Rocky road fudge is my ultimate no-bake chocolate treat. It’s creamy, peanut-buttery, loaded with pillowy marshmallows, and finished with a satisfying peanut crunch. Each rocky road candy bar is a unique journey through contrasting textures–so fun! With just a saucepan, a few pantry staples, and a little chill time, it’s so easy to make this candy shop favorite right at home.
Rocky Road Candy Bars
My quick and easy rocky road fudge recipe keeps the classic candy flavor but adds a couple of tricks that make it foolproof. I blend creamy peanut butter with semisweet chocolate chips and butter to form a smooth, rich base, adding maple syrup and sweetened condensed milk to keep it soft and chewy even after chilling. Mini marshmallows stay fluffy instead of melting away, giving each bite that perfect “rocky” texture. And the peanuts? They bring just the right amount of salt and crunch to balance all that chocolatey sweetness.
These rocky road candy bars are perfect for late-night snacking and holiday gifting. They stay soft for days, and they freeze well, too!
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Use Cold Butter and Low Heat for Even Melting
One of my best candy-making secrets is starting with cold butter straight from the fridge and melting everything over medium-low heat. This gentle approach keeps the chocolate from scorching, ensures a silky-smooth texture, and makes this rocky road fudge recipe more forgiving for beginners. I tested this side-by-side with the quick, high-heat method, and the slow, cold-butter version won every time for flavor and consistency.
Rocky Road Fudge Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×9-inch Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (1 bag – about 2 cups)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter *
- 10 tablespoons salted butter (⅝ cup)**
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup ***
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup salted peanuts
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt the semisweet chocolate chips, smooth peanut butter, butter, and maple syrup. Stir often to make sure it melts evenly and combines well.12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 10 tablespoons salted butter, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the sweetened and condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until everything is incorporated evenly, then take off heat and let sit for 2-3 minutes to cool off.¼ cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the mini marshmallows and salted peanuts into the chocolate mixture. Stir everything until evenly combined.3 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup salted peanuts
- Pour mixture into the 9×9 pan and let chill for 2-3 hours or until it firms up and sets before cutting into a 4×5 grid and serving.
Notes
- Chocolate is tricky to heat. The nice thing about this recipe is that the addition of the butter and peanut butter makes the mixture much more predictable and likely to turn out well. Also, when I did this recipe, I used butter from the refrigerator so that it melted slowly into the rest of the chocolate. The consistency turned out beautifully.
- Make sure you have your burner on medium-low heat. If you turn it up too much, it will burn the chocolate and ruin the consistency. It’s going to be difficult to stir in the beginning because the ingredients are thick, but it will become much easier once everything starts to melt.
- Peanuts add delicious crunch and saltiness to balance the chocolate. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, or hazelnuts would also be delish!
- It’s easiest to cut these bars with a clean, hot knife. Run a knife under hot water for 30 seconds, then slice into the bars. Wipe the blade with a clean towel between cuts.
How to Make Rocky Road Fudge Step-by-Step
Gather your Ingredients: Gather up everything you need to get started. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. As with any fudge recipe, this recipe moves quickly, so it’s a good idea to measure everything out ahead of time.
Melt the Chocolate: In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 10 tablespoons of salted butter, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Stir often to make sure it melts evenly and combines well.
Mix the Chocolate: Turn the heat to low and stir in ¼ cup of sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir until everything is incorporated evenly, then take off the heat and let sit for 2-3 minutes to cool off slightly.
Add the Mix-Ins: Add 3 cups of mini marshmallows and 1 cup of salted peanuts into the chocolate mixture. Stir everything until evenly combined. If you add the marshmallows while the mixture is still piping hot, they will melt into the fudge, so make sure you don’t rush this step.
Chill to Set: Pour the fudge mixture into the prepared baking pan, and let it chill for 2-3 hours or until it firms up (you can let it cool at room temperature or chill it in the fridge) and sets before cutting into a 4×5-inch grid and serving.
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover rocky road candy bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours on the counter before enjoying chilled or at room temperature.
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