Fudge may be a holiday candy staple, but this easy Cookie Butter Fudge is decadent enough to enjoy any time of year! Rich chocolate fudge is layered with cookie butter – for a sweet, rich, and a little holiday spice bite.
Cookie Butter Fudge
What is cookie butter? If you have had a Biscoff Cookie, it is the cookies mashed up and made into a spread. The cookie itself is also referred to as a Speculoos (or Speculaas), and if you watch any baking programs, chances are you have heard of this before. Especially around the holidays.
The cookie butter has complex flavors – which may be why it is hard (at least it was for me at first) to nail down what exactly the flavors are. It is spicy and sweet, and the cookie butter itself has a velvety smooth texture.
Cookie butter flavors
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- And occasionally – Pepper, Anise and Mace
When you see the list of holiday spices, do you think how great they would go with chocolate? I did. And Cookie Butter Fudge was born.
Easy Holiday Fudge
As I mentioned, this was the first time I ever made fudge. And I’m a little disappointed in myself for waiting this long. Fudge is SO easy to make. Sure, there are proper ways to make fudge that involve heating sugar, candy thermometers, and probably some frustration and tears because the sugar got too hot. But there is an easy way.
Which is this recipe.
You can make easy fudge in the microwave or the stovetop. I opted for the stovetop because I like to see what my chocolate is doing. But let’s back up. We are using these kitchen appliances to heat and melt the chocolate. I found that melting the chocolate in the microwave can be hit or miss on whether or not your chocolate overheats and seizes up.
I prefer to watch my chocolate melt. So I use a double boiler.
- A saucepan with a couple of inches of water – brought to a low boil.
- A mixing bowl is set on top of the saucepan to melt the chocolate – and the bowl does not touch the water!
And we only need a few ingredients. Let’s see …
Ingredient Details
- Chocolate chips – I used (and prefer) semi-sweet. So the fudge is not cloyingly sweet.
- Sweetened condensed milk – You will have leftovers. I say make a different flavor of fudge!
- Butter – I find it makes the fudge smooth and creamy.
- Cookie butter – The star of this show. And you can use as little/much as you like!
- Vanilla extract and salt – To round out and balance all of the flavors.
- Holiday sprinkles – For a special occasion. Or just because.
Tips For Making Homemade Fudge
- Double boiler vs. microwave – I prefer the double boiler so I can watch the chocolate as it melts and make sure it doesn’t seize up.
- Go lightly – When you are greasing the parchment paper. I do this to make sure the fudge is released from the paper. But we don’t want too much – otherwise, it will leave a residue on the fudge.
- No layering rules – The cookie butter layer can happen any way you like. You can do one in the middle, and more on the top if you like. Just make sure it is sitting on some fudge to keep it in place.
- No size rules – Cut the fudge into any size and shape you prefer.
- Experiment with flavors – This is essentially a basic fudge recipe with some cookie butter. From here, you can try any flavor combo you like. How about peppermint, smore’s (little marshmallows – yes!), caramel (sneak little caramel dollops in there), peanut butter, dark chocolate … you get the idea.
Cookie Butter Fudge
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cookie butter (more or less to taste)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line mini loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper – long enough so it hangs over the sides of the pan. This creates a sling to easily lift the fudge out of the pan when it is set. Lightly grease the paper and pan with soft butter or butter cooking spray.
- Create a double boiler to melt the chocolate – bring about 2 inches of water to a low boil/simmer in a medium saucepan. Set a mixing bowl on top of the saucepan – one that is large enough so the bottom doesn't touch the water.
- Add the chocolate chips and butter to the mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula and heat until the butter is melted and the chocolate chips are mostly melted. Don't let the chocolate chips heat too long, or they will seize up. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until combined and smooth.
- While the chocolate chips are melting, heat the cookie butter in a small microwave safe bowl for about 15 seconds – until is loosens.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the saucepan. Pour 1/3 of the chocolate into the prepared mini loaf pan. Drop dollops of the heated cookie butter on top of the chocolate. Pour the remaining chocolate on top of the cookie butter. Swirl the top of the fudge with a toothpick to blend the cookie butter and top layer of fudge. Sprinkle with holiday sprinkles (optional).
- Refrigerate the fudge until it is set – at least 1 to 2 hours. Overnight is best.
- When the fudge is set, gently lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper sling. Cut into desired shapes and sizes. Enjoy!
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!