• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Home Garden Joy
  • Home
  • Gardening
    • Raised Bed Gardening
    • Month-by-Month Gardening Tips
    • Seed Starting
    • Compost and Fertilizer
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Tools & Equipment
    • Pests & Problems
    • Birds and Wildlife
    • Home Garden Tips
  • Plants
    • Plant Profiles
    • House Plants
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
    • Herbs
    • Growing Flowers
  • Recipes
    • Easy Recipes
    • Canning and Food Preservation
  • Books & Classes
    • Books for Christian Herbalists
    • Herbalism Classes
    • Books by Jeanne Grunert
  • About
    • Privacy Policy

Recipe for Five Ingredient Fudge

December 13, 2013 by Jeanne

This recipe for five ingredient fudge is a favorite in my home at Christmas. Maybe five ingredient fudge will be your family’s favorite, too!

recipe for five ingredient fudge
Pan of fudge

 

Five Ingredient Fudge

When I was a kid, I used to try to make fudge from scratch. I had my mother’s old Betty Crocker cook book, and by “old”, I mean…ancient.  1930s? 1950s? At any rate, the fudge came out grainy, runny, and generally like a fudge syrup. I was determined to find a recipe even I, the ultimate “non crafty one” could turn around to make not just palatable but delicious fudge.

And then, many years ago, an office mate gave me these instructions for five ingredient fudge. And that’s it: just FIVE, count ’em, five things you need to make this fudge. It’s so easy you won’t believe it. Every time I make it, my husband wanders in half an hour later and asks, “Are you cooking the fudge?” I smile and say, “It’s done!”

Recipe for Five Ingredient Fudge

 

Here’s what you need…

  • 1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (half a bag) of butterscotch chips
  • 1 can of sweetened, condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Butter (about 1 tablespoon)

That’s it!

The only caveat is, please don’t try to substitute, say, margarine for butter. It doesn’t work. Make sure you have sweetened, condensed milk.  I have a habit of seeing evaporated milk on sale; it won’t work. Sweetened, condensed milk is it.

Ready?

Take your butter and rub it over an 8 x 8″ glass pan. Rub it in good, sides and bottom.

In a saucepan, on the stove top, melt the entire bag of chocolate chips, 1 cup of butterscotch chips, 1 small can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stir it constantly and keep the heat low to avoid scorching it.

When everything is melted, pour it into the pan.  You can add nuts if you wish.

Refrigerate for several hours. Cut out the squares and serve. You may need to let it warm up to room temperature if it’s very cold; it’s nearly impossible to cut when it’s ice cold.

That’s it! It ships well, by the way….and yes, several of my friend reading this will get a ‘care package’ of this very special fudge.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Easy Recipes

Previous Post: « How to Tell the Difference Between Fir, Spruce or Pine
Next Post: The Amaryllis Bulb, Week 5 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gardener on Sherlock Street

    December 14, 2013 at

    Oh my gosh that looks easy and yummy!
    I’ve already hit my self imposed limit of recipes I’m making for goodies this year….but tag this for maybe Valentines!

Trackbacks

  1. Amazing Vanilla Peppermint Fudge Recipe - Home Garden Joy says:
    December 10, 2016 at

    […] by fudge. Only this time, I know the secret: sweetened, condensed milk.  I found the original 5-ingredient fudge recipe which, if you have never tasted it, is a winner. Trust me on this. I mail crates of this stuff out […]

Footer

Summer savory is an annual herb that was once used just like pepper.

What Is Summer Savory? A Friendly Guide to This Under‑Appreciated Herb

Many years ago, my friend Allie gave me a few summer savory seeds. I think we swapped them for plants. I do remember wondering what summer savory is, as I had never seen it in the grocery store. So why grow it? What’s the big deal? Summer savory is now a staple of my summer…

Read More

watering can with plants

July Gardening Tips: How to Keep Your Garden Thriving All Month Long

July brings long, sunny days and plenty of garden rewards—but also rising temperatures that can stress plants, pollinators, and gardeners alike. With a few smart adjustments to your routine, you can keep your garden healthy, colorful, and productive all summer. Here are our top July gardening tips to help you make the most of the…

Read More

yellow bearded iris "Lemon Pledge"

How to Ship Iris Rhizomes – Sharing Is Half the Fun!

How to ship iris rhizomes (bearded iris) correctly is a simple skill, and one worth learning if you’re interested in pass-along plants. When I was a girl, it was common for neighbors to share plants. Someone would divide their peonies or iris and offer a portion to a neighbor. These “pass-along plants” came with stories,…

Read More

herbal academy course photo

Natural Remedy for Tick Bite: New Course

The Herbal Academy has just launched a new course called “After the Bite: What You Need to Know About Tick-Borne Diseases.” This course features a natural remedy for tick bites and supportive herbal care after the bite. As someone who was seriously ill ‘after the bite’ – and didn’t even realize a tick had sent…

Read More

  • About
  • Plant a Row for the Hungry
  • Awards
  • Privacy Policy

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Substack
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2026 Home Garden Joy on the Foodie Pro Theme