Rocky Road Fudge

This rocky road fudge is about as foolproof as candy gets. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk over low heat, fold in dry roasted peanuts and mini marshmallows, press into a pan, and chill. No candy thermometer, no soft ball stage, no anxious stirring. The condensed milk does all the work of creating a smooth, creamy fudge base.

The peanuts add salty crunch and the marshmallows stay soft and pillowy inside the set chocolate, creating that classic rocky road texture where every bite is a little different. Press the mixture into a wax paper-lined pan for neat squares, or drop by spoonfuls onto lined baking sheets for rustic clusters.

Two hours in the fridge firms everything up for clean cutting. Store at room temperature, not in the fridge, for the best texture.

Kitchen Tips

• Use sweetened condensed milk, never evaporated milk. They look similar on the shelf but behave completely differently. Evaporated milk won’t set.
• Melt the chocolate over low heat and stir constantly. Chocolate scorches easily and there’s no fixing burnt chocolate.
• Line the pan with wax paper with overhang on two sides. It makes lifting the whole slab out for cutting effortless.
• Cut with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for the neatest squares.

Variations

• Swap peanuts for walnuts or cashews based on your preference.
• Use dark chocolate chips for a richer, less sweet fudge.
• Stir in dried cranberries or toffee bits along with the nuts and marshmallows for extra texture.