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You are here: Home » Recipes » Dessert » Christmas Coal Fudge

Christmas Coal Fudge

Dessert

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Christmas Coal Fudge Pin

Coal fudge – the only kind of coal that you actually want to find in your stocking on Christmas morning!

For more Christmas fudge recipes try my Sugar Cookie Christmas Fudge, Gumdrop Fduge, Chocolate Peppermint Fudge, or Andes Mint Fudge.

Black fudge cut in squares and stacked in a pile. The top piece has a bite taken out of it.

This rich chocolate fudge recipe is based on the classic Never Fail Fudge recipe from the back of the Marshmallow Fluff Jar. It is a classic that you really can’t go wrong with, even when you dye it jet black!

Whoever sees this fudge gets a kick out of how much it resembles a lump of coal. Then they are pleasently surprised to discover how amazing it tastes.

Square pieces of black fudge piled on a white plate with santa and other christmas decorations in the background.

Make a batch of coal fudge to gift to friends, coworkers, or family members. Just place a few pieces of fudge in a cellophane baggie or small treat container and the fudge is ready for gifting.

Or whip up a batch for your Christmas party.

The recipe makes quite a bit of fudge (about 5 pounds) so there is plenty to go around.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need:

  • granulated sugar
  • marshmallow fluff – Look for the larger 16-ounce jar. While I prefer the Marshmallow Fluff brand, another brand of marshmallow creme (such as Jet-Puffed) should work just fine as well.
  • evaporated milk – If you can get your hands on two small 5-ounce cans or a 10-ounce can you can skip the measuring cup. Otherwise grab a 12-ounce can like I usually end up doing and measure out 1 ¼ cups.
  • butter – salted or unsalted butter work for this recipe
  • salt – just a small amount to help offset the sweetness
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips – the better the quality of your chocoalte, the better your fudge will taste.
  • vanilla extract – I always recommend using 100% pure vanilla extract
  • black gel food coloring – to give the fudge its black color (I used this set).

Additions and Variations

  • Top fudge with black sanding sugar to give it a sparkling finish.
  • Add a bit of holiday flavor by swapping the vanilla for a bit of peppermint extract.
Pieces of black fudge stacked on white platter with christmas decor in background.

Tips for the Best Coal Fudge

  • Before beginning, be sure to have all of your ingredients measured out and ready next to the stovetop. Once you begin cooking the fudge you will be glued to the stovetop and stirring constantly.
  • I made this fudge in an 11×15 baking pan. A 9×13 baking pan can be used for thicker pieces. Two 9-inch square pans would work as well.
  • A candy termomether is the best way to know when your fudge is ready to come off the burner. But if you don’t have one you can let it boil for 5 minutes then drop a bit in cold water to see if it has reached the soft-ball stage.
  • You are going to need a good amount of black food coloring to make your fudge black. Don’t skimp on the food coloring or you will end up with gray fudge.

Recipe FAQ

What can I use instead of marshmallow creme/fluff?

Nothing unfortunatly. This is a marshmallow fluff based fudge recipe and it is an essential ingredient. However, if you live where marshmallow creme is not available you can make a simple batch of frosting fudge or any other fudge recipe and add black food coloring to it for the same effect.

Can I use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk?

No, they are two different products and only the evaporated milk will work for this fudge recipe.

More of our Best Christmas Treats

  • Christmas Puppy Chow
  • Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
  • Christmas Popcorn Balls
  • Reindeer Bark
  • Christmas Crack
Black fudge cut in squares and stacked in a pile. The top piece has a bite taken out of it.

Coal Fudge

Coal fudge is a delicious homemade Christmas candy dyed jet-black to look like lumps of coal!
4.48 from 23 votes

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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 80 pieces
Calories: 210kcal
Author: Jaclyn Shimmel
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Ingredients

  • 5 cups sugar
  • 1 16 ounce container marshmallow fluff
  • 1 ¼ cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • black gel food coloring

Instructions

  • Line a 9×13 or 11×15 inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease with butter or a thin layer of non-stick spray. Set aside.
  • In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, stir to melt and combine the sugar, marshmallow fluff, evaporated milk, butter, and salt over medium-low heat. 
  • Once the sugar has dissolved into the mixture, increase the heat to medium and continue stirring as you bring the mixture to a boil. 
  • When it has reached a full boil, continue to cook until the temperature reaches 234-240°F, stirring constantly (about 5 minutes).
  • Remove pot from heat and stir in chocolate chips, vanilla, and food coloring. Mix well until the texture is smooth. Add additional food coloring as needed to reach the desired color.
  • Let the fudge set at room temperature. Use parchment paper to lift fudge from the pan and slice it into squares. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Yield will vary based on the pan used and the size of the pieces.
I made this fudge in an 11×15 baking pan. A 9×13 baking pan can be used for thicker pieces. Two 9-inch square pans would work as well.
Before beginning, be sure to have all of your ingredients measured out and ready next to the stovetop. Once you begin cooking the fudge you will be glued to the stovetop and stirring constantly.
A candy thermometer is the best way to know when your fudge is ready to come off the burner. But if you don’t have one you can let it boil for 5 minutes then drop a bit in cold water to see if it has reached the soft-ball stage.
You are going to need a good amount of black food coloring to make your fudge black. Don’t skimp on the food coloring or you will end up with gray fudge.

Nutrition

Serving: 2pieces | Calories: 210kcal

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please rate the recipe and leave a comment on the blog or share on social media and tag @crayonsandcravings!
Christmas Coal Fudge Pin
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By Jaclyn Shimmel | 12/14/2021
Filed Under: Dessert, Recipes Tagged With: Christmas, Fudge

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Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    10/16/2022 at 5:27 pm

    love it.

    Reply
  2. Debbie says

    10/20/2022 at 12:14 am

    Will the food coloring make it taste different?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      10/20/2022 at 8:52 am

      I don’t notice a difference.

      Reply
  3. Anita says

    10/20/2022 at 8:38 am

    To the person that asked about substituting for mm fluff–you can use narshmallows, i just don’t remember the quantity.

    Reply
  4. Carol Belles says

    11/26/2022 at 8:05 pm

    can this be frozen?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      11/27/2022 at 11:54 am

      yes!

      Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    12/01/2022 at 9:25 pm

    What is the amount of calories?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/01/2022 at 9:49 pm

      I list approximate calories in the recipe card of each of my posts. This recipe has approximately 210 calories in 2 pieces.

      Reply
  6. Anonymous says

    12/03/2022 at 10:10 pm

    Do you think you could sub in dark chocolate morsels instead of semi-sweet?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/04/2022 at 3:05 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  7. Cheryl says

    12/30/2022 at 4:15 pm

    can u freeze this plz if so how long for?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      01/02/2023 at 10:09 am

      Yes, you can freeze this fudge for up to 2-3 months.

      Reply

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