Easy Fantasy Fudge with Pecans

This easy microwave Fantasy Fudge is rich, creamy, chocolatey, and loaded with pecans. A simple old-fashioned Christmas candy that's perfect for holiday trays and gift boxes.

If you love old-fashioned Fantasy Fudge but don't love the fuss that sometimes comes with candy making, you're going to love this easy microwave version. It's rich and chocolatey, loaded with pecans, and has that softer, creamier texture that makes Fantasy Fudge so different from traditional cooked fudge.

I've made other types of fudge over the years, but I have to tell you: this is my favorite. And now that I've discovered how easy it is to make in the microwave, I have a feeling you'll be seeing this one on my Christmas candy trays for years to come.

Before we go any further, though, I'm going to give you the most important piece of advice I learned while making this batch:

Use a very large microwave-safe bowl.

Trust me on this one. We'll talk more about my near-disaster in a minute.

The Fudge I Keep Coming Back To

My mama made homemade fudge when I was growing up. Hers was the old-fashioned cooked variety—the kind that sets up considerably firmer than Fantasy Fudge. I liked Mama's fudge then, and I still enjoy that style of fudge today, but if you put the two in front of me and tell me to choose, I'm reaching for the Fantasy Fudge.

There's something about that softer, creamier texture that gets me every time. It's firm enough to cut into neat little squares and hold its shape on a candy tray, but the inside stays smooth and creamy instead of becoming hard or crumbly.

I've attempted Fantasy Fudge in the past, but I didn't always have great luck with it. In fact, I remember batches that simply refused to firm up. Looking back, I'm fairly certain I wasn't cooking the sugar mixture long enough.

That definitely wasn't a problem this time. This batch started setting surprisingly quickly, and once it had cooled completely I was able to cut it into beautiful little squares. Best of all, it tasted exactly the way I wanted it to.

What Is Fantasy Fudge?

Fantasy Fudge is the name most people associate with the classic marshmallow-creme fudge recipe made famous through Kraft's Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme. Over the years it became a holiday favorite, and generations of home cooks have made some version of it for Christmas candy trays, parties, and homemade gifts.

Unlike some traditional cooked fudges, Fantasy Fudge contains marshmallow creme, which contributes to that wonderfully smooth and creamy texture.

This method is still real candy making—the sugar mixture gets extremely hot and needs to cook sufficiently—but the finished texture is quite different from the harder fudge my mama made.

For this version, I took things one step further and made the whole thing in the microwave. No standing over the stove and no complicated candy-making process. Just a handful of simple ingredients, several short rounds in the microwave, plenty of stirring, and a little patience while the fudge sets.

And Then There Was the Bowl Incident

Now we get to the part where you can learn from my mistake.

When I started this recipe, I looked at the ingredients sitting in my microwave-safe bowl and thought I had plenty of room. Then the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk started boiling.

Friends, that mixture climbed.

And climbed.

And climbed.

I came perilously close to having boiling sugar all over the inside of my microwave. Thankfully, it didn't boil over, but I learned my lesson. The next time I make this fudge—and there absolutely will be a next time—I'm using a considerably larger bowl.

Choose a large, oversized microwave-safe bowl with lots of empty space above the ingredients. It might look ridiculous when you first put everything into it, but once you see how dramatically the mixture expands during the cooking process, you'll understand why.

Ingredients You'll Need

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this creamy fudge: granulated sugar, butter, evaporated milk, chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, vanilla, and chopped pecans.

Make sure you're using evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk. They might sit next to each other on the grocery-store shelf, but they aren't interchangeable in this recipe.

I used salted butter because that's what I had on hand, and it worked beautifully. And, of course, I used pecans. More on that in a moment.

How to Make Microwave Fantasy Fudge

Start by preparing your pan. I used an approximately 8 x 11-inch pan, and I really liked the thickness of the finished fudge. You don't have to use that exact size. A 9 x 13-inch pan will give you thinner pieces, while a smaller pan will make them thicker. Line the pan with parchment paper or foil so the cooled fudge will be easy to lift out and cut.

Place the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk into your very large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the butter is completely melted and everything is hot and well combined, stopping to stir as needed. In my microwave, this initial melting and heating stage took approximately two to three minutes.

Once everything was melted, I cooked the mixture for another six minutes, stopping the microwave and stirring thoroughly every two minutes. That's an important distinction: the six-minute cooking time came after the initial two-to-three-minute melting stage.

Microwave wattages vary, so don't assume every microwave will behave exactly like mine. Watch the mixture carefully. It should become very hot and bubble vigorously, and you'll see firsthand why I keep harping on that enormous bowl.

Once the cooking time is complete, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Immediately add the semisweet and milk chocolate chips and begin stirring. The mixture might not look particularly beautiful at first, but keep going. As the chocolate melts, it will become wonderfully smooth, dark, and glossy.

Next, add the marshmallow creme and vanilla and continue stirring until everything is thoroughly incorporated. You'll notice the mixture becoming thicker and creamier as you work. Finally, fold in the chopped pecans.

