Steps to make your own easy Peppermint Bark Fudge! (Clockwise from L: Assemble, cook, mix)

I’ve been making fudge for holiday gifts for more than 10 years. It started when I was in college and looking for an inexpensive gift for friends. I used to make about six different flavors from a Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge to a Bailey’s Fudge, but I’ve since honed it to a delectable combo!

Peppermint Bark Fudge makes the perfect holiday gift for just about everyone. It’s super easy to make — though I admit my arm always gets tired from the constant stirring. But that is the most important part to create smooth fudge! This fudge is creamy and soft with bits of peppermint crunch throughout. But the best part is how easy it is to make! Assemble, cook, mix, pour. That’s essentially it — and you’ve got amazing fudge that your friends will fight for the last piece.

Peppermint Bark Fudge Recipe

• Miniature marshmallows, 1 16-oz. bag (about 6 C)
• Evaporated milk, 1 can
• Butter, 1 stick
• Sugar, 2.5 C
• Salt, 1/2 tsp.
• Chocolate pieces (I prefer a combo of semi-sweet with milk or dark, but adjust to your taste), About 20-24 oz.
• Starlight mints or candy canes (crushed into small pieces and fine bits, and whole), 2 packages
• Vanilla extract, 1.5 tsp.
• Peppermint extract, 1.5 tsp.
• Andes peppermint crunch candies, optional

Peppermint Bark Fudge

Steps:

1. First, prepare your pans — grease with butter and then lay down candy canes (about 1 pkg) along the bottom. Combine marshmallows, evaporated milk, butter, sugar and salt in large pot.
2. Assemble remaining ingredients. You’ll need them ready quickly when the time comes.
3. Cook and stir the marshmallow mixture over medium heat. Let it boil for 5 minutes over medium heat, while you stir constantly!
4. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces, beating with a whisk until all of the chocolate is melted. Don’t over-beat.
5. Fold in vanilla extract. Then fold in peppermint extract. Fold in crushed peppermint candies (about 1-1.5 C blended).
6. Pour into prepared pan. Decorate with broken Andes peppermint crunch candies. (Must be sprinkled onto fudge while it’s still warm)
7. Chill until firm. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

This recipe creates one large rectangular pan, which I typically cut into large squares as gifts (it’s very rich). This time I left the fudge pans whole due to decor and travel. These two trays of fudge are thank you/hospitality gifts for Ellen and The Ellen Degeneres Show staff (as you might guess from my candy decorations).