Name: Fudge with Pecans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1¼ cups granulated white sugar; ⅔ cup evaporated milk; 1 tablespoon salted butter; ¼ teaspoon salt; One 13-ounce jar marshmallow creme ((microwaved for a few seconds to loosen up)); 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; 1 cup milk chocolate chips; ¾ cup chopped pecans, (toasted (see tips below)); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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This recipe for old fashioned Fudge with Pecans turns out the creamiest, decadent chocolate fudge with buttery, toasted pecans mixed in too. Traditional fudge making is time intensive and can be intimidating. With our recipe for pecan fudge, you do not need to use a candy thermometer! Prep time and cook time are less than 10 minutes, and it’s a great fudge for gifting, snacking or serving at a party.

If you love to make fudge, you might also like to try our Maple Walnut Fudge and Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge with Chocolate Swirl.

Today is National Nutty Fudge Day! You must celebrate, of course, by eating some fudge with nuts. I have the perfect recipe for you- this Fudge with Pecans. Toasted pecans dotted throughout the creamy fudge add an additional flavor element to the chocolate flavored fudge.

Share your nutty fudge on social media today using the hashtags #NationalNuttyFudgeDay, #NuttyFudgeDay and #RecipesForHolidays. And be sure to follow my May Food Holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of May!

“Families are like fudge- mostly sweet, with a few nuts!”
-Bear Grylls

The History of Fudge

Information gathered from ChatGPT:

The late 1800’s: The first known batch of fudge is believed to have been made in the U.S. around 1886. A letter from a student at Vassar College mentions a classmate making fudge and selling it. Fudge gained popularity in women’s colleges like Vassar, Wellesley, and Smith, where students exchanged and refined recipes.

The early 1900’s: By the early 20th century, fudge had become a popular homemade treat across the U.S., often made for special occasions or sold at school fundraisers. Traditional fudge recipes used simple ingredients—sugar, butter, and milk—making it accessible for home cooks.

The mid 1900’s: Fudge became a staple in American candy shops, particularly in tourist areas like Mackinac Island, Michigan, which is now famous for its fudge-making tradition. Over time, new flavors and mix-ins (like chocolate, nuts, and marshmallows) became common.

Today: Fudge remains a beloved treat with global appeal. While chocolate is the most common variety, many creative flavors exist, and artisanal fudge-making is still popular in tourist towns and sweet shops.

ingredients displayed for making fudge with pecans

Ingredients Needed to Make Chocolate Fudge:

Sugar: You need regular, granulated white sugar for this recipe.
Evaporated Milk: This comes in a can in your market’s baking aisle. I like to use whole or 2% for the richest flavor fudge.
The Basics: Salted butter, vanilla extract and salt
Marshmallow Creme: This is sold in a jar in your market’s baking aisle. You’ll need the larger 13-ounce jar for this recipe.
Chocolate Chips: We’re using a combination of semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips for this recipe.
Pecans: You need chopped pecans for this fudge. Buy them already chopped, or buy whole pecans and chop them yourself.

How to make Fudge with Pecans:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post. This is a brief overview.

Line an 8×8-inch pan with foil.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring it to a boil. Stir in the marshmallow creme. Keep heating and stirring for 5 minutes. Then remove the pan from heat.
Stir in the chocolate chips and mix until smooth. Then stir in the nuts and the vanilla. Pour into the pan, and chill in the fridge until firm.

Fudge-Making Tips:

I like to slice fudge into squares because it’s easiest to store that way, but you can certainly slice your fudge into any shapes you’d like.
Taste the pecans you are using to make sure they’re fresh and not rancid.
To toast pecans: Put nuts in a dry pan and cook over medium-low heat for up to 5 minutes tops. Shake the pan periodically so that they toast evenly.
Sprinkle more nuts on top before chilling.
If you’d like to have just a plain, wonderful, rich and creamy chocolate fudge recipe… leave out the nuts!
Salt helps balance out the sweetness of the fudge. Don’t leave it out.
Give this fudge with pecans proper chill time before cutting.
Fudge is a holiday favorite, so that makes this fudge perfect for holiday dessert platters.

Substitution or Additions for Chocolate Pecan Fudge:

Use any kind of nuts. Try walnuts or slivered almonds!
Add dried fruit to your fudge.
Add pretzel pieces would make this fudge a sweet and salty treat!
Adding mini marshmallows turns this into rocky road fudge.
Oreo chunks swirled in turns it into Oreo fudge.

How to store fudge:

Fudge may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. Use wax paper or parchment paper between layers. You may also freeze fudge for up to 3 months. Wrap it in parchment paper, and then slide it into a freezer zip baggie and press the air out of the bag.

Fun Facts About Fudge:

Legend has it that fudge was invented when someone “fudged” a batch of caramels—hence the name!
Mackinac Island is the “Fudge Capital of the World.”
Although chocolate is the most popular flavor, traditional fudge can be made without it—vanilla, maple, peanut butter, and fruit varieties are also common.
In 2019, a 5,760-pound slab of fudge was created in Ontario, Canada, breaking the previous Guinness World Record.
NASA has included chocolate fudge in some astronauts’ food packs, showing that even in space, sweet cravings persist.