Transfer the fudge immediately to your prepared pan and smooth out the top. Then leave it alone at room temperature and let it do its thing.

Mine Set Up Surprisingly Fast

This was probably the biggest surprise of the whole experiment. Based on my previous experiences with Fantasy Fudge, I half expected to spend the evening wondering whether it was ever going to firm up.

Instead, I could tell fairly quickly that this batch was setting.

I left it at room temperature rather than putting it into the refrigerator, and once it was completely cool, it sliced beautifully. The squares held their shape, but when I cut into one with a fork, the interior was still soft, creamy, and fudgy.

That's exactly the texture I wanted.

Because I've had Fantasy Fudge stay too soft in the past, I suspect my earlier batches simply weren't cooked long enough. This time, those six additional minutes of cooking after the initial melting stage made all the difference.

Perfect for a Christmas Cookie and Candy Tray

As soon as I tasted this fudge, I knew where it belonged: on a Christmas candy tray.

This is exactly the sort of old-fashioned candy I love to tuck between Christmas cookies, peanut brittle, truffles, meringues, dipped treats, and all of the other goodies we make during the holiday season. The dark chocolate squares add beautiful contrast to a tray, and those little bits of pecan peeking through make them look especially inviting.

Because fudge is so rich, you can cut it into fairly small pieces, which means one pan goes a long way. That's especially helpful if you're assembling several trays or filling homemade candy boxes for friends, neighbors, teachers, or family members.

It's also an inexpensive way to add another homemade candy to your Christmas lineup. The ingredients are simple, the microwave does most of the work, and you don't have to dip, decorate, or individually assemble anything. Make the fudge, spread it in the pan, let it set, and cut it into squares.

Even better, you don't have to give up valuable refrigerator space to store it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't my Fantasy Fudge set?

If your fudge remains very soft after it has completely cooled, there's a good chance the sugar mixture wasn't cooked long enough. I suspect this is what happened to some of my previous batches. This time I heated the ingredients for approximately two to three minutes to get everything melted, then cooked the mixture for an additional six minutes, stirring every two minutes. Microwave wattages vary, so your exact timing might be different.

Does Fantasy Fudge have to be refrigerated?

No. Once the fudge is completely cool and set, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature. I actually prefer the texture that way. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you can refrigerate it, but it isn't necessary under normal room-temperature conditions.

Can I make Fantasy Fudge ahead of time?

Absolutely. That's one of the reasons I think it's such a great Christmas candy. Make it ahead, allow it to cool and set completely, then store it tightly covered. If you're stacking the pieces, place parchment or wax paper between the layers.

Can I use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk?

No. Sweetened condensed milk contains a large amount of added sugar and has a completely different consistency. For this particular recipe, you need evaporated milk.

Why did I use two kinds of chocolate?

The semisweet chocolate gives the fudge a nice, deep chocolate flavor, while the milk chocolate mellows it out a bit and adds additional creaminess and sweetness. The finished fudge is plenty chocolatey without tasting overly dark or bitter. If you like a darker chocolate, use all semi-sweet. If you prefer a milder taste stick with milk chocolate.

Can I use homemade marshmallow creme?

I make a delicious homemade marshmallow fluff, and it's tempting to use it here. However, I used a 7-ounce jar of commercial marshmallow creme in the batch pictured in this post, and I haven't tested this particular fudge with my homemade version yet. Because homemade fluff can have a different moisture content and consistency, I recommend using the commercial version if you want to duplicate my results. Once I've tested my homemade fluff in this recipe, I'll let you know how it goes.

Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?

Of course. Walnuts are actually traditional in many versions of Fantasy Fudge, so they'll work beautifully. But this is a Texas kitchen, so I'm sticking with the pecans. (Hey, we have our preferences here!)

Can I leave out the nuts?

Yes. The pecans contribute flavor and crunch, but they aren't required for the fudge to set. If you're making this for someone who doesn't care for nuts, simply leave them out.

Can I use butterscotch or white chocolate chips instead?

I'm planning to find out! I'm especially interested in trying a butterscotch version and a white chocolate fudge with dried cranberries and walnuts. I haven't tested those variations yet, however, so I don't want to promise they'll behave exactly like this chocolate version. Stay tuned!

Can I use a 9 x 13-inch pan?

Yes. I used an approximately 8 x 11-inch pan because I loved the thickness it gave me, but pan size is largely a matter of preference. A 9 x 13-inch pan will simply produce thinner pieces of fudge.

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make this delicious fantasy fudge and love it please leave a comment or review. And before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards.

About the Baker

I'm Janice, the baker and recipe developer behind Out of the Box Baking. I love taking the old-fashioned treats we remember and finding approachable ways to make them in today's kitchen.

My mama made traditional cooked fudge, but I've always preferred the softer, creamier texture of Fantasy Fudge. After having trouble getting Fantasy Fudge to set properly in years past, I was thrilled with this microwave version. It firmed up beautifully, cut into lovely squares, and tasted exactly the way I wanted it to.

And if you're wondering whether I considered using walnuts instead of pecans?

Not for long.

I'm a Texas baker, after all. ❤️