Happy National Fudge Day — a legitimate excuse to indulge ourselves with this delicious treat! Can anyone eat fudge without smiling? I don’t think it’s possible. So today, I recommend purchasing some delectable fudge from a local eatery or making it at home with your kids! (Or on your own . . . whatever works best for you.)
Let’s face it, sometimes we just want to eat the yummy treat without having to do all the work to prepare it. So where should we venture out to purchase some of today’s celebratory treat as our reward for another school year completed? Thankfully, Charleston has you covered.
Local Fudge Shops
- The Fudgery (90 N Market Street in Downtown Charleston)
Located in the Charleston Market, you will find some amazing fudge here. With their roots taking place in the Outer Banks, their claim to fame is “no shortcuts” and they use only the “very best ingredients.” With the name “Fudgery” you can be sure they know what they’re doing. My family and I were able to watch the fudge being made here one morning and we learned so much! They love to show their skills and process, so drop in and ask when you can see them hard at work!
- Kilwins (59 S Market Street in Downtown Charleston)
Kilwins is such a treat; the smell of this place alone will have you drooling. They sell Mackinac Island Fudge, with original recipes created by Don and Katy Kilwin. Their best seller is the chocolate, but I have read that their Turtle Fudge and Sea Salt Caramel flavors are also incredible.
- River Street Sweets (100 N Market Street in Downtown Charleston and 4840 Tanger Outlet Blvd in North Charleston, Suite 821)
This candy store from Savannah, GA has been making homemade southern sweets now for 50 years. Southern Living even dubbed their fudge as a top food to find and enjoy. With two locations in Charleston, you can check them out for yourself!
- Savannah’s Candy Kitchen of Charleston (32A N. Market Street, Downtown Charleston)
If you are in the mood for chocolate fudge or chocolate fudge with pecans, look no further than the Candy Kitchen of Charleston. They make all of their fudge in-house daily with their passed-down family recipes. They recommend trying the Vanilla Praline flavor, and their chocolate and chocolate peanut butter flavors are also big hits! Located in the Charleston Market, you can probably just follow the sweet smell until you find it. Try not to eat it all in one sitting.
- Sweet Julep’s (1321 Theater Dr. in Mount Pleasant)
This is a family-owned business re-creating the old-fashioned original fudge recipes we all love. They make gourmet fudge in 10 different flavors, with a build-your-own 3-piece sampler box option. They will be featuring German Chocolate Cake Fudge on Friday, June 16th (in addition to all of the other amazing flavors that they sell). They will also be running a special today: Buy one pound of fudge and get a free fudge mini loaf! Stop by and check it out! You will not be disappointed!
DIY Fudge Recipe
If you don’t feel like driving around town for some sweet fudge, why not try making it at home? I will never forget the time my mom and I made a batch of peanut butter fudge together when I was a kid. Not only was it fairly easy to make, but it was so good! We may have eaten it all by ourselves.
There are so many recipes online for all kinds of fudge, some sweeter than others. So look around and see which one sounds good to you and give it a try!
One recipe I found online is “Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge” by Barefeet in the Kitchen. It only needs four ingredients which many of us have at home, and you can make it on the stovetop or in the microwave! (And if you’re looking for another flavor, her website has several that sound equally as amazing as this one.) I have copied and pasted the recipe below with both microwave and stovetop directions:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of butter
- 1 cup of creamy peanut butter (or cashew butter)
- 1 tsp. of Vanilla
- 5 cups of powdered sugar
Microwave Directions:
- Combine the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in a glass bowl and melt in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir to combine; it should come together very quickly and be smooth and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar a cup or so at a time. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Grease an 8-9″ pan with butter or line with parchment. Transfer the fudge mixture to the pan and press into the pan. Chill for at least 4 hours before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Stovetop Directions:
- Combine the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to combine; it should come together very quickly and be smooth and creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the powdered sugar a cup or so at a time. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Grease an 8-9″ pan with butter or line with parchment. Transfer the fudge mixture to the pan and press into the pan. Chill for at least 4 hours before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
So whether you are having a fun day out with your family, or making a mess with powdered sugar at home, I hope you are able to enjoy this amazing southern treat with those you love!
