Learn how to make real traditional fudge with this Small Batch Creamy Lemon Fudge recipe made in a loaf pan. It’s a sweet and tangy flavor in every bite!
Fudge. Real, homemade, use a candy thermometer fudge.
I finally did it!
Usually I end up cheating and let the ingredients make the fudge (otherwise known as easy fudge), but this time, I finally conquered the technique.
I made Small Batch Creamy Lemon fudge made with real lemons. No lemon extract required!
Real, traditional fudge is made by boiling together milk and sugar until the temperature reaches 235-240F, which is known as the soft ball stage in candy making.
This ensures the fudge sets up and becomes firm after cooling.
Then you stir in your flavorings before transferring to a loaf pan to harden into candy.
It isn’t hard to do; really it comes down to patience and an accurate cooking thermometer.
As long as you follow my directions, you will soon have Small Batch Creamy Lemon Fudge to eat!
Fudge has always been a huge enemy of mine.
I remember years ago I wanted to make pumpkin fudge. Little did I know what I was getting into to, I found a recipe and made it.
After it cooled, I cried. It barely set and could only have been eaten by a spoon.
That’s when I learned how precise fudge making is. That bringing it to a rolling boil wasn’t enough; it had to reach at least 234 degrees on a candy thermometer.
You also don’t stir the fudge once it’s boiling; otherwise, sugar crystals will reform. This is why fudge can often have a gritty texture because the sugar recrystalized.
And even if you do reach 234 degrees, factors you can’t control such as the weather can make or break your recipe.
I was so nervous in making lemon fudge.
What if I did all that work and it failed yet again?
After I poured the mixture into my pan, I anxiously checked on it often as it cooled. Slowly, it started to harden. The fudge was turning into, well, fudge!
I breathed a sigh of relief as I made a mess cutting it.
I toyed with the idea of making rocky road fudge because it is my mom’s favorite, but with the dreary weather and chilly days ahead, I wanted to brighten it up a bit with some citrus.
The texture is creamy melt-in-your-mouth goodness with a huge tang of lemon flavor, which comes from the zest of real lemons. You definitely don’t need lemon extract (more on that in a bit).
I did add some food coloring to emphasis this is indeed lemon fudge since it’s not naturally bright yellow.
You certainly don’t need food coloring if you’re not worried about presentation. Naturally it comes out a pale yellow.
The original recipe called for lemon extract, but I found most people don’t have this in their pantry, including myself.
You can substitute lemon zest for lemon extract, so I added a lot more than I would typically use.
Do not try to substitute lemon juice because the extra liquid and acidity may prevent the fudge from firming up after cooling.
I also substituted heavy whipping cream for evaporated milk. Sometimes when I’m in the mood to make fudge, I don’t have canned evaporated milk. And if I do, I don’t use the whole can.
However, I almost always have heavy cream on hand, so it was a natural fit.
You definitely need a candy thermometer, preferably with a digital face (I bought this one).
If you are without one, you can test the mixture using the soft ball stage test.
I made a small batch of fudge in a loaf pan because by nature, fudge is almost sickly sweet. That means most people can only eat a small square before the sugar rush hits.
Depending on how big you cut your pieces, you can make anywhere from 12 to 16 squares.
More Fudge Recipes
Small Batch Creamy Lemon Fudge
Learn how to make real traditional fudge with this Small Batch Creamy Lemon Fudge recipe made in a loaf pan. It's a sweet and tangy flavor in every bite!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk
- 4 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup butter (2 ounces or 4 tablespoons), cut into 4 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (roughly 2 lemons)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Few drops of yellow food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Have all of your mise en place (ingredients) prepped before starting.
- In a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cream/milk. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until it reaches a rolling boil.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and boil until a candy thermometer reaches 234F degrees, about 5 minutes. Do not stir. If it begins to brown, turn the heat down to low, ensuring it's still at a boil.
- Once the mixture reaches 234F degrees, remove from the heat. Using a rubber spatula, immediately stir in white chocolate, butter, lemon zest, and vanilla until the chocolate and butter are fully melted. The mixture should be thick and smooth. If you want a brighter color, stir in the food coloring.
