• Recipes Index
  • About
  • Contact

Real Life Dinner

Recipes your real life family will love!

  • Dinners
  • Desserts
  • Seasonal
  • Slow Cooker / Instant Pot
  • Quick and Easy
  • $10 Dinners
  • Maria’s Favs
Home
  • Recipes Index
    • Dinners
    • Desserts
    • Seasonal
    • Slow Cooker / Instant Pot
    • Quick and Easy
    • $10 Dinners
    • Maria’s Favs
  • About
  • Contact

November 7, 2020 24 Comments

Hershey Bar Fudge

a small white plate of fudge with a hershey bar and tray of fudge cut into squares in the background

 I love fudge, especially around the holidays. It wouldn’t be Christmas without a new fudge recipe to share with you. Growing up, my mom made a classic chocolate fudge, which we all loved. Sometimes instead of chocolate chips, she would use Hershey bars. The slight change in the flavor makes it a little more decadent. It’s a fun way to make it a little extra special for the holidays. If you’re a Hershey lover, this fudge is like eating a Hershey bar but with the smooth texture of fudge. Sooooo good!

One thing that is fun and you can experiment with, if you like, is trying other types of Hershey bars–Symphony with or without toffee or Hershey with almonds. If you’re living in Europe like me and have access to Ritter Sport or Milka bars, using their chocolates is another fun option to tailor the taste of your fudge.

stack of small white plates with pieces of fudge with fudge in the back groundAnother thing you will love about this fudge is how simple it is to make. The ingredients that you need to make besides the Hershey bars are already in your pantry. If you haven’t made homemade candy before, fudge is a great recipe to start with. You don’t need a candy thermometer. The step-by-step instructions below will help you become a pro in no time.

My Favorite Fudge and Candy Recipes

  • Crazy Good Mint Fudge
  • Candy Bar Peanut Butter Fudge
  • Merry Widow Caramels
  • The Best Microwave Caramels
  • Old Fashioned Cherry Mash Chocolates
  • Homemade Toffee with Chocolate and Almonds

step-by-step pictures on how to make Hershey bar fudge

step by step instructions for making hershey bar fudgecooled pan of hershey bar fudge on parchmentfudge cut into inch pieces and ready to serveFrequently Asked Questions about making Hershey Bar Fudge

if i don’t have evaporated milk, can i use regular milk or cream?

No. For this recipe and the time allotment for boiling, you need to stick with the specific ingredients to have it come out correctly and not grainy.

does the chocolate need to be chopped up?

As you can see in the step-by-step pictures, I used regular-sized Hershey bars and broke each rectangle in half. If you use the larger bar that has thicker rectangles, you will definitely want to chop it up with a knife. The important thing to remember is the pieces need to be as uniform as possible so that they will melt evenly.

when cooking the fudge, why shouldn’t I scrape the sides down?

As you stir and cook the fudge, it’s impossible not to splash a little bit up on the sides. The sugar crystals that get up on the side of the pan will cook differently than those that stay in the main mixture. Be careful not to scrape the sides down as you stir. Those crystals that are cooked on the side will cause a grainy consistency in your finished product as it cools.

a hand holding one piece of fudge and the rest of the fudge is on a plate and on parchment in the backgroundwhat is the difference between a full boil and a rolling boil?

They’re actually the same thing. Some people call it a rolling boil. Others call it a full boil. Basically, a full or rolling boil is when a liquid is boiling rapidly with lots of bubbles. A full or rolling boil will not stop when stirred. It is different from a simmer, which is boiling lightly with a few bubbles and when stirred, the bubbles disappear.

can i use large marshmallows instead of mini marshmallows?

Yes, you can, if you’re willing to cut them into smaller pieces. The large ones will not melt quickly enough when stirred into the fudge. Here’s a great tip about marshmallows:  Use the little bag of stale marshmallows that’s been hiding in the back of the cupboard. The stale marshmallows give the fudge really nice consistency. My mom would let the marshmallows sit out a day or two when she knew she was going to be making fudge.

pinterest collage of hershey bar fudge

cook’s tools:

  • Parchment Paper
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Mixing Bowls

More recipes for chocolate lovers!

