This Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge recipe creates delicious Christmas candy with no fuss. The lusciously smooth chocolate fudge takes just minutes to prepare and is poured right into the decorative tins used for gifting! No slicing and no wrapping necessary! Delight friends and neighbors with a homemade gift they will love.
About this recipe
The final weekend before Christmas is upon us. Still looking for some sweet treats to share at holiday gatherings and for tasty homemade gifts? For the next few days I’ll be sharing some candy recipes that are ideal when time is short.
Not only do you need just minutes to prepare these confections, but the longest ingredient list has just 4 items! These are great sweets for dessert trays, gift baskets, and care packages.
Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge recipes can be found in many places. What is unique here is the presentation which, I think, makes a super simple recipe even easier.
My original plan was to make the fudge and slice it into little squares, just like everyone else. Then, I had an idea.
What if after combining the fudge ingredients, the fudge was poured directly into small, lined gift tins? I used parchment paper strips to line two decorative tins (4 ¼” x 6 ¼ “) from the Dollar Store.
After combining the ingredients, I poured the mixture right into the tins. It works! Time saved and the sturdy metal container is also excellent for shipping the fudge in care packages.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Line two small (about 4.25” x 6.25”) containers with parchment paper, leaving about 3 inches of overhang on all sides.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and repeat for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Pour half of the mixture into each of the prepared containers. Use a rubber spatula to smooth and spread the fudge evenly.
- When the fudge is only slightly warm to the touch, decorate with sprinkles or crushed peppermint candy.
- Refrigerate, uncovered, until completely chilled (about 30 minutes).
Tips
- The exact dimensions of the tins don’t matter. The fudge will just be a little bit thicker or thinner. For optimal thickness, try to use containers with a similar area (25.5”) to the tins I used.
- Round tins can be used, but are more difficult to line.
- Be sure to line the tin with parchment paper to protect the candy from the surface of the tin and to make slicing and removal easy.
- Better quality chocolate produces better quality fudge.
- Peppermint extract is strong. A little goes a long way. I found that the peppermint flavor intensifies over time. If the Peppermint Fudge will be eaten right away, then you might want to use ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract. However, if the fudge will be mailed or not used for a few days, I recommend using just ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- IMPORTANT. Use crushed candy cane for decorating ONLY if the fudge will be eaten within 24 hours. Three days after making (and photographing) the Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge, I opened the container to find that the pretty, red and white candy chips had dissolved into a sticky red syrup that tasted fine but looked awful! For longer storage, I recommend using red and white sprinkles (bottom photo) instead.
More easy Christmas treats
These popular recipes use shortcuts for fast and delicious Christmas sweets to share! These make great food gifts and care package goodies.
Less than an hour is all you need to prepare this simple fudge recipe for holiday gatherings or for gifting homemade treats. Peppermint and chocolate is a Christmas flavor combination that makes this fudge a favorite.
Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge
Equipment
- small gift tins (about 4.25” x 6.25”)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2-4 tablespoons red and white sprinkles or crushed peppermint candies or mini candy canes
Instructions
- Line two small (about 4.25” x 6.25”) containers with parchment paper, leaving about 3 inches of overhang on all sides. Overhang will be used for wrapping the fudge and can be used to remove the fudge from the container.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and repeat for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Pour half of the mixture into each prepared airtight container. Use a rubber spatula to smooth and spread the fudge into an even layer.
- When the fudge is only slightly warm to the touch, add sprinkles (recommended) or crushed peppermint candy (for immediate eating only) on top of the fudge.
- Refrigerate, uncovered, until completely chilled (about 30 minutes).
- Place the lid on each container and store at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Notes
- The exact dimensions of the tins don’t matter. The fudge will just be a little bit thicker or thinner. For optimal thickness, try to use containers with a similar area (25.5”) to the tins I used.
- Round tins can be used, but are more difficult to line.
- Be sure to line the tin with parchment paper to protect the candy from the surface of the tin and to make slicing and removal easy.
- Better quality chocolate produces better quality fudge.
- Peppermint extract is strong. A little goes a long way. I found that the peppermint flavor intensifies over time. If the Peppermint Fudge will be eaten right away, then you might want to use ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract. However, if the fudge will be mailed or not used for a few days, I recommend using just ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- To make white chocolate peppermint fudge use white chocolate chips instead of the semisweet chocolate chips.
- IMPORTANT. Use crushed peppermints for decorating ONLY if the fudge will be eaten within 24 hours. Three days after making (and photographing) the Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge, I opened the container to find that the pretty, red and white candy chips had dissolved into a sticky red syrup that tasted fine but looked awful! For longer storage, I recommend using red and white sprinkles (bottom photo) instead.
- Use crinkled wax paper to fill the space between the parchment wrapped fudge and the lid to prevent the fudge from moving during shipping.
- Wrap each sealed container of fudge with plastic wrap or place fudge containers in a freezer weight ziplock plastic bag.
Nutrition
First published December 22, 8. Last updated November 8, 2020 with improved images, ingredient images, and information for a better user experience.
Geri
Hi there~can this Recipe be made with vegan chocolate chips like “Bake Believe” or “Enjoy Life” chips and sweetened condensed coconut milk for a Vegan Treat?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Geri. I've successfully made this fudge with condensed coconut milk and it was delicious with a slightly softer texture than with standard condensed milk. However, I haven't tried the vegan chips you mention and don't know how well they melt. I do suggest that you take a look at Guittard dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips. The other brands you mention do not ethically source their cocoa and could potentially be using cocoa harvested with child slave labor. Guittard is the only major brand found in supermarkets that is ethically sourced. Plus it's on every list for the very best flavor. 🙂