SUPER EASY BLACK WALNUT FUDGE
Many fudge recipes are complex and time-consuming, but not this one.
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14-ounce) sweet condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup black walnut meats
Line a 9- x 9-inch baking pan with wax paper, completely covering the bottom and sides and have in readiness. Place the chocolate chips (they must be semi-sweet, not milk chocolate) and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, making sure the chips melt completely, and if necessary, microwave a bit more. The chocolate needs to be smooth. Immediately stir in the vanilla and walnut meats and then transfer to the lined pan. Spread evenly and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set. Remove the fudge and cut into small squares once it has set and then store in an air-tight container. It can be returned to the refrigerator or kept at room temperature. It will be softer if the latter approach is taken.
JC
—Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food – Recipes & Stories from Mountain Kitchens written by Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley
I tried Jim’s wonderful fudge recipe last week and was really impressed by how easy it is to whip up as well as how good it tastes. The texture of the fudge is creamier than traditional boiled fudge recipes I’ve made.
I’m crazy about black walnuts so I love the addition of the earthy nuts in the recipe, but one could easily use pecans, English walnuts, or even almonds if they aren’t a fan of black walnuts.
You can find mine and Jim’s cookbook here.
Last night’s video: Tipper Proves Matt Wrong with Pictures & Finding a Small Hemlock for the Kitchen Christmas Tree.
Subscribe for FREE and get a daily dose of Appalachia in your inbox
This is the recipe my sweet, late, mother-in-law gave to me (except she heated the milk on the stove and used pecans). I’ve made it for nearly 40 years and still love it. She was from a tiny town in southeast Kentucky and she and I had the best rapport. I guess two Kentucky girls missing their home state brought us closer.
As always you are spot on bringing us enjoyable content and things that can make our lives easier to enjoy. Even though my wife doesn’t care for most sweet sweet chocolate… I can’t wait to make this fudge. I can’t wait till she get’s your cookbook as part of Christmas this year ( Shh…) we won’t tell her yet. I can’t say how much joy your family brings to our world and the calmness that shines through your family relationships which are an inspiration to others. I’m sure the Lord uses your light to shine into many darkened corners. Congratulations on the new little ones coming…. which of course will change everything , but remain the same as you ” practice what you preach” from you little “holler” on the earth.
I plan on making it tonight, just got to go buy some walnuts to add to it. I’m looking forward to tasting it and gifting it to some friends.
Tipper thank you so much for my prize “flawed” cookbook! it looks just as wonderful as I thought it would be when you first told us you and Jim were working on it. Even the cover is special with that pretty jing okra – something I grow every year now. I wonder how many people in Massachusetts grow okra? 🙂 And you reminded me to do a giveaway on the Comptonia blog, which is overdue – so thank you for that, as well. Love to you and yours!
Tipper, your fudge recipe looks awesome, but I have to watch my sugar, can’t take any chances on fixing your wonderful recipe. As I was watching your You Tube Channel last evening, you both mentioned catching a squirrel, I remember years ago, they use to add the squirrel and rabbit to the Brunswick Stew, and that was the best stew I have ever ate. They don’t make Brunswick Stew like that anymore. Wish they did though. And talking about the flax seed, I do have some flax seed that I keep on hand, just for that very reason (your eyes), it most certainly works. What it does is, it draws out the obstacle that is in your eye to the corner of the eye. Then you can remove the obstacle, and your eye will feel much better. The flax seed will not hurt your eye at all. You cannot even tell or feel that the flax seed is in your eye. Many blessings to you and your entire family.
In the late 60’s I can remember my grandparents doing this several times. The seed and whatever foreign object was in your eye was sitting in the corner of your eye in the morning after inserting the flax seed before bedtime. I haven’t thought about this for years. lol
Fudge always stays on the kitchen counter at my house. There would be too much strain on the refrigerator hinges if it were kept in there.
Tipper. Could I please have your po address again? I promise to write it down so I don’t have to ask again. Lol. Thanks.
My mom made great fudge. When it was time to beat the fudge until it lost it’s glossyness, she would hand the pan over to my eldest brother and he would beat it until mom said stop! Fond memory of my brother who served in Vietnam as a door gunner. He passed away over 10 years ago. such a sweet memory
I’ll be making this fudge next week along with some other Christmas goodies. Everything in the cookbook that I have tried so far is delicious. I am also enjoying your Christmas readings so much and loved the video last night. You and Matt make a wonderful team. I am so happy Corie and Austin are having a little boy. Two precious grandsons!! They will grow up close together and be best friends for life. I know you and Matt are beyond excited!! Praying for Granny to get good results. I did try to comment yesterday but it would not go through. Have a blessed day everyone!!
Thanks for the delightful walk into the woods and along the creek. Of course, in my mind’s eye I’m remembering following behind my Daddy walking along the most beautiful tiny streams at the old place in NE MS. Since I’m as old as Granny, I do have a lot of those precious memories stored up and a walk like yours or your mentioning the smell of wood smoke while out walking in the cold can certainly take me back and bring a tear to my eye. Great memories! Cedar trees are very prevalent in NE MS and that is what my Grandparents used although the branches aren’t really strong to hold heavy ornaments but the smell is wonderful:)
Here in SC PA, I woke up to just the grass being covered with snow. None on the road, and honestly, even though I was raised in Northern Illinois with lots of snow, I really don’t care to have any now:) The sun came out and it is all gone now.
