This marshmallow cream fudge is smooth as silk, with tons of rich chocolate flavor. The sugary sweetness is balanced with just the right amount of buttery flavor and rich, melted chocolate.
Serve it chilled until cold, or at cool room temperature for the type of fudge you can really sink your teeth into!
Why is this the best gluten free no-fail fudge recipe?
This classic fudge recipe is adapted from the fantasy fudge recipe on the side of the Kraft brand's Marshmallow Creme, but with dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips. That means a richer fudge with a smoother, less waxy texture. And we begin with a batch of our homemade version of that marshmallow goodness, but you can replace that easily with store-bought fluff.
This fudge is still solid even as it warms up, which is exactly the consistency you want. Fudge is usually served chilled, but it shouldn't melt at cool room temperature.
If you don't count the time it takes to set up in the refrigerator, this fudge only takes minutes to make. All you need is a candy thermometer; if you don't have one yet, now it's finally time. 
This recipe won't fail. And it won't stress you out!
Recipe Ingredients
- Granulated sugar: There is a lot of refined white granulated sugar in this recipe. We cook it to about 235°F, which is the “softball stage” where it holds its shape when dropped in lukewarm water. It provides a lot of structure to the fudge. You may be able to reduce the sugar to 2 1/2 cups, but no further.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor. We use unsalted butter because then we can control the amount of salt in the recipe, and unsalted butter has a consistent amount of moisture, unlike salted butter. If you'd like to use less butter, you can try using 8 tablespoons instead of 12, and increasing the chocolate to 16 ounces from 12.
- Evaporated milk: Adds richness and flavor without adding too much moisture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brightens the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate: Adds all the chocolate flavor of this fudge, and tons of structure to the fudge once it sets in the refrigerator. Be sure to use a chocolate you really like to taste of, since it is the most prominent flavor. You can use chopped dark chocolate, or melting chocolate disks. Just be sure you're not using a chocolate that's only meant for coating, or something that isn't meant for melting, like semi-sweet chocolate chips that contain wax to prevent them from melting fully.
- Vanilla: Adds depth of flavor and brings out the richness of the chocolate.
- Marshmallow cream: Also called marshmallow fluff, this provides some of the base of the fudge recipe, and makes the texture much more light and airy, rather than chewy. You can use the instructions to make your own homemade fluff with whipped egg whites, cream of tartar to help stabilize them, granulated sugar cooked to about 235°F, some salt and vanilla for flavor. You can also use a 7 ounce jar of Kraft brand Jet Puffed Marshmallow Cream or Marshmallow Fluff brand. Both are gluten free, if it's important that this is a gluten free fudge recipe.
How to make marshmallow cream fudge
If you're making homemade marshmallow cream
The marshmallow mixture has just a few essential ingredients: egg whites, sugar, and water. The recipe also calls for cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla, but you can make the fluff without them.
- Whip raw egg whites until they form soft peaks when you pull the whisk away. The peaks shouldn't seem dry or crumbly at all, and should fall over on themselves when you turn the whisk upright.
- Cook the sugar solution to softball stage (about 235°F). The least expensive candy thermometer is all you need. Here's the type of candy thermometer you see in the photos and video.
- Pour the hot sugar mixture down the side of the mixer bowl and whip until the mixture has nearly tripled in size.
Cook the sugar mixture & add the chocolate
- Place the granulated sugar, chopped butter, evaporated milk, and salt in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and melt the chocolate, stirring gently to help the butter melt and keep the sugar from burning.
- Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and let the mixture cook until it reaches about 235°F.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add chopped chocolate (or melting chocolate disks).
Add the marshmallow fluff, let the fudge set, and slice
- Stir the mixture gently until the chocolate melts fully.
- Add the marshmallow fluff or cream mixture, and stir gently to combine fully.
- Pour the fudge into an 8-inch or 9-inch pan lined with greased or nonstick aluminum foil and shake into an even layer.
- Let cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so, or until no longer hot to the touch.
