Kahlua Fudge

Kahlua fudge combines creamy milk chocolate with rich coffee liqueur and a hint of espresso, creating an easy, no-bake treat ready in minutes. Perfect for gatherings or a sweet gift, this fudge is simple to make and packs a unique flavor twist.

Prep Time10

Chill Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Kahlua Fudge Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 71kcal

Ingredients

3 cups milk chocolate chips
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
¼ cup Kahlua rum and coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Line an 8x8 straight sided metal baking pan with parchment paper. Be sure to have a long enough piece to allow enough of the parchment paper to hang over the sides. This will make lifting the Kahlua fudge out of the pan easier after refrigeration for slicing into individual portions.
In a large microwave safe bowl add the milk chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, unsalted butter and instant espresso powder. Be sure to cover as much of the milk chocolate chips as possible with the sweetened condensed milk but do not stir at this point. The butter cubes should be on the top of the other ingredients.
Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Allow the ingredients to sit for 30 seconds in the bowl, to allow the chips to continue to soften, before adding the Kahlua and vanilla extract. Whisk until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and the fudge is smooth. You may need to heat the mixture for an additional 20-30 seconds if needed to get a smooth Kahlua fudge mixture.
Pour the Kahlua fudge into the prepared metal baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Tap the pan on the counter a couple times to force any air bubbles that may be in the fudge to the surface.
Place the Kahlua fudge into the refrigerator to set for a minimum of 4 hours or up to overnight.
Once the fudge has set, and hardened, gently lift the overhanging parchment paper and lift the fudge from the pan. Place the fudge onto a cutting board and slice it into 64 1x1 inch pieces. Plate and serve.

Notes

Be sure to label this fudge as “adults only” as the alcohol from the Kahlua liqueur does not cook off at all when made.
Be sure that you are using instant espresso powder and not just ground espresso beans to add to the recipe. The amount does not give an overwhelming coffee flavor, it just enhances the flavor of the chocolate and Kahlua in the fudge. You can adjust the amount to use a little more, or less, according to your preferences or you can choose to omit it if desired.
Be sure to use a good quality brand of milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand was used for this recipe) as they will melt and taste much better than some of the generic or store brands will.
A 1000 watt microwave was used for melting the chocolate chips for this recipe. You may have to adjust the amount of time, and strength, for your fudge according to the microwave you use.
If you do not have a microwave, you can heat the same ingredients in a double boiler over medium heat until the chips start to melt. Be very careful not to get any moisture from the double boiler into the bowl or it can cause the chocolate chips to seize up when stirring. If this happens, you will need to start over with a new batch of ingredients.
You can not substitute evaporated milk for the sweetened condensed milk in this recipe. They are typically sold in the same sections in the grocery store baking aisle but they are not interchangeable.
You can stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts to the warm fudge mixture before pouring it into the prepared 8x8 pan. You can also sprinkle some extra chopped nuts to the top of the fudge, as a garnish, before refrigerating the Kahlua fudge to set.
You can cut this fudge into larger pieces if desired. I find that if I cut rows of 5x5 it will yield 25 pieces, or 6x6 it will yield 36 pieces of Kahlua fudge from this size pan.

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