Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (2024)

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Slow cooker fudge (or crockpot fudge), with only 4 ingredients, is so easy to make and even more delicious to eat!

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (1)

Slow cooker fudge is our new favourite treat. With only 4 ingredients, it’s so easy to make and cooking it in a slow cooker makes sure it’s smooth and delicious!

We’ve tried to make tablet (a Scottish treat a wee bit like fudge) a few times but with limited success. Trying to get it to the right temperature, for the right amount of time, even with the help of a digital thermometer seemed to defeat us. It’s also not a great thing to try and make with children, as boiling sugar and small hands don’t go well together.

This slow cooker fudge made with condensed milk and chocolate seems to solve all those problems. It’s so easy, you don’t have to worry about getting it to the right temperature and as you’re not doing it on the hob or boiling any sugar it’s safe enough for children to help with.

This recipe makes a simple milk chocolate fudge but you can experiment and add different flavours – try white chocolate instead of milk or add a little dark chocolate to make it less sweet. You can also add sweets like M&Ms or sprinkles on top to add a little crunch.

How can kids help to make slow cooker fudge?

This is a really easy recipe, so children of any age should be able to help make it. Kids can help to break up the chocolate, add the condensed milk and stir it all together. If you trust your little one around a slow cooker they can do almost all of this themselves.

Could I use a microwave?

Yes. I like melting everything together really gently in a slow cooker or even on a double boiler but if you prefer you can use a microwave.
Simply pop everything into a microwavable bowl and heat it at 80% power in 30 second intervals. Stir it in between each microwave blast and stop when everything has melted and come together.

You can also make fudge in a double boiler. To do it this way, simply add all the ingredients to a heatproof bowl, then place it on top of a pan of simmering water. Keep stirring until all the ingredients have melted then pour it into your baking tin to set.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (2)

How long does the fudge keep?

This fudge will keep for a week or two in an airtight container. This makes it ideal as a homemade gift for friends and family.

If you want to keep the fudge for longer, you can freeze it for a few months. Simply wrap it well in cling film, and pop it in a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw it thoroughly at room temperature overnight before serving it.

Other fudge recipes

If you liked this fudge you’ll love our other fudge recipes:

Biscoff fudge
Maltesers fudge
Rocky road fudge
Mint chocolate fudge
Easter fudge
Chocolate chip fudge
Maple fudge
Nutella fudge
Strawberry fudge
White chocolate fudge
Oreo fudge

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this slow cooker fudge

Digital scales
Slow cooker
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Spatula
Baking tin

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Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (3)

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minutes plus 2 hours cooking and 2 hours setting

Serves: 30+ pieces

Ingredients

500g (3 cups) milk chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
A large knob of butter
1 can (395g or 14oz) sweetened condensed milk

how to make slow cooker fudge

Break the chocolate up

Get your children to help you break up the chocolate into small pieces. Once we’d done that we also chopped the pieces a little more with a knife to help it melt a bit quicker.

Add it to your slow cooker or crockpot.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (4) Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (5)

Add everything to your slow cooker

Get your kids to help you add the vanilla extract, butter and condensed milk to your slow cooker.

Give everything a good mix.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (6) Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (7) Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (8)

Cook the condensed milk fudge

Pop the lid on your slow cooker and leave the fudge to cook on a low heat for around 2 hours. Stir it with a non stick spoon every 15 minutes or so.

Leave the fudge to set

Line an 8 inch baking tray with baking paper. You can use a larger or smaller tin if you want thicker or thinner fudge.

Put the fudge in the fridge for a few hours until it has set.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (9) Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (10) Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (11)

Cut into small squares with a sharp knife (this isn’t a job for the kids). We cut it into six pieces one way and six the other to get 36 pieces in total, but you could make them smaller or larger to get more/less.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (12)

Serve and enjoy.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (13)

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (14)

Condensed milk fudge

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (15)cookingwithmykids

Slow cooker fudge or crockpot fudge, with 4 ingredients, is so easy to make. Simply melt chocolate, condensed milk, butter and vanilla extract in your slow cooker for a few hours, stirring every 15 minutes, then leave to set. Yum

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Setting time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 30 pieces

Calories 93 kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 g milk chocolate
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • A large knob of butter
  • 1 can 395g sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

Add everything to your slow cooker

  • Break the chocolate up and add it to your slow cooker. Add the vanilla extract, butter and condensed milk to your slow cooker.

  • Give everything a good mix.

Cook the slow cooker fudge

  • Pop the lid on your slow cooker and leave the fudge to cook on a low heat for around 2 hours. Stir it with a non stick spoon every 15 minutes or so.

Leave the fudge to set

  • Line an 8 inch baking tray with baking paper. You can use a larger or smaller tin if you want thicker or thinner fudge.

  • Put the fudge in the fridge for a few hours until it has set.

  • Cut into small squares and enjoy.

Video

Keyword chocolate, treat

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Similar recipes

If you like this fudge, you’ll love our Biscoff fudge, our condensed milk cookiesand our easy baking recipes for kids.

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (20)

Slow cooker fudge | Easy recipe | Cooking with my kids (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to perfect fudge? ›

Valuable tips for successful fudge
  • Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
  • Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
  • Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
  • Beat the mixture.

Why is my 3 ingredient fudge not setting? ›

Why won't my 3 ingredient fudge set? This often happens when the condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture isn't hot enough to start. Everything must be completely melted before it is transferred to the pan to cool.

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

What is the soft ball test for fudge? ›

For perfect fudge, the syrup should form a soft ball that can be picked up, but easily flattened. If the syrup is undercooked, drops of syrup will sink to the bottom of the glass in threads or simply dissolve. If the syrup is overcooked, the ball will be hard and difficult to flatten with your fingers.

What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

Why won't my 2 ingredient fudge set? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

How to make fudge thicker? ›

If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream. Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.

Can you reboil fudge that hasn't set? ›

How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

What can I do with failed fudge? ›

Options for what you can do with your unset fudge:

OPTION 1) Depending on how runny it is, you can either use it as a frosting for cakes, or a sauce for ice-cream. OPTION 2) Freeze it overnight. Cut it into squares. Cover each square thickly in melted chocolate, ensuring no part of the fudge is exposed.

How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage? ›

How long does it take to make fudge:
  1. about 18 min to reach boiling.
  2. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
  3. 60 minutes to cool.
  4. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
  5. 4 hours to set.

What makes fudge softer? ›

If you don't heat your fudge to a high enough temperature, you'll end up with a soft product. And if you heat the mixture too much, your fudge may be harder than you'd like.

What temperature should fudge be cooked at? ›

Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.

Why is my peanut butter fudge chewy? ›

If the fudge is very soft and slightly chewy then it is possible that it did not quite cook to soft ball stage and next time the mixture should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature (soft ball is 112-116c/235-240F and a sugar or candy thermometer can help).

Why won't my fudge reach the soft ball stage? ›

The fudge needs to be cooked at a vigorous boil and needs to get to a minimum of 116C/240F, so you may need to increase the heat slightly. This is the soft ball stage and if you drop a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water then it should form a firm ball that you can still squeeze between your fingers.

How do I get my fudge to harden? ›

Freezing your fudge is the key to a hardened result.

How to make fudge more solid? ›

How do you fix fudge that is too soft? Bring the fudge back to a boil with 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of cream. If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.

Do you stir fudge when it's boiling? ›

Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer

Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.

Why didn't my fudge get hard? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft.

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