- Cover the pan and chill for 4 hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator and slice into 16 equal squares with a sharp knife, cleaned and warmed under warm water between each cut.
Expert Tips
If you're new to cooking sugar, for the marshmallow fluff or the marshmallow fudge itself, here are some tips to ensure success the very first time.
- Cook sugar on medium heat, or medium-high heat, at most. If your stovetop runs hot, use low heat and be patient. Once the sugar burns, you can't rescue the mixture. You have to begin again.
- A simple, analog candy thermometer is a must-have to cook sugar. Cooking sugar for fixed time periods without checking the temperature can lead to broken mixtures.
- For easily scoopable marshmallow fluff/creme, chill it for up to a day ahead of time.
- Slice your fudge into squares when it's not quite rock hard. If you've already refrigerated your fudge for hours, just let it sit at room temperature for a while before slicing, and use a clean knife, warmed under hot water, before each slice.
- Nervous? Try a half recipe of fudge first, until you get the hang of it.
- Be sure you're using evaporated milk, which is just cow's milk with some of the water removed. Do not used sweetened condensed milk, which has sugar cooked into it.
Variations & Substitutions
Dairy free
Replace the butter with vegan butter, to keep that butter flavor but get rid of the dairy. Miyoko's Kitchen and Melt brands are best.
In place of cow's milk evaporated milk, try using coconut milk evaporated milk. Or just simmer some of your favorite unsweetened nondairy milk on the stovetop over low heat until it's reduced by at least half.
Egg-free?
If you would like to make this fudge egg-free, the marshmallow cream or fluff has egg whites as a base so you'd need to replace that. You can try making the homemade marshmallow fluff with aquafaba (the brine from a can of unsalted chickpeas) in place of egg whites. The peaks may not hold as well, but it should still work.
Cream of tartar
This marshmallow fudge is made using cream of tartar in the fluff recipe, to help stabilize the sugar as it cooks. If you don't have cream of tartar, you can replace it with a tablespoon of light corn syrup, if that works for you. You can also try using 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Egg free?
Maybe! You may be able to replace the marshmallow fluff, which is made with egg whites, with gluten free marshmallows (made with gelatin).
If you can have eggs but you're concerned about the raw egg whites, you can always use egg whites from the carton, which are already pasteurized.
Rocky road fudge
You can make nearly anything chocolate into rocky road chocolate by mixing in chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. Instead of miniature marshmallows, just add some additional swirls of marshmallow creme.
Peppermint fudge
There's plenty of vanilla extract in this fudge recipe, both in the marshmallow creme recipe and in the fudge itself. Try making it peppermint by replacing one of the vanilla extracts with peppermint extract.
You can also try crushing some candy canes and adding the crushed bits to the fudge as you're folding in the marshmallow creme. Or just sprinkle crushed candy canes on top instead of more marshmallow.
Storage instructions
The sugar in this fudge recipe keeps it fresh for quite a while. You can store it cut into squares, or uncut in a single slab.
If you'd like to store it in squares, pile the squares into a tightly sealed container with rigid sides. Refrigerate for weeks and it should still taste fresh.
To store it in a single slab, remove it from the pan and peel off the foil. Wrap it tightly in freezer-safe wrap and store it in the refrigerator or freezer for even longer.
FAQs
Most types of fudge are made without any gluten containing ingredients and should be gluten free. This fudge certainly is!
If your fudge, and maybe your marshmallow cream before it, is grainy, your sugars have probably crystallized. Adding cream of tartar or another acid helps prevent crystallization of cooked sugar.
Crystallization happens when some sugar comes out of solution during cooking, dries out, and becomes a grain again. If it returns to the rest of the mixture as a dry crystal, it starts a chain reaction in the rest of the cooking sugar.
If your fudge is setting up too soft, you probably didn't cook your sugar to the softball stage, either in the fluff/creme or when you boiled the butter and sugar for the fudge itself. Be sure you're using a candy thermometer, or you know how to use the cold water test for cooking sugar.
Honestly, even though you may find using a candy thermometer to be intimidating, it takes all the guesswork out of cooking sugar. By the time you drop some cooked sugar into a glass of cold water to see if it's the proper “soft ball” consistency, your sugar is usually overcooked and hard!
Yes! You can freeze it in slices or whole. Just put it in a sealed container that keeps out air to avoid freezer burn.
Be careful not to have the heat too high under the butter and sugar mixture when you're making the fudge. If your heat is too high, you risk burning the sugar before it hits the right temperature—and your butter may separate.
If your butter separates during cooking, your fudge mixture won't be fully combined and your fudge may seem oily. Patience is a virtue when cooking sugar!
Yes! Just use 7 ounces of store bought marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme in place of the recipe for homemade marshmallow fluff. The rest of the recipe is exactly as written!
You can make this dairy free by using vegan butter in place of regular butter, and dairy free evaporated milk, which is different from canned coconut milk, which is too thick.
Try dissolving instant espresso in the evaporated milk before you add it to the saucepan with the butter and sugar. That would give it tons of coffee flavor!
If you'd like to use salted butter, eliminate the salt from the ingredient list. Your butter will have slightly less moisture, but it shouldn't matter very much.
It usually takes about 3 minutes for the butter, sugar, and evaporated milk mixture to boil, and then about 6 minutes of boiling for it to reach the softball stage.
Marshmallow Cream Fudge Recipe
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients
For the homemade marshmallow fluff (or use 7 ounces prepared marshmallow cream/fluff)
- 2 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the fudge
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter chopped
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 ounces evaporated milk
- 12 ounces dark chocolate chopped (try using chocolate with at least 70% cacao); or melting chocolate disks
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 7 ounces Marshmallow Creme or Fluff homemade or store bought, plus more for swirling on top (optional) (See Recipe Notes)
Instructions
Make the marshmallow fluff (if using packaged fluff, skip below)
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Set the bowl aside briefly.
- In a medium saucepan, place the sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt, and whisk together.
- Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches the softball stage (between 235°F and 240°F on an instant read candy thermometer). Be sure not to cook the sugar on high heat, or the sugar may burn.
- Remove the cooked sugar from the heat, and pour carefully down the side of the stand mixer bowl, with the mixer on low speed (making sure the sugar mixture doesn’t hit the whisk).
- Add the vanilla extract, and increase the mixer to high speed. Beat until stiff peaks form (5 to 7 minutes).
Make the fudge.
- Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing some foil to overhang the pan. Smooth out any wrinkles. Grease the foil completely (or use nonstick aluminum foil), and set the pan aside.
- In a clean, medium saucepan, place the butter, sugar, salt, and evaporated milk. Place the saucepan over medium heat to medium-high heat, and bring it to a boil. You can stir the mixture gently as it cooks to help prevent the sugar from burning and to help the butter melt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 235°F (about 6 minutes). If your mixture is taking a long time to reach the proper temperature, you can try covering the pan loosely with a cover, so less heat is escaping during cooking.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Working quickly, add the chopped chocolate and mix until the chocolate is melted. Add the vanilla, then the 7 ounces of marshmallow fluff. Using a silicone or other nonstick spatula, turn the mixture over gently until completely combined.
- Working quickly, pour the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Optional: Scatter a few small dollops of marshmallow fluff over the top of the fudge, and swirl with a knife or spatula.
- Allow the fudge to cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, and then place in the refrigerator to chill for about 4 hours, until solid.
- Remove from the refrigerator. If you've left the fudge in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours, it may be a bit too solid to slice without crumbling. Allow it to sit at room temperature until it can be sliced easily with a warm knife.
- Lift the fudge out of the pan by the overhung foil. Let a large, sharp knife run under warm water, and slice the fudge into 16 pieces. Moisten the knife under warm water and clean it off after each cut.
- Serve immediately. Store leftover pieces in a sealed container in the refrigerator. This fudge will keep chilled for weeks.
Video
Notes
- Jet Puffed Marshmallow Creme (comes in a 7 ounce container)
- Marshmallow Fluff brand (comes ina. 7.5 ounce container)
