Name: Aunt Noni's Christmas Fudge
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 cups sugar; 3/4 cup butter; 1/2 can (3/4 cup) evaporated milk; 2 cups chocolate chips; 1 jar marshmallow cream; 1 cup chopped nuts (optional); 1 teaspoon vanilla

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A classic mid-century recipe, Aunt Noni’s Christmas Fudge is nearly foolproof. Sometimes called “No-Fail” Fudge, the directions are easy and require no candy thermometer. This recipe makes a deliciously creamy fudge with a rich chocolate flavor.

A plate of Aunt Noni's Christmas Fudge on display in front of Aunt Hen's Peanut Butter Fudge and Mama Jean's Old Fashioned Fudge. — A plate of Aunt Noni’s Christmas Fudge alongside Aunt Hen’s Peanut Butter Fudge and Mama Jean’s Old-Fashioned Fudge.

Time is Slipping Away

I looked at the calendar today and it told me something shocking. By its tally it is already December 10. How can that be so?

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. After all we have been lighting two of the candles on our Advent wreath all week. My front door is decked out with evergreen branches and, while there are no ornaments on it, my Christmas tree is up. The lights that are forever attached to its branches are plugged in and glowing. We have even received a Christmas card or two.

Still, the calendar suggests that December is slipping away. It is mid-month and I have yet to start baking for the season. Back in the day, Aunt Hen and I would already be checking off the recipes on her long list of cookies to be baked.

I really did have plans. I bought cookie stamps late last year that I promised myself I would put to good use. At the same time I grabbed another device that lets me slide the letters or numbers of my choice onto a little frame. Pressed into the top of a cookie, it adds a personalized message. Not to mention the pretty shortbread pan I added to my collection of holiday bakeware. But that’s just me. Things sort of happen here in my own sweet time.

Holiday Baking

It’s not only decorating and baking that has me running to catch up. I also hoped to share several holiday recipes at My Own Sweet Thyme this Christmas season. I have been wanting to write about Aunt Noni’s Christmas Fudge for a whole year now.

Sometime last year I talked to my cousin, Gina. She told me about a handwritten cookbook full of recipes from her mother. She and Aunt Noni had written down the recipes they loved including some from my great grandmother, Mama Jean. That was when she helped me work out the details of the recipe for Mama Jean’s Barbecue.

Delighted, I asked Gina if there was a recipe in the book for Mama Jean’s Fudge, one I had been hoping to find for another project I was working on. Right away she got back to me with a note that included not only Mama Jean’s recipe for old-fashioned fudge, but Aunt Noni’s recipe for mid-century style Christmas Fudge too. I couldn’t have been more delighted.

Pieces of Aunt Noni's Christmas Fudge stacked on a clear glass plate.

A Vintage Fudge Recipe for Our Family Cookbook

I tried both recipes last Christmas. They were quite different but both were delicious. Each spoke of the era it came from. Mama Jean’s fudge was smooth and a bit chewy. Composed mainly of sugar and water it relies on frugal depression era staples to make it special. A bit of Karo corn syrup adds texture, while cocoa powder adds dark chocolate flavor. It required careful timing and energetic beating with a wooden spoon before it was ready.

Aunt Noni’s Christmas Fudge, by contrast, requires much less effort and precision. It is made from convenience products that were popular in the 1950s. The recipe itself is a mid-century legend. Variations are often called Fantasy Fudge or Never Fail Fudge. A similar version was part of a 1956 ad campaign that won the Promotion-of-the-Year Award. The evaporated milk is rich and creamy while marshmallow cream adds volume and texture to the fudge without beating. Chocolate chips are an easy addition and a convenient way to add rich flavor.

Christmas Fudge Allows for Many Variations

I had a great time making both fudge recipes. As I stirred, I considered the sweetness they added to my family’s past Christmas celebrations. I remembered those special occasions with family and Aunt Noni’s charming smile. She and my mother were close and I can still picture them sharing warm conversation and laughter in my aunt’s friendly kitchen. Aunt Noni always seemed to enjoy family life and was abundantly sweet to me, the youngest at most of those holiday gatherings.

The trouble is that making sometimes gets in the way of posting, especially with so many other seasonal tasks at hand. The holidays came and went last year without me finding the words or the time to post this wonderful addition to our family cookbook. I gave myself a pass and promised I would do it before next Christmas.

Now here it is, mid-December next. Again the time is short and there is much to do, but then this recipe is perfect for times like these. Aunt Noni’s Christmas Fudge is quick and easy to make. It takes only 15 or 20 minutes to prepare, no candy thermometer needed, and produces a deliciously creamy fudge with a rich flavor. The recipe can be varied according to your taste using any flavor of baking chips you find available. Butterscotch or white chips, milk chocolate or mint are all good choices. Feel free to add nuts too, if you like. It also makes plenty, offering a great opportunity to share with family and friends.

Enjoy!