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How to Make Chocolate Fudge without Sweetened Condensed Milk

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Learn How to Make Chocolate Fudge without Sweetened Condensed Milk with these 3 easy recipes! I’ve got a basic one that is easy (but a bit advanced), an easier version, and the easiest version possible! All are totally delicious.

How to Make Chocolate Fudge (without Sweetened Condensed Milk) -- 3 Options: easy, easier, easiest

What I love about not being stuck with using sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk, is that if you need to make a dairy free fudge or vegan fudge, these recipes totally lend themselves to some easy swaps to fit those dietary needs. I’m not saying I never make gourmet fudge recipes with these tasty ingredients, but sometimes I just don’t want to be stuck with only one recipe option.

I tried so many different recipes for fudge that didn’t use sweetened condensed milk and I had so many failed attempts  that I knew I had to share the techniques that actually worked and tasted really good! Make sure to click through to learn how to make chocolate fudge without sweetened condensed milk. Which method will you try?

Click to Continue to Easy Chocolate Fudge Recipe —–>

(or pick your skill level Easy, Easier, Easiest)

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Comments

  1. Merry says

    December 23, 2018 at 12:00 pm

    Hi, I was looking for another fudge recipe to round out a fudge platter that I’m taking to a Christmas dinner, and I found this. It will be a perfect addition. I’m sure everyone will love it, especially my daughter.
    Reply

  2. Casey says

    February 24, 2018 at 5:12 am

    Hello! I can't wait to try this recipe. I was just wondering whether you store it in the fridge or at room temperature, and how long it lasts? Thanks!
    Reply

  3. Michelle says

    January 16, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    Thankyou, this fudge was good and easy, I followed your instructions but I didnt have coco so I used chocolate chips 1 cup and simmered like you said till it formed soft ball in cold water, delicious!!
    Reply

  4. Sara says

    October 26, 2017 at 5:23 pm

    This recipe was a disaster. You say turn down heat and simmer, which is what I did (2 on my stove says simmer) for 10 min and never got the ball to form in cold water. Now I have glorified chocolate syrup for ice cream.
    Reply

    • Wendy O'Neal says

      November 19, 2017 at 3:21 pm

      Hi Sara, simmer refers to a very very low boil and not a temperature on the stove. I'm sorry the recipe didn't work out for you...I'll double check the instructions to make them clearer. w-
      Reply

  6. Charlotte says

    August 11, 2017 at 9:26 am

    Mmmmmmmmmmmm I have recommended this to my nan, I have made it so many times!!!! It is so nice, a and I don't even have to measure it now! Thankyou Thankyou thankyou!!!!!!
    Reply

  8. Kate in Iowa says

    March 8, 2017 at 10:39 am

    Just made your fudge yesterday, and your easy recipe beats every other recipe for fudge that I have made. Thank you! Your recipe is now my favorite!
    Reply

  9. Jane says

    January 28, 2017 at 1:03 pm

    just finished making a batch of the easy one. It was hard to figure out, as the balls didnt form for me. I just winged it, and waited till it just turned stiff in the cup, and just as i was ready to put it in the tray added about half a cup of coconut........amazing!!!
    Reply

  10. Laurie says

    July 2, 2016 at 11:03 am

    I doubled the easier one and did it on the stove top, around medium low. I added some salt and vanilla and it tastes good to me. I'll stick it in the fridge after it cools some more. Thanks for the recipe not matter how it turns out. I wanted fudge and didn't have any evaporated or condensed milk.
    Reply

  11. Lynn says

    May 10, 2016 at 1:59 pm

    The easiest fudge recipe I know is: 2 packs of crème drops, microwaved--add a tsp of butter. Stir. Cut when set.
    Reply

      • Lynn says

        May 12, 2016 at 5:48 am

        Crème drops are an old fashioned (store bought) chocolate candy ball with white candy cream in the middle. You can buy them online. I find them in local stores during Thanksgiving and especially Christmas. They are usually packaged in a paper bag.
        Reply

    • Wendy O'Neal says

      March 17, 2016 at 4:13 pm

      Oh my gosh..I just looked and see that my recipe widget is all messed up. So sorry for the inconvenience. I'm working on getting it fixed right now. Thanks for letting me know. w-
      Reply