- Immediately transfer to the pan and spread into an even layer. Let cool until firm, 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour chilled. Remove from the pan and cut into squares.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Stacy says
I always thought that fudge implied chocolate, Carla! This looks delicious and I have to say, lemon always cheers me up. Good job on conquering your nemesis. :)
Alex says
Nice one. I fell in love with Fudge in my first time in the Foodie Penpals programme, and I’ve always had it around the house since. I’d love to try and make some – I wonder if in small doses it can act as a “limoncello replacement” for kids in the middle of a heavy meal…
[email protected] & Trinkets says
Mmm, yum. I’ve never had lemon fudge before, but I do love me some citrus
Susan says
I’m not a huge fudge fan but I think I could get behind a lemon version. Yum! Also, nice background. ;-)
LauraD says
Oh my goodness, I love lemon desserts. This looks divine. I thought I would go on a baking break after the holidays, but I may have to make this soon
[email protected] says
Carla
Your lemon fudge looks divine! Fudge is a fickle beast. One Christmas about 10 years ago I made about 6 batches trying to find one that had the texture and taste from a childhood memory. I never did find the right recipe!
[email protected] says
Lemon Fudge is on my bucket list too. I’ve made all sorts of chocolate fudges but have never ventured out of my flavor comfort zone. You should probably send me a sample of this, just so I can see if it tastes as wonderful as it sounds ;-)
Katie says
So interesting! I have never had lemon flavored fudge before, but I definitely would like to try!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says
This fudge looks impossibly creamy, and the lemon makes it so much more interesting, something to cut through all the sweetness. No wonder you had it in your list, it´s simply gorgeous!
Jen @JuanitasCocina says
Well, this is lemon, and you know…
Nicole @ The Daily Dish says
Oh wow. Just wow. You had me at fudge and then I just jumped right in with the lemon! Wow!
Chris Baccus says
I really should make these after my neighbor just dropped off a bag of lemons from her tree.
Wendy (The Weekend Gourmet) says
Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, so I would LOVE a piece (…or two) of this gorgeous fudge! Cheers to foodie bucket list success!!!!
Renee says
I have to say that is the prettiest color of fudge I have ever seen. Congratulations on your fudge success. I knew you could do it!
kelly @ kellybakes says
I love lemon and fudge and had no idea that lemon fudge existed. But these gorgeous photos have shown me otherwise. I love that the white balance is warm. It reminds me of lemons and sunshine (aka somewhere that is not my freezing apartment!). And much kudos and congrats to you for tackling thermometer fudge–candymaking is super tricky!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
You make me wonder how all the places at the a jersey Shore turn out batch after batch everyday so consistently. I love the lemon and white chocolate. So unique!
Sarah Reid, RHNC (@jo_jo_ba) says
ooh! now i know what to do next xmas!
Tara says
I can say I have never had lemon fudge before but I know I would adore it. As always your pictures are great!!
sunithi says
Just made some white chocolate fudge over the weekend & came out good. These look super yummy .. I will try them. Bet family will love them :)
Family Foodie says
Carla…all I can say is just spectacular!!!! From the recipe to the photography… beautiful!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I’ve eaten a pan of fudge with a spoon on a few occasions – not much to brag about. :) I love the color of this fudge and I’m going to make it for Easter baskets. It looks perfect!
Shannon @VillageGirlBlog says
This is so pretty! I have never been very successful with fudge, mine tend to be a bit gritty not the wonderful smooth melt and your mouth goodness that is fudge. Good job!
Emily @ Life on Food says
I haven’t heard of lemon fudge…ever! What a wonderful color.
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
Love it! Your fudge looks absolutely perfect. So when can I come over to get the leftovers?
Allison Day says
No doubt about it, I’m definitely going to have to make this. My mom loves fudge, and loves lemon-flavored things, but I don’t think she’s ever had lemon fudge before… plus I made some homemade lemon extract last month, so this is the perfect way to use it! :D
Cindys Recipes says
I love making candy, but it is always nerve wracking for me! Usually it good but those other times…..well you know! :)
Medeja says
Sounds and looks just too good.. I must make it!
Linda | The Urban Mrs says
Congrats, Carla. Those fundge look fresh and inviting, especially with lemon in it. Ok, I need to add this on my bucket list.
Megan says
Double YUM! I have never had lemon fudge but I want to try it now!
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
Lemon fudge! I must have some. It looks amazing.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Oh, Carla, fudge is way too technical and fussy for me to make at home. Good on ya for conquering this! It looks absolutely perfect – so creamy, luscious and bright. I would totally welcome something refreshing like this right now – it’s so dreary outside, I could use a hit of lemony fudge.