Peanut-Butter-Fudge-Bars-RecipePeanut Butter Fudge Bar Recipewhole-wheat-brownies-fudge-frosting-4Crazy Good Whole Wheat Brownies with Fudge FrostingOatmeal-Fudge-Bars-1Oatmeal Chocolate Fudge Bars

4.8 from 6 reviews
Hershey Bar Fudge
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
30 mins
 
An easy fudge recipe, perfect to take to friends or share at a party. You'll love the flavor of this fudge, especially if you're a Hershey lover!
Author: Maria
Recipe type: Candy
Serves: 64
Ingredients
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup evaporated milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 7.5-8.5 oz of chopped Hershey bar (I use milk chocolate Hershey bars)
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows, heaping
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Butter or line with parchment paper an 8x8 baking dish. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the evenly chopped Hershey bars, marshmallows, and butter. If adding nuts, combine them with this mixture.
  3. Set near the stove with vanilla nearby. You will need these ingredients to be quickly accessible once the sugar and evaporated milk finish boiling.
  4. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
  5. Stir constantly and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Set a timer and stir constantly at a rolling boil for exactly 5 minutes. Once the timer starts, turn heat down to medium.
  6. When the timer goes off, quickly remove from heat and stir in the chocolate, marshmallows, butter, and vanilla. Mix until everything is melted and incorporated.
  7. Quickly pour into prepared dish. Pour as much of the fudge into the dish without scraping the sides as you can. If you do scrape the sides, you risk having a grainy fudge. Afterward, you can scrape the sides out onto a separate little plate or just leave in the pan for sampling.
  8. See step-by-step pictures to see how I add nuts to half of my fudge.
  9. Let fudge cool completely before cutting and serving. To speed up cooling, refrigerate it.
  10. If wrapped well and in an airtight container, the fudge will last up to 3 weeks in the fridge.
3.5.3251

 

Use the rest of the evaporated milk in these Soups:

large blue bowl of chicken and mushroom soup with wild rice in it. The spoon is taking a bite out that has a large piece of chicken in it. The soup also has noticeable orange specs in it that are small pieces of carrotChicken and Mushroom Wild Rice SoupThick-and-Creamy-Tomato-Basil-Parmesan-SoupThick and Creamy Tomato Basil Parmesan SoupSlow Cooker Corn Chowder

Three images in a pinterest collage for classic hershey bar fudge.

Chocolate, Christmas, Desserts, Holiday, Homemade Candy, Ingredients, Main Categories, Marshmallow, More, Reader Favorites, Recipes, Valentine's Day
candy fudge, canned milk fudge, Christmas candy recipes, christmas fudge, Christmas recipes, Classic Fudge, easy fudge, fudge, fudge with evaporated milk, Hershey bar fudge, Hershey fudge, Holiday Candy, holiday fudge
24 Comments

Like it? Share it!

Yum

Subscribe & never miss another recipe!

Sign up above and receive delicious family-friendly recipes directly in your email inbox!

24 Comments

  1. Lisa Barger

    November 8, 2020 at 9:18 am

    I have never heard of this but it looks delish! I am saving this recipe to make very soon! Thank you very much!

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      November 12, 2020 at 7:03 am

      I love that you are excited to try so many of my recipes. I hope you love them as much as I do!

      reply to this comment
  2. Ranee

    November 18, 2020 at 9:37 am

    Hi. The ingredients listed say, “1/4 butter.” Is that 1/4th a cup, 1/4th a lb, 1/4th a stick? I would like to make this milk chocolate fudge today, but am unsure of how much butter is needed. I have a very old Hershey’s fudge recipe that is made with an 8 oz pkg of Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate & it calls for 2 tbsps of butter. Will try that amt for now.
    Thank you !

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      November 23, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      1/4 cup, sorry about that. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I will go fix it.

      reply to this comment
      • Gale

        June 25, 2021 at 9:10 am

        7 months later and you still haven’t fixed the recipe. If I hadn’t read the comments I wouldn’t have saved the recipe to try.

        reply to this comment
        • Maria

          June 29, 2021 at 4:34 am

          Thanks for reminding me Gale. It is fixed now.

          reply to this comment
      • Cheryl Seibold

        December 30, 2022 at 3:54 pm

        Is this supposed to be thin when you pour it in the pan?

        reply to this comment
        • Maria

          January 4, 2023 at 5:30 am

          Hi Cheryl, It should be a similar consistency to thick cake batter or maybe a little thicker, depends on how hot it still is when it is poured in.

          reply to this comment
    • AshleyM.