We were blessed with two little boys and I’m being honest, they never bothered anything. They entertained themselves with their toys and loved to build things.
My Mother always made the best coconut cake and I just made it for my Sunday School Christmas Party. It was a big hit. Of course, when my Mother made it, she cracked the coconut to get the milk out and then she grated the coconut.
Y’all make me smile and laugh which – as we know – “doeth good like a medicine”. All y’all are sweet even when the subject isn’t about fudge or other sweet things. My wife made this recipe as well and the fudge is smooth and creamy. Black walnuts for me in part because there are so many good memories evoked by them. Except for when they ‘go off’ I never met a walnut nut meat I didn’t like. Somebody needs to make air freshener or a candle with walnut oil smell.
I have your cookbook so I looked up this recipe after I had seen your video last week. I’m going to make this. I know you and Matt are so excited about two grandbabies. Your lives are going to change in the most wonderful way. Being a grandparent is something you just can’t explain to someone. They have to experience it for themselves. Prayers for healthy babies and mommies. Also, for Granny.
Tipper,I hear you all talking about how good the deer burgers are. Is there a special recipe or seasoning you use for them??
I’m getting ready to make Matt’s recipe for deer roast. I usually make mine with potatoes and carrots with onions and such.
My husband got 2 deer this year and wanting more recipes to use it up. Thanks Tipper
Any more recipes for deer? I ordered the cookbook over the weekend.
Good morning, Tipper! I also saw your video last week when you made this fudge and immediately thought I need to make it, too. So, this Saturday my girls and I will be doing our cookie and candy baking for our neighbors, friends, and family and this fudge will join the menu. We have the most fun every year when we do this. I also pray for good results for our Granny! God’s blessings on you and your family and all your followers!
Thanks for the recipe. Fudge was the only common candy we had as youngsters, and my sis was a great fudge maker. She would make fudge from the time she was old enough to stand at the stove and stir. She made something later called million dollar fudge. Unfortunately, food was repetitious to many Appalachians in those bygone days, and I did overeat some of the tastier dishes. I became foundered on many foods including Sis’s famous fudge. It has taken many years to overcome one by one the foods I overate as a child. Oddly, I love chocolate, just not fudge. I may try to send this easy recipe to my niece who loves fudge and brownies with a passion. I just accomplished something I could only ever dream about, and that is making fried apple pies. Wouldn’t you know I never learned how until I had to buy the apples. They always turned onside out and every effort was a flop until recently. Thanks again for all you post and do for all your followers.
I’ve had my eye on that fudge recipe since I got my annual health physical over and done. Making a batch before my appointment would have meant disastrous bloodwork readings and taking my shoes off at the scales. Taste of Home emailed a similar recipe and called it their recipe of the day. Their ingredients didn’t include vanilla or nuts. Who could eat fudge without black walnuts? Like Randy, I have truckloads of black walnuts I’d love to give to someone. I know lots of folks who would love a couple of bushels if I picked them up and dropped them off at their door. The squirrels appreciate my lazy neighbors. Sending love and prayers for Granny.
My wife and I have been married 45 years and as you were saying in yesterday’s video about remembering Christmas decorations! Well Matt I don’t remember stuff like that either! My wife is good at remembering things from when we were dating even the cloths that I wore! Not me! She remembers dates and what we did and so on! I don’t remember stuff like that! When she gets her hands on things around the house that are mine she never remembers where she put them!!! I’ll ask her when did you use it last or how long ago was it? She Loses stuff too and I usually help her find it and I’m good at finding stuff! I told her if we ever forget each other just pretend we just met for the first time and become friends all over again! It was a year in October that we retired and we are enjoying life! God has been good to us! We Enjoy watching you on You tube and your reading your blogs! Merry Christmas to you and your family! We live in South Central Pennsylvania and we woke up this morning to our first coating of snow! God Bless!
I’ll have to try this! I’m all about simple/easy. This recipe reminds me of a cake I just made, with a funny name. “Do Nothing” cake, with the same idea of keeping things simple/easy. It was so good! My husband, who’s NOT a cake fan, loved it. Also, my mom used to make boiled fudge in a cast iron skillet. I begged her to make it every Christmas, but the weather had to be just right for the fudge to “set.”
Hi Tipper!
I loved that the recipe refers to the nut meats. I haven’t heard them called nut meats since my Mother’s generation passed away. It caused me to remember my Great Aunt Louise. I’d made one of those pink jello salads with creamed cheese and pecans, and she bragged on me for not scrimping on the nut meats. Good memories! I can see her in my mind’s eye, sittin’ at my Mom’s green formica kitchen table, laughing and talking. Sigh…nostalgia! ‘Tis the season!
