Slow cooker Irish whiskey fudge is rich, creamy, and easy to make with just four ingredients. Dark chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and Irish whiskey melt into a glossy, grown-up treat with no candy thermometer required. Cut it into small squares—they are rich.
Why You’ll Love It
- Just four ingredients — chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, Irish whiskey, and butter.
- No candy thermometer needed — the slow cooker handles the melting.
- Rich and creamy — chilled fudge has a dense, smooth texture.
- Easy to make ahead — it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredient Notes
Semi-sweet chocolate chips melt reliably and give classic fudge sweetness without making the whole thing taste overly sweet. Chopped dark chocolate works too, and bittersweet chocolate creates a slightly less sweet bite.
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Sweetened condensed milk is not evaporated milk. The cans look enough alike to cause trouble in a hurry. The thick, sweet version is needed here.
For the whiskey, use Irish whiskey. Nothing fancy is required; the whiskey adds warmth and depth to the chocolate.
And butter—real unsalted butter. Only two tablespoons are needed, plus a bit for greasing the foil. Salted butter would probably work, but do not add extra salt unless the chocolate is especially sweet.
Ingredients
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (about 18 ounces; I generally use chips because they’re already sitting in the pantry)
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk, 14 ounces each
- 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing the foil
Instructions
Line two small foil trays or loaf pans with aluminum foil, leaving enough hanging over the sides to lift the fudge out later. Butter the foil lightly. Do not skip that part unless peeling tiny, stubborn scraps of foil off dessert sounds appealing.
Set a small or medium slow cooker to LOW and add the chocolate, both cans of sweetened condensed milk, and the 2 tablespoons of butter. It will look like far too much chocolate at first. It isn’t.
Cover the slow cooker and let everything warm on LOW for about 45 minutes. Leave it alone for the first 20 minutes without stirring so the chocolate has time to soften gently. Keep the lid on.
After about 45 minutes, remove the lid and stir slowly but thoroughly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the crock. The mixture should be mostly melted, thick, and shiny. If firm pieces of chocolate remain, cover it again and continue on LOW in 10-minute increments, stirring after each stretch, until it is completely smooth.
Turn off the slow cooker, or switch it to WARM, and let the fudge sit uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir it once or twice while it cools slightly. This matters because adding the whiskey when the mixture is screaming hot can send off some of that lovely flavor.
Stir in the 1/4 cup Irish whiskey steadily until it is fully incorporated. The fudge may tighten up when the cooler whiskey hits the warm chocolate mixture—don’t panic. Keep stirring, scrape the corners, and it will turn glossy and smooth again.
Immediately scrape the fudge into the prepared foil-lined pans, dividing it as evenly as possible. Spread it into the corners and smooth the top with a spatula.
Let the pans sit at room temperature until the fudge cools and firms, about 2 to 3 hours depending on how warm the kitchen is.
Once the fudge has cooled, refrigerate the pans for at least 1 more hour for cleaner cuts and that dense, creamy texture. Longer chilling is fine.
Lift the set fudge from the pans using the foil overhang and place it on a cutting board. Peel back the foil and cut into thick, small squares with a sharp knife. Wipe the knife with a warm, damp cloth between cuts for neat edges.
Variations
For a milder whiskey flavor, use 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey and replace the other 2 tablespoons with heavy cream or milk. It keeps the texture creamy without quite as much of that warm little whiskey kick.
For a stronger version, increase the whiskey to 1/3 cup, though the fudge will be a bit softer and really should stay chilled.
Swap half the semi-sweet chocolate for bittersweet or 70% dark chocolate for a darker, less-sweet fudge. A pinch of flaky salt over the top before it sets is awfully good. Pecans work well too.
Storage & Reheating
Store the fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, with parchment or wax paper between the layers so the squares do not stick together.
There is no reheating involved, thank goodness. Remove however many pieces are needed and let them sit on the counter for a few minutes. Straight from the refrigerator, they are firmer and almost truffle-like. At cool room temperature, they soften into a creamy, fudgy bite.
Label the container clearly. “Chocolate squares” is not enough information.
Final Notes
Make these for dark chocolate and a little warmth in dessert. Make them because the slow cooker has been shoved above the refrigerator for months and deserves a purpose besides collecting dust.
Just cut them small. I’m serious about that part.
Slow Cooker Irish Whiskey Fudge
Ingredients
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate About 18 ounces
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces each; do not substitute evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Plus a little extra for greasing the foil
Instructions
- Line two small foil trays or loaf pans with aluminum foil, leaving enough foil hanging over the sides to lift out the fudge later, and butter the foil lightly.
- Set a small or medium slow cooker to LOW and add the chocolate, both cans of sweetened condensed milk, and the 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Cover the slow cooker and warm the mixture on LOW for about 45 minutes, leaving it undisturbed for the first 20 minutes so the chocolate can soften gently.
- Remove the lid and stir slowly but thoroughly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the crock; if firm chocolate pieces remain, cover and continue on LOW in 10-minute increments until completely smooth.
- Turn off the slow cooker or switch it to WARM, leave the fudge uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, and stir once or twice while it cools slightly.
- Stir in the Irish whiskey steadily until fully incorporated, continuing to scrape the corners until the mixture becomes glossy and smooth again.
- Immediately scrape the fudge into the prepared foil-lined pans, divide it evenly, spread it into the corners, and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Let the pans sit at room temperature until the fudge cools and firms, about 2 to 3 hours depending on the warmth of the kitchen.
- Refrigerate the pans for at least 1 more hour for cleaner cuts and a dense, creamy texture.
- Lift the set fudge from the pans using the foil overhang, place it on a cutting board, peel back the foil, and cut the fudge into thick, small squares with a sharp knife, wiping the knife with a warm, damp cloth between cuts.
