Easy No-Beat Fudge

This fudge earns its name honestly: no beating, no fussing, just stir until smooth and pour. Sugar, evaporated milk, and butter get boiled together, then semi-sweet chocolate and marshmallows melt right into the hot mixture with nothing more than a wooden spoon and some elbow grease.

Chopped walnuts and halved candied cherries fold in at the end, giving every square a festive look and a mix of crunchy and chewy bites. Three pounds of fudge from one batch means plenty for gift boxes, cookie tins, and a secret stash for yourself.

Press the fudge into tiny tart pans and top with a walnut half for a candy-shop presentation that takes almost no extra effort.

Pro Tips

• Use a candy thermometer and hit 227 degrees F. This isn’t the kind of recipe where you eyeball it. That exact temperature ensures the fudge sets firm without being grainy.
• Stir the chocolate and marshmallows in quickly. The residual heat from the sugar mixture is what melts everything. If you wait too long, the base cools and you get lumps.
• Butter the pan before you start cooking. Once the fudge is mixed, you need to pour it immediately before it starts setting in the pot.

Variations

• Rum cherry fudge: Soak the candied cherries in dark rum for an hour before folding them in for a boozy, holiday-worthy upgrade.
• Triple nut: Replace the cherries with a mix of chopped pecans and almonds alongside the walnuts for an all-nut version.