I’m going to get the makings for this fudge today when I go out. A friend of mine & I are making up “goodies” this year to take to nursing homes, police stations, rehabilitative services for women, etc. for treats for Christmas & this will be perfect to make & take. Hugs & thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much for all you do. You are a ray of sunshine that I look forward to everyday.
You have to try the recipe again with the addition of half a bag of butterscotch chips I think it gives it a delicious rich flavor now I do not add black walnuts I I add chopped pecans or walnuts nothing wrong with black walnuts I like them but never thought to use them in the recipe how the girls are both doing well and granny gets a positive diagnoses today
I’d love this. But I can’t. My glucose rose just reading it. lol. Please tell Matt that I can’t remember stuff like the decorations from way back either.
Good morning Tipper. I saw you make this fudge recipe last week. It looks delicious and I have got to try it. I remember as a child, going to gather walnuts. My parents knew where there were trees growing along an old dirt road. We would gather tons of them right out of the road and along the edge in the grass. I remember daddy had some kind of a large metal circle about 6 inches in diameter and maybe three inches thick. He would sit in our living room floor with a newspaper under it and a hammer in hand, and crack nuts for mama’s Christmas fudge. He would have to crack a lot because we were right there eating some as he worked. My mama would start making candies for Christmas probably the first of November—maybe even October. She would buy a few ingredients each paycheck and make candy and freeze it. We weren’t allowed to eat any till Christmas. She made chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, chocolate covered cherries, some kind of white candy with nuts and cherries, and my favorite—peanut butter balls covered in chocolate. We didn’t have much money and usually only got one toy—but we were spoiled with all that homemade candy during Christmas, and the memories of my mama in the kitchen making it and daddy cracking nuts, is what stays in my mind. Together, they made it so special for all of us.
That is a sweet. sweet momory!
I love this memory you shared, you had a special momma and daddy for sure❤️ Merry Christmas to you
I have made this fudge twice since your video! At first I went pretty easy on the black walnuts (this year they taste extra strong for some reason!) but they were so good that I used the correct amount in the second batch- SO GOOD.
I also loved your video with you and Matt last evening. The peace of your walk to find the hemlock was a true joy! I’m going to try your fudge this week. I know it will be tasty. Prayers for Granny for good news from the scan today and for travel mercies for all of you. God bless you and yours. Love and prayers.
We will make this soon! But nobody will eat nuts except me! So I’m leaving them out. Hope it works!!
I made your fudge recipe on Sat, it’s awesome (even when you totally forget the vanilla by the way, multitasking got the best of me I guess.)
29 degrees here
The same here at my home in upstate SC, my cars and deck are iced up from yesterday and last night’s rain.
saw this on Celebrating Appalachia. put the ingredients right on my grocery list. looks amazing
I learned this recipe a few years ago and it is so versatile too. I tried half chocolate and half peanut butter chips. do them separately and then layer them. So good! I also added extra stuff on top. You must cut in small pieces because it is so rich.
It must be so exciting around your house. Next year will be even more exciting. I sure pray that Granny is up to doing a video soon. I miss seeing her, but I do pray for her often. God bless!
Black walnuts are hard to come by here. Our daddy loved black walnuts and he loved a black walnut cake.
I will have to try this with regular walnuts. It sounds so good.
Our daughters and I are getting together next week to do our baking and it’s such a fun time. Our son’s fiance will join us this year and I’m excited about that!
Blessings for a wonderful week ahead and prayers that Granny receives good news!
Debbie, I don’t know where you live but around here Greenville,SC black walnuts are a dime a dozen- very plentiful. I will give you as many as you want, but be warned they are hard to crack and pick the “goodies” out. My grandparents spent many winter evenings and days sitting by the fire cracking and picking out black walnuts and pecans. They never owned a TV. Now doing this is too much trouble, most people just buy them already picked out in a grocery store. As far as I know there are still easy to find in the store (Walmart) maybe you could order some. I think most orders over $35 ships free, maybe add a few other things to an order for the walnuts.
This fudge recipe sounds too easy, but who doesn’t love easy!!!
I am making this fudge today ! I was excited to see a recipe that seems so easy and looks so yummy! Thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful day!
Wow, what a video yesterday. Matt does a fine job and the more he is a part of your video in front of the camera, the funnier he is. I do love the smell of a hemlock, fir, or any other green around this time of the year. I have a candle lit right now with Fresh Fir smell. I usually light it the first of the month so that I can enjoy it all month. I did try the fudge…easy peasy…It is a hit but oh my the calories. Of course any calories in December is cancelled out Jan 1. Hugs to Granny and lots of prayers going up. God Bless you all.
I also use the fudge recipe. My granddaughter Olivia really enjoys crushed peppermint pressed on top, it’s so good.
My late wife would have loved this fudge recipe. She loved chocolate fudge and chocolate candy even more than she loved me! Tipper says she is crazy about black walnuts, I have got enough laying around in my yard going to waste to keep her crazy for the rest of her life. For any bird hunters (quail to southern men), I saw two beautiful pointers and a large covey of birds in a dream tonight. Around here, that is the only place you will see them anymore. I will sell these walnuts to anyone interested so cheap they will think I gave them to them.