Million Dollar Fudge (2024)

This Million Dollar Fudge recipe is rich and creamy, with chopped pecans spread throughout the smooth chocolate fudge! It’s been presidentially approved and will soon become one of your favorite fudges to whip up for the holiday season!

This chocolate fudge is believed to have been created by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the 34th US President! But trust me; it’s not only popular because of the story; the results speak for themselves!

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

• This million dollar fudge recipe is perfect for the holiday season as a holiday gift or to serve at your holiday parties!
• Marshmallow creme fudge recipes are ultra-rich and creamy to satisfy sweet tooth cravings!
• Mamie Eisenhower's favorite million dollar fudge is easy to make with simple store-bought ingredients, including a jar of marshmallow cream. You can’t go wrong!

If you’re looking for one of the best fudge recipes online, you’re in for a sweet treat that happens to be Presidentially approved!

🛒 Ingredients

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Note:The full list of this recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are in the recipe card below.

• evaporated milk -- this is NOT the sweetened condensed milk
• German's Sweet Chocolate -- NOT the bitter chocolate
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• chopped nuts -- you may use either pecans or walnuts. I haven't tried almonds but I imagine they'd also taste good.

🗒 Instructions

Note:This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

🔪 Equipment

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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.

• Mixing bowl
• Medium saucepan
• 9 by 13-inch baking dish
• Rubber spatula
• Mixing spoon

🤔 FAQs

These are the questions we are most frequently asked about making this chocolate fudge recipe.

Which president's first lady created the recipe for Mimi's million dollar fudge?

The first Lady Mamie Eisenhower of the 34th US President (President Eisenhower) created this favorite fudge recipe.

Where did chocolate fudge come from?

Fudge is said to have been first created in the United States when a confectioner and chocolate maker in Baltimore, Maryland, "fudged" a batch of French caramels.

How long does it take to beat fudge?

It should take about 5–10 minutes to beat the fudge until it loses its shine and becomes very thick.

Why beat fudge?

Fudge is beaten to create a thick and crumbly texture once set. If you prefer a smoother texture, beat the fudge until it sticks to the spoon.

👩🏻‍🍳 Tips

• Let the pan of fudge sit at room temperature overnight if you have time for the best consistency and texture.
• You can grease the 9x13 inch pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. This will help with removing the million-dollar fudge pieces from the tray without it sticking.
• Homemade fudge is ideal for last-minute gifts! Place this Mamie's fudge in a decorative tin bow with a gift tag, and you’re all set!
• Avoid grainy fudge by heating the milk and sugar mixture long enough for the sugar to dissolve completely.

📚 Variations

• Replace the white sugar and evaporated milk with a can of sweetened condensed milk.
• Add almonds or another favorite nut instead of pecans.
• Garnish the hardened and set fudge with a drizzle of melted chocolate and sprinkles for extra decadence.
• Include other add-ins, such as mini marshmallows and chopped maraschino cherries.

🥫 Storage

Store this wonderful fudge in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks or in the fridge for 3 weeks. It’s delicious at room temperature or chilled!

Freeze this Mamie Eisenhower's fudge for 3 months, wrap individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.

🍽 Serve with

This classic fudge recipe is a delicious sweet treat on its own, but you can pair it with fresh fruit or add it to a dessert platter with similar bite-size treats.

Leftover Million Dollar Fudge is delicious as a crumbled topping over a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

I've been making this recipe for many years. In fact, I got this recipe when President Eisenhower was still in office and his First Lady shared it as one of his favorite sweets.

Since then I've made it countless times. It's been gifted for birthdays, Christmas, and as a cheer up gift. The funniest story attributed to the fudge is the time I gave the chocolates in a pretty candy dish to my future Mother-in-law. It was a few weeks before Christmas and she wanted to save it for the holidays.

She put the candy in her special hiding place so no-one would find it and eat all of it. She hidey-hole was her cedar chest. It was nine months later that she remembered her chocolate candy. Unfortunately by that time the fudge was inedible - the nuts in the candy had turned green.

I did make her another batch of fudge for her birthday in September. That batch didn't have a chance to go bad.

Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!