Laura | Small Wallet, Big Appetite says
So this year I am determined that I will conquer fudge. And I am going to start with this because my husband’s favourite flavour is lemon and he would be absolutely thrilled if I could master this one.
Jessica says
Wow these are a great idea. My mother loves lemon and fudge but I’d never had the idea to put them together. I’ll have to try this for her upcoming birthday. Thanks for sharing!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
oh, I love that you made LEMON fudge!!! Love this!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
I’ve never heard of lemon fudge! It sounds fantastic – melt in your mouth wonderfulness!! Love.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says
I love fudge!! Your version looks great. So glad that you tackled this and beat it!
krugthethinker says
Cool! I’ve never seen lemon fudge before, but it looks awesome! Great idea to tackle something you’ve never gotten around to. For me it might be a souffle!
Sarah says
WoW! is all I can say Carla! I have never made fudge and I don’t know if I will ever have confidence in my baking skills to try one but this sure looks good! And I can just see the creamyness oozing!
Joey says
that fudge looks amazing. And you make it sound really simple :D
Peter says
These look fantastic! Can you store them outside the fridge and what would the shelf life be?
Thank you
Carla says
Yes you can store it outside of the fridge. The only time I store it in the fridge is when it’s super hot out during the summer and the fudge gets soft. For the shelf life, candy typically lasts longer than most desserts, so best guess is 1-2 weeks if stored properly in an airtight container.
Jonny says
Normally when I make fudge I aim for 114-115°C (237-239°F) and so I was doubtful about only heating to 234°F/112°C. I thought perhaps the chocolate would help it to set more easily, but it didn’t, and so I ended up with a gloopy mess (albeit a delicious one)! I then had to remelt the mixture and dissolve it in some more evaporated milk and heat it to 115°C, before waiting till it cooled to 60°C/140°F before beating it and scraping it out into a tin, wasting a fair amount in the process.
Aside from the issue with the temperature, the recipe is fantastic. I did add a little maple syrup for more flavour and some baking soda to get the mixture to boil up nice and high (my thermometer needs to be submerged a fair amount to get a decent reading).
Carla says
I’m sorry to hear the fudge didn’t set up correctly for you. Candy making can be a bit fickle because there are external factors we can’t control, such as weather. I would also make sure your thermometer is calibrated correctly. Being a few degrees off would make a huge difference in fudge making.
Jonny says
Thanks for replying! I’m not sure it was the weather – I just had a look at some data online, and the air pressure over here has been pretty much average over the past few days. I don’t think it was my thermometer either; I calibrated it with boiling water a few weeks ago.
No other fudge recipe I’ve seen has asked for anything as low as 112°C. Perhaps it was the type of chocolate I used. Do you heat all your fudge mixtures to this temperature?
It’s not a massive deal though; I still managed to end up with a decent amount of yummy lemon fudge at the end. My sisters and I just had the last few pieces today, as a matter of fact!
Carla says
Most of my fudge recipes can be made without a candy thermometer due to the ingredients used (known as foolproof fudge). This one is a more traditional recipe because it’s lemon, which is hard to turn into foolproof fudge.
Jen says
Can I ask what the equivelant weight is for a ‘cup’ or what sized cup you are using??
thanks
Carla says
The weight varies depending on the item, like the weight of flour would differ from the weight of chocolate chips. The cup sizes are listed in the ingredient list. This is the measuring cup set I use if that helps http://amzn.to/2j1youv
Jen says
Thanks for your reply Carla, but that link isn’t working for me… I have quite large mugs, so don’t want to get the measurements wrong by putting too much in!! :)
Carla says
When you say mugs, are you referring to coffee mugs or actual dry ingredient measuring cups? I see you’re from the UK based on your email, so I want to make sure nothing is lost in translation! You may need to copy and paste the link into your browser if it’s not a clickable link. Or you can google “OXO Good Grips 6-Piece Measuring Cup Set”.
Jen says
A le cruset mug – like a coffee mug – I don’t have a dry ingredient cup… :(
Carla says
Oh you definitely need dry measuring cups for this. Candy making is a science, so the wrong measurements would result in a failed recipe. I don’t know the weight of each item, so you’ll have to do some research and converting for that.