Easy Fantasy Fudge Recipe {with Marshmallow Cream!}

Name: Easy Fantasy Fudge
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups sugar; 1 cup butter; 5 oz evaporated milk (2/3 cup); 1 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips; 7 oz marshmallow creme; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

By Erika in Christmas

Christmas Christmas Cookies Christmas recipesThis post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

Sink your teeth into the velvety texture and rich chocolate flavor of this fantasy fudge recipe. This delicious marshmallow cream fudge melts in your mouth and fills your kitchen with that irresistible chocolatey aroma.

Plus, it’s insanely easy to make too—it’s practically foolproof!

I guarantee you this recipe will make the best fudge you have ever tried…and it only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time.

close up of squares of homemade fantasy fudge recipe made with marshmallow fluff

Why You’ll Love This Fudge Recipe

Quick & easy: No candy thermometer required — just melt, mix, and pour.
Creamy and rich: The marshmallow cream gives it that signature silky-smooth texture.
Perfect for beginners: Even if you’ve never made fudge before, you can master this.
Holiday favorite: This is one of those recipes you’ll come back to every Christmas… and probably every other month, too!

I’ve tried different varieties in the past, but this original fantasy fudge recipe is the one I come back to time and time again.

What Is Fantasy Fudge?

If you’ve never heard of fantasy fudge, it’s a classic marshmallow cream fudge recipe that’s been around for decades (it originally appeared on the back of a Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar!).

The magic lies in the marshmallow fluff — it gives this fudge its light, airy texture and that perfectly chewy bite.

Important note: Marshmallow fluff and regular marshmallows aren’t the same thing. The fluff is whipped and doesn’t contain gelatin or cornstarch, which is why you’ll get that perfectly smooth consistency.

See that lovely, airy texture? That’s why you want to make this fudge recipe with marshmallow fluff, not marshmallows. You won’t get the same result. Trust me on this one!

Ingredients

This fantasy fudge recipe is out of this world. It’s my favorite fudge, hands down – I just can’t get enough of that springy, chewy texture! Thankfully, the ingredient list is short and sweet for this one. Here’s what you’ll need to whip up a batch:

Sugar
Butter
Evaporated milk
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Marshmallow fluff or creme
Van i lla
Chopped walnuts (optional – I personally choose to omit walnuts because my kids don’t love them, but if you want to add a little something, go for it!)

How to make easy fantasy fudge

Now, let’s get down to the good part and make a batch of super indulgent fudge. You will be shocked at how easy this is!

First things first…before we get started, take out a 9″ pan and line it with foil. Don’t put this off until later, as you’ll need to pour your fudge in quickly before it sets at the end. Set this aside.

Make the fudge

Next, melt the butter in a large 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Don’t use margarine; sometimes you just need that good, real butter taste, and this is definitely one of those times.

Once that’s melted, add the sugar and evaporated milk. Double-check and make sure you didn’t accidentally grab sweetened condensed milk. You would think we’d want the sweet stuff, but nope. This fantasy fudge needs basic evaporated milk.

butter, sugar, and evaporated milk melting together

Next, heat over medium heat. Bring this mixture to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
This will take a few minutes, but don’t be tempted to turn the heat up – keep it on medium. You don’t want it to burn.

Here’s what your rolling boil should look like:

fantasy fudge base before adding chocolate

Once it reaches this full rolling boil, set your timer for 4 minutes and keep it at the boil, stirring constantly, for the entire 4 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer, you can pull it out now and boil the mixture until it reaches 234°.

Truth be told, I never use a candy thermometer for this recipe. I just follow the timer.

Once it reaches the 4-minute mark, remove the pan from the heat.

Pour in your bag of chocolate chips and stir until melted.

chocolate chips melting in fantasy fudge recipe

Next, add in the marshmallow cream.

Adding marshmallow fluff to a pot of melted fudge

It’s easier to melt the chocolate first and then add marshmallow fluff.

There have been some times when I forget my own tip and add both at once. If you do this, it won’t mess up your fudge, but you might need to use your whisk to remove any lumps from not-quite-melted chocolate chips.

It’s just easier to do chocolate first, then marshmallow cream!

Once the chocolate and marshmallow fluff is fully mixed in, add vanilla extract.

If you want to add nuts, now is when you’ll stir them in. I’m not a big nutty fudge person, so I didn’t add any.

Pour fudge into the pan

Next, pour the fudge (it will still be pourable but getting thicker quickly) into your foil-lined pan.

Smooth it out, then set your pan aside to cool. This is the hardest part – you’ll need to give it about four hours to cool completely. Resist the temptation to dig in – the end result of this fantasy fudge is well worth it!

Then there’s the fudge pan – that’s my favorite part, “licking” the pan! Of course, I don’t really lick it, but a spoonful of this is so yummy! {Come on, you know you want to!}

Cut and enjoy!

Now, you’ll want to cut your fudge into squares. The best way to do this is to use a heavy knife and press down firmly rather than saw back and forth.

You also want to make absolutely sure that the fudge is cool – hence why we did that hard work of waiting four hours!

You can make your marshmallow cream fudge pieces whatever size you’d like, but I tend to make mine about 1-2″. The perfect snacking size!

Pro Tips for the Best Fantasy Fudge

Use real butter, not margarine. It makes a difference in texture and flavor.
Don’t rush the boil. Four full minutes is key for proper consistency.
Add nuts last. Stir them in once the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Line your pan ahead of time. Fudge sets fast once it’s ready!

How to store this fantasy fudge recipe

The best way to keep this fresh is to store it in a sealed container on the countertop. It will last for about a week this way.

It may seem counterintuitive, but you do not want to refrigerate your fudge – it will become hard and crumbly if you do.

If, by some miracle, it’s been several days and you haven’t devoured the batch yet, you can freeze the fudge. It will keep nicely there for 2-3 months. When you are ready to enjoy, pull a square or two out and let it come to room temperature.

See how easy this fantasy fudge recipe is?! And thank goodness, because this fudge disappears quickly!

More holiday baking ideas:

Pin the image below to save the recipe for later!