Buttered Rum Fudge

This indulgent white chocolate fudge is flavored with spiced rum and sprinkled with ground cinnamon, giving it the comforting taste of hot buttered rum.

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About Buttered Rum Fudge

I love gifting food during the holidays (because, hey, that’s what us foodies do) and one of my all-time favorites to gift is fudge. I may be a little biased, but I really think it’s one of the best food gifts. It’s easy to make, keeps well, and can be made in tons of flavors.

I already have a few favorite fudge recipes up my sleeve, but this buttered rum fudge has quickly become my new obsession. It’s got that perfect blend of white chocolate fudge and hot buttered rum that brings out all the best memories of the holidays.

What’s in buttered rum fudge?

In order to make these indulgent squares of buttered rum goodness, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• White chocolate – The delicious flavor that creates the base of this fudge.
• Sweetened condensed milk and salted butter – Adds smooth creaminess and delicious flavor to the fudge.
• Rum – The star of the show! You can use any type of rum that you’d like, but a spiced rum would work best. Dark rum would taste more potent and light rum would leave a very mild flavor.
• Vanilla and salt – For adding and enhancing the flavors.
• Ground cinnamon – Totally optional but adds festive flavor and is an easy decoration when sprinkled on top of the fudge. You could also substitute this for nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.

Can you use rum extract instead of real rum?

If you’d rather use rum extract as opposed to real rum, you totally can – but keep in mind that extract is more concentrated than rum, so you’ll need to use less of it to get the same flavor.

Given the above, you can use about two teaspoons of rum extract to substitute the two tablespoons of real rum in this recipe.

What type of chocolate should you use?

There are many different brands of chocolate chips – even some made by popular candy companies – but from my experience, the best chocolate for baking, fudges, or truffles is Ghirardelli. It consistently performs well while baking, has a great texture (never chalky), and has a delicious flavor. This brand is a little more expensive, but trust me, you’ll appreciate the flavor and consistency you’ll get from the premium quality.

You can find their white chocolate bar or white chocolate chips either in the bakery aisle of most grocery stores or you can buy it online.

The chocolate seized! What happened?

If you found that the chocolate seized (or in other words, became so firm that it could no longer be stirred), this is usually caused by one of two things:

Cause #1 – Adding the extract directly to the melted chocolate/candy that’s not fully melted. There’s a lot of baking chemistry going on here, but in short, you want to avoid adding alcohol (which extracts essentially are) directly to melted chocolate candy because the water and fats will react, causing them to separate, leaving you with a grainy, hard mixture.

How to fix it: While this is an easy mistake to make, it can be salvaged – you just need a lot of elbow grease. Gentle heat and persistent stirring should get the chocolate back to a workable texture. You can also try mixing in a tablespoon or two of boiling water to loosen it up.

Cause #2 – Adding water-based food coloring to the melted chocolate/candy. Chocolate is made of a mixