “fudged” a batch of caramels. Hence the name “fudge.”

What is the difference between Penuche and vanilla fudge? ›

What distinguishes penuche is the use of brown sugar rather than white. In recent years, it has become common in New England to add maple syrup to the recipe for penuche fudge. Some confectioners will call this "maple syrup penuche fudge", and others do not make any distinction at all.

Why is my microwave fudge soft? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

How do you fix runny fudge? ›

If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream. Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.

How do you soften hard fudge in the microwave? ›

Cut the fudge into small pieces around one inch and put it on the plate and place each fudge with the distance in between. Keep a bowl of water inside the microwave along with the fudge to create moisture for the pieces to inhale. Next, microwave the fudge pieces for just 10 seconds.

Can I freeze fudge to make it set? ›

Do not freeze the fudge to set it. Best way is to just be patient for a couple hours and set it in the fridge. If your fudge hasn't set, then you've gone wrong somewhere else. Make sure to use the parchment paper to line your pan otherwise it might be quite tricky to remove the fudge.

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