Grinch Fudge
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Grinch fudge is the perfect holiday treat! Rich white-chocolate fudge is flavored with vanilla, dyed a lime green, and decorated with red candy hearts. These Christmas Grinch treats are ideal for parties and cookie trays. Prep these easy Grinch desserts in 20 minutes then chill.
Why We Love This Christmas Fudge
- It’s an easy no-bake dessert for the hectic holiday season. White chocolate is melted on stovetop along with sweetened condensed milk. We add vanilla and green food dye, and transfer the Grinch fudge to a pan. We add candy hearts, then pop it into the fridge to set.
- All you need are a few simple ingredients to assemble this festive Grinch fudge. Unlike many similar recipes, we don’t use butter. The texture is thicker and easier to slice.
- No candy thermometer is needed for this easy Christmas fudge recipe.
- Grinch treats are fun to make and eat while watching the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, or while wrapping holiday gifts and sipping hot chocolate.
- It’s a perfect add-on treat for Christmas cookie boxes and holiday dessert platters. They also make great gifts for friends and neighbors. Just add a few squares to cello bags and tie the tops with red ribbon. If desired, add a red Christmas bulb ornament to the bow.
- It’s a hand-held portable snack that’s ideal for children’s parties, church socials and other holiday events.
🛒 Ingredients
- Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips: We make Grinch fudge with white chocolate (not dark chocolate) so we can turn it into green Grinch treats. If dark chocolate is used, we wouldn’t be able to see the green color. For the best flavor, use good-quality chocolate.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds richness and sweetness, and helps set the fudge. Make sure it’s sweetened condensed milk, NOT evaporated milk.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a delicious vanilla flavor to the fudge.
- Green Gel Food Coloring: We use this to dye the fudge green. Make sure to use gel, not liquid food coloring, as the liquid type will affect the texture of the fudge. For a perfect Grinch color 1 drop AmeriColor Avocado, and 1 drop AmeriColor Electric Green.
- Large Red Candy Hearts: I use the red hearts from a container of Sweet Tooth Fairy Pink & Red Hearts candy shapes. I bought them at Michaels. But you can also use Wilton brand (jumbo-sized) red heart sprinkles (these are 1/2 inch in diameter).
📖 Recipe Steps
Recipe Prep: Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. (For easy removal of the fudge from the pan, use an over-sized piece to create handles.)
- Add the white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk (use a skinny spatula to scrape out every last drop) to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Warm the mixture slowly, stirring often, until it’s melted and smooth. Be careful not to let it burn!
- Stir in the vanilla extract and green food coloring.
- Transfer the Grinch fudge mixture to the prepared pan, and spread it into a smooth, even layer. Work quickly as the chocolate will begin to set as soon as you remove it from heat. While the fudge is still soft, press red candy hearts onto the surface. I put the hearts in 4 rows of 4, so that when I slice the Grinch dessert each square will have 1 heart. Put the pan into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or until it’s firm and completely set.
- Once the fudge has set, use the edges of the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a sharp, flat-bladed knife to cut it into squares. Arrange the Grinch treats on a platter. Serve and enjoy.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQ
These are the most commonly asked questions when making the BEST Grinch fudge, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
No. It’s not recommended. Liquid food coloring will change the texture of the Grinch fudge. It can cause the chocolate to seize up. I highly recommend using AmeriColor gel food coloring or Wilton gel food coloring.
Use 1/2 teaspoon AmeriColor Electric Green #162.
For best results, make Grinch fudge on stovetop. But if you need to use a microwave instead, here’s how to do it: Add white chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt it on medium heat in 25 second intervals, stirring well after each session, until smooth. Then mix in the other ingredients. Pour the fudge into a parchment paper-lined 8×8 pan, and gently press 16 candy hearts into the surface, spaced apart. Chill in the fridge until set.
Add a pinch of salt to tamp down sweetness and balance the flavor.
Place a very sharp, flat-bladed knife under warm running water. Dry it off well with a lint-free kitchen towel. Immediately slice the fudge.
Line an airtight container with parchment paper. Arrange the squares of fudge inside the container. If layering/stacking, separate the squares with parchment paper. Store the fudge in the fridge for up to 1 week.
It’s not recommended. With the moisture from the freezer, and later during defrosting, the red candy hearts will bleed into the green fudge. It will look sad, not festive.
🎅🏻 More Christmas Treats
These cookies and treats are perfect for holiday parties and cookie exchanges. Pair them up with squares of festive Grinch fudge.
- Christmas Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Christmas Tree Cupcakes
- Christmas Shortbread Cookies
- Linzer Sugar Cookies with Lemon Curd
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Gingerbread Man Cookies
Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Flavor testers rated these the BEST Grinch treats. They said the presentation of this Grinch dessert with the green color and red hearts is super festive. And the loved the delicious flavor of this special Christmas fudge. They appreciated how simple it is to make this easy recipe.
If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.
Grinch Fudge
- Total Time: 2 Hours 20 Minutes
- Yield: 16 Servings 1x
Description
Grinch fudge is the perfect holiday treat! A rich white-chocolate fudge is flavored with vanilla, dyed a lime green, and decorated with red candy hearts. Prep these easy Grinch desserts in 20 minutes then chill until set.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Ghirardelli white chocolate chips, from 2 (11-ounce) bags
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, (NOT evaporated milk)
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract*
- 2 drops AmeriColor green gel food coloring**
- 16 large red candy hearts
Instructions
Recipe Prep: Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Add the white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk (use a skinny spatula to scrape out every last drop) to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Warm the mixture slowly, stirring often, until it’s melted and smooth. Be careful not to let it burn!
- Stir in the vanilla extract and green food coloring.
- Transfer the Grinch fudge mixture to the prepared pan, and spread it into a smooth, even layer. Work quickly as the chocolate will begin to set as soon as you remove it from heat. While the fudge is still soft, press red candy hearts onto the surface. I put the hearts in 4 rows of 4, so that when I slice the Grinch dessert each square will have 1 heart. Put the pan into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or until it’s firm and completely set.
- Once the fudge has set, use the edges of the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a sharp, flat-bladed knife to cut it into squares. Arrange the Grinch treats on a platter. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
*Clear vanilla extract: For best results, use clear vanilla. Not amber-colored vanilla. But if amber-colored vanilla is all you have on hand, it will work with the Avocado and Electric Green colors.
**AmeriColor Gel food coloring: For the perfect Grinch color we use 1 drop AmeriColor Avocado, and 1 drop AmeriColor Electric Green. However, if you prefer (super-bright) neon-green colored fudge, use clear vanilla extract and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Electric Green.
If your fudge is too sweet: Add a pinch of salt to tamp down sweetness and balance the flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Chill Time: 2 Hours
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Grinch Fudge 👉🏻 Join the Conversation
Are you excited to make this Christmas fudge? Will you be making a batch for yourself and another batch for gifting? Share your thoughts on these special Grinch treats in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
