Peppermint Fudge
Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter. There’s no better way to usher in the winter holidays than with a good dose of chocolatey Peppermint Fudge.
My family has had a roller coaster fall, filled with moments of sheer chaos and others of light-hearted bliss. Knowing I needed a little pick-me-up, my husband surprised me with my first hot air balloon ride. I cannot express the overwhelming childlike delight I felt, riding high above the mountain tops, drinking in the crisp air and heavenly surroundings. It was an occasion I will never forget.
The perfect way to say goodbye to fall.
But now I’m ready for Christmas and all the excitement it entails.
This time of year, dreams of sugar plums dance in my head… along with a plethora of dancing cookies and silky Peppermint Fudge.
Chocolate Fudge has a reputation of being a bit of a diva: temperamental, hard to handle, you never know how it’s going to react. Well honey, this Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Recipe is a low maintenance kind of girl: simple, straightforward, and easy to be around.
This peppermint fudge recipe is a fantastic spring board for all-things-fudge. With just a handful of ingredients you get a soft sinfully silky, yet dense, fudge that screams HOLIDAYS the moment you taste it.
Cook’s Notes:
The texture of GOOD fudge is derived by SLOWLY melting the chocolate into the mixture. Heating the chocolate too fast will result in grainy fudge. The best way to do this is by heating the chocolate mixture in a glass bowl sitting over a small pot of simmering water. You could also microwave it in 30 second increments, on medium heat.
IF… your fudge does get grainy, that means it heated too quickly and is starting to dry out. You can fix it by adding WATER. Add about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water to the mixture and bring the temperature back up. Stir until a smooth, yet THICK, texture appears.
(I wish you could see just how SLOW this actually poured.)
To set properly, fudge needs to be the consistency of a REALLY thick cake batter. ALMOST to thick to pour, but not quite. If it’s looser than that, it won’t firm up enough and will be hard to cut and pick up. Keep the mixture over heat, until the right thickness is reached.
For a bubble-free consistency, I like to gently tap the fudge pan on the counter. Not just a couple times, but for a minute or two. This works all the air bubbles up to the surface.
Fudge is very quick to make, but takes time to set. Plan for anywhere from 3 to 8 hours in the fridge before cutting.
Looking for more holiday treat recipes? We’ve got you covered here!
More Fudgy Creations:
Peanut Butter Fudge ~ Brown Eyed Baker
Red Velvet Fudge ~ I Am Baker
Coconut Milk Fudge ~ Smitten Kitchen
Peppermint Fudge
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon butter + extra for buttering the dish
- 1 pound dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Andes Peppermint Chunks
Instructions
- Grease a 8x8-inch or 8x11-inch baking dish. Sprinkle half the peppermint chunks in the bottom of the dish and set aside.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat with 2 inches of water. Place a glass bowl over the top—making sure the glass doesn't touch the water.
- Pour the condensed milk and butter in the bowl and heat.
- Add the chocolate chips and salt in the bowl. Stir the chocolate and watch as it melts and thickens—about 5 minutes.
- The mixture should thicken to a THICK cake batter consistency--almost too thick to pour.
- Add both extracts and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the dish. Gently tap the dish on the counter for at least a minute to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface and to smooth the surface.
- Sprinkle the remaining peppermint chips over the top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, maybe longer, to set.
- To cut, dip a sharp knife in hot tap water, wipe and cut quickly. Dip and wipe the knife between cuts. Cut into 1-inch squares.
Nutrition
This looks awesome, and what great fudge tips! Can’t wait to try it.
That looks positively divine! What a sweet hubby to surprise you with a balloon ride and man, what a view!
I am SOOOO jealous of all of your beautiful red and orange trees! In California, the only trees that turn pretty colors like that are the ones that are planted in shopping centers and center divides on large streets. It’s so artificial!
Also, the fudge looks AMAZING. I make a million cookies with my mom every Christmas, including fudge. The best we ever made was last year when I accidentally started making brownines instead of fudge…and then after finishing the brownies, accidentally 5x-ing the recipe…anyway, I sat there and stirred the fudge until my mom got enough pans ready. I was sure it was ruined, but it turned out to be the best we’d ever made!
Just fabulous!! I “need” to make this very very soon!! Yum.
This looks so delicious. I love peppermint and never get enough!
Your photos from the balloon are just gorgeous! And I love this fudge. A lot of people use white chocolate for peppermint fudge and bark, but I can’t stomach white chocolate so I always appreciate recipes like this!
This fudge looks so good. I love the chocolate and peppermint combination. Your photos from the hot air balloon are stunning!
what beautiful photos of ballooning, this fudge looks amazing!
looks like the hot air balloon ride was amazing. Gorgeous photos!
This is the most festive, lovely fudge. And what a sweet hubby…your views were breath taking…thank you for sharing them with us.
Peppermint and chocolate. The perfect combination. Great pictures. Come visit us. We have pumpkin fried rice today. Be sure to stop by on Friday and register for the dress we are giving away from the Shabby Apple.
This looks wonderful…and easy!
I am pinning it to my Xmas board!
Saw it on FG…congrats :)
Love the pics!! How sweet is he, you totally deserve a treat!! I love, love fudge and what better month than Dec to indulge with this sweet treat!!
Mmmm, this fudge looks great; however, I’m not sure if I’m ready for Winter yet! Perhaps because it’s 80 degrees today in San Diego.
I am in love with this grouping of photos, so rich!
This fudge could get me in to some serious trouble! And I mean SERIOUS!! Looks so freaking god!
That peppermint fudge looks so delicious! This year I have become mildly obsessed with peppermint and chocolate, so it’s always great to find another yummy recipe.
Oh I am so ready for Christmas too! I can’t wait to bake tons in December. This fudge looks absolutely wonderful.