Chocolate Cherry Fudge (Print)

A creamy chocolate treat with dried cherries and a hint of vanilla, smooth and rich.

# What You Need:

→ Chocolate Base

01 - 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
02 - 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Fruit & Mix-Ins

05 - 1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
06 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is melted and smooth.
03 - Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, dried cherries, and walnuts if using until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until fully set.
06 - Lift the fudge from the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into 24 squares and serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ridiculously easy but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen
  • The combination of sweet chocolate and tart cherries is genuinely addictive, and people always ask what the secret ingredient is
  • Perfect for gifting because it looks homemade and feels luxurious without being fussy
02 -
  • Low heat is non-negotiable when melting chocolate. High heat turns it bitter and grainy, and no amount of stirring will fix that.
  • Sweetened condensed milk is the secret to that creamy, fudgy texture. Don't substitute it with evaporated milk or regular milk or you'll end up with something grainy.
  • The fudge actually cuts cleaner and tastes better when completely chilled. I know you want to eat it immediately, but the two-hour wait really does matter.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or offset spatula for smoothing the fudge top—it gives you better control than a regular spatula
  • Weighing your ingredients on a kitchen scale instead of using cups makes this recipe even more reliable and gives you consistent results every time
  • If you want to make this nut-free for gifting to friends with allergies, just omit the walnuts completely—the chocolate and cherry combination is rich enough to stand on its own

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