  15. Elizabeth says

    December 19, 2015 at 10:15 am

    The "easier" one is setting in the fridge as I'm typing this...I've made multiple types of fudge in the past, but some only set partially and turned out like taffy, while others were gritty and weren't smooth and creamy. Crossing my fires that this one works, if not I'm going to continue my hunt for the perfect fudge recipe! Thanks for sharing!
    Reply

  16. michelle says

    September 28, 2015 at 2:25 pm

    It turned out hard but still an edible fudge, next time I'll read more carefully. In all it did work out well. I used peppermint extract in place of vanilla and it was enjoyable. I remember thinking I'd never make a good fudge but a good thermometer is a game changer :)
    Reply

  17. michelle says

    September 27, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Sadly I missed that the butter and vanilla go in together :\ I'm going to continue as per the rest of the directions, so wish me luck...I'm used to butter being melted with everything at the beginning.
    Reply

  18. Abbey Taylor says

    September 19, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    I tried this recipe and cooked the milk sugar and cocoa for about 20 minutes. It bubbled and bubbled but never reached soft ball stage. I gave up and added the butter and mixed like it said, but it's more of a liquid toffee than a fudge. Why do you think it didn't work out? Thanks :)
    Reply

      • Christabel says

        December 12, 2018 at 7:12 pm

        I have had trouble with two batches in terms of getting to the Softball stage. I live in Brisbane Queensland and it is a very humid place. I found this useful, but still have to try a third batch after buying the ingredients over. That's part of what makes fudge such a challenge. The temperature stays static for such a long time that you start worrying that something has to be going wrong -- hence, the temptation to turn the heat up. But once the temperature starts moving, it moves quickly. It's all part of the process. And if you've turned the heat up, the fudge *will* burn before it hits the soft ball stage. How long it sits at that "static" point depends on a lot of factors, mostly to do with the moisture in the air (which is why cookbook writers always advise not cooking fudge on humid days). If your air is drier than usual, or more humid than usual, if you have a dishwasher and have just run a load of dishes, if you've made tea -- all of these can have an effect. But as a basic rule, I've found that when the temperature plateaus, it takes a minimum of 20 minutes for the temperature to move. I use both an instant-read thermometer and the cold-water test, because humidity levels can also affect whether the soft ball stage occurs at 234F. (Usually it does, but at least once I had to cook it to 238 before it would achieve soft-ball -- this was on an atypically humid day, though.) Wide pan, lowest heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, use a wet pastry brush to wash any sugar crystals off the side of the pan, and once the sugar is fully dissolved, stop stirring. If you keep stirring, the whole batch will crystallize -- especially if you don't use a crystallization inhibitor like corn syrup or cream of tartar -- and you'll be left with a sugary mess. (For the same reason, when you pour the fudge from the cooking pan into the "serving" pan, do not scrape the bottom of the cooking pan. I managed to turn what would have been a perfect batch of fudge to oily sand this way. Do not be like me.) And because you can't stir the mixture while it's cooking, you have to keep the temperature low to keep it from burning.
        Reply

  20. Chloe Premo says

    April 13, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    In the easier recipe, it says milk of your choice except never tells when to put in the milk. When do you put it in?
    Reply

  21. Betsy Barnes says

    December 30, 2014 at 4:22 am

    I love how easy all three recipes are, especially the "easier". I like this one because it goes in the fridge! :)
    Reply

  24. Tammy Horn says

    December 21, 2014 at 9:55 am

    I love making fudge. The first few times I tried, I failed miserably. Took me many attempts and different recipe's to finally succeed. I love this recipe not using condensed milk, definitely going to bookmark this and try it next weekend.
    Reply

  25. s.w. says

    December 20, 2014 at 8:58 pm

    We love fudge in our home! Sometimes we need simple recipes and great that you have them in a categories of skill levels.
    Reply

  27. Julie Wood says

    December 19, 2014 at 6:09 am

    I love making fudge every year and this one without sweetened condensed milk looks easy and delicious. I will have to try this one for the Holidays!
    Reply

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