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Mama’s Million-Dollar Fudge

Name: Mama's Million-Dollar Fudge
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: about 5-1/2 pounds.
Ingredients: 4 teaspoons butter plus 1/2 cup butter, divided; 2 jars (7 ounces each) marshmallow creme; 2 cups chopped walnuts; 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; 12 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped; 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk; 4-1/2 cups sugar; Pinch salt

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Test Kitchen Approved

Total Time

Prep: 25 min. + cooling

Makes

about 5-1/2 pounds

Updated: Dec. 04, 2022

No other fudge I've tasted comes close to the smooth, chocolate taste of this million-dollar fudge recipe, which my mother-in-law introduced me to one Christmas (I've never been able to make it as good as she does, though). Since it makes such a large batch, I always save some for last-minute gifts. —Gloria Heidner, Elk River, Minnesota

Mama's Million-Dollar Fudge Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Ingredients

4 teaspoons butter plus 1/2 cup butter, divided
2 jars (7 ounces each) marshmallow creme
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
12 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
4-1/2 cups sugar
Pinch salt

Directions

Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 4 teaspoons butter; set aside.
In a large bowl, place the marshmallow creme, walnuts, chocolate chips, chopped sweet chocolate in the order listed; top with remaining butter. Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 235° (soft-ball stage). Pour over mixture in bowl and stir. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Cool.
Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in airtight containers.

Million-Dollar Fudge Tips

Why is my million-dollar fudge grainy?

If your million-dollar fudge is grainy, it may be for two reasons. First, you may not have heated your milk mixture for long enough, and the sugar didn't completely dissolve. The other possibility is that your chocolate didn’t melt completely. To prevent this, chop your chocolate finely to start. Then, once you pour the hot liquid over your mix of chocolate, marshmallow creme, nuts and butter, work fast to stir it all up. Be sure to use a large bowl so you have plenty of room to work, and so the hot liquid can reach all the chocolate before the mixture cools too much. Don’t be shy about stirring; stir quickly, vigorously and thoroughly, and then transfer the whole mixture to your pan before it hardens too much to spread.

Can I use a different kind of chocolate to make million-dollar fudge?

German sweet chocolate isn’t actually German. It was a type of chocolate produced by the Baker’s Chocolate company in the mid-1800s, and was named after its creator, Sam German. It’s best known for the cake that carries its name, the classic German chocolate cake, which is also not actually German. German chocolate (or German’s chocolate, which is its real name) is essentially a semisweet chocolate with a higher sugar content. If your store doesn’t carry it, you can easily swap it out for semisweet or bittersweet chocolate instead. If you want to maintain the higher sweetness of the original recipe, add 1 Tbsp. of sugar per ounce of chocolate.

Can I make million-dollar fudge ahead of time?

Fudge is a great option for making ahead of time, as it has a long lifespan even at room temperature, making it a fantastic choice for gifts at the busy holiday season. You’ll need a bit of advance time anyway, as the fudge will need 2 to 3 hours to set completely before you cut it. To store it, first cut it into pieces, then layer it with waxed paper and keep it in an airtight container. It’ll keep at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, someplace cool, dry, and away from sunlight to prevent it from melting. Otherwise, it will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. If you want to keep fudge even longer, wrap the fudge in waxed paper, then in foil or plastic wrap, then in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will last in the freezer for a minimum of 2 to 3 months, and up to a year. Learn more about storing fudge with our guide. If you liked this million-dollar fudge recipe, make sure to check out more of our fudge recipes.

—Hazel Wheaton, Taste of Home Book Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 167 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 30mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.