      February 14, 2024 at 1:02 am

      It’s not foolproof, but if you take some softened or room temperature butter and used it to put a coating on the inside of your cooking pot, it helps to avoid sugar getting up and sticking to the sides of the pan. Hope this helps!!!

      reply to this comment
      • Ann@Real Life Dinner

        December 27, 2024 at 7:46 pm

        Thanks for the tip, Ashley.

        reply to this comment
  3. Louann

    April 30, 2021 at 8:21 pm

    This is one of the best textured fudge I’ve made, Can this be doubled?
    Thank you

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      May 1, 2021 at 5:47 am

      Love hearing that Louann. Yes it should be fine to double.

      reply to this comment
  4. Kelli Rhame

    January 5, 2022 at 1:45 pm

    Do you salted or unsalted butter? Does the 1/4 cup butter be measured before or after belted?

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      January 6, 2022 at 4:07 am

      Hi Kelli, I use salted butter. I don’t melt it.

      reply to this comment
  5. Vonda

    September 15, 2022 at 6:23 pm

    I make the regular fudge recipe and add a large milk chocolate bar at the end. It make the fudge so creamy and smooth.

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      September 20, 2022 at 8:40 am

      Yum! Sounds delicious!

      reply to this comment
  6. Grannyvee

    February 11, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    I have the sane recipe for this fudge. It is the best smoothest fudge ever.

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      February 13, 2023 at 9:12 am

      It really, really is! Once you have this one it’s really hard to go back to any other recipe.

      reply to this comment
  7. David

    May 22, 2023 at 4:22 pm

    You can’t call it a recipe if you use the same thing as what you’re making!
    Post a real recipe that has the chocolate from coca powder!

    reply to this comment
  8. Martha

    June 8, 2024 at 10:35 am

    Do you have to add marshmallow? Or is there a substitute?

    reply to this comment
    • Maria

      July 2, 2024 at 12:11 pm

      You could use marshmallow cream, but marshmallows work the best for a really nice texture.

      reply to this comment
  9. Robbie Hammer

    December 15, 2024 at 1:07 am

    Lol..you a 🤡 David

    reply to this comment
  10. Karen Mitchell

    December 20, 2024 at 8:17 am

    Anxious to make this Fudge for Christmas Gifts. Thank you so very much. Have a blessed Christmas.

    reply to this comment
    • Ann@Real Life Dinner

      December 20, 2024 at 5:47 pm

      Thanks, Karen! Merry Christmas to you!

      reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

Welcome friends!

Hi, I'm Maria. A mom of five and a total foodie. My superpower is taking ordinary recipes and making them DELICIOUS. Your family will LOVE these meals! Come cook with me, I promise it will be amazing! Get started here or search my archives below.


When you start your Amazon shopping here, I receive a small percentage of the sale. Thank you for supporting Real Life Dinner.

Housekeeping

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Meet Maria

Hi, I'm a professional recipe developer, with a degree in teaching and a minor in nutrition. I love helping busy families, like mine, "eat good" despite their crazy schedules...join the fun! Start here

TEST

SIGN UP FOR MY FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS ANOTHER DELICIOUS FAMILY-FRIENDLY RECIPE

The Best of the Season

Classic-Broccoli-Salad-RecipeFresh-Strawberry-Jam-Recipe-made-with-sure-jell-less-sugar-recipe---Mediterranean-cous-cous-salad-recipe-with-chickenAmazing Strawberry Cheesecake Pastry Bites. Only four ingredients and Soooo Delicious! side bar-Old-bay-potato-salad

Recent Posts

  • Texas Sheet Cake
  • Easy Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
  • Broccoli Slaw Salad
  • Easy No-Egg Banana Bread
  • Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
  • How to Make Easy Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent
  • Chocolate Zucchini Bread
  • Stuffed Zucchini Soup

Copyright © 2025 Real Life Dinner  •  All Rights Reserved  •  Privacy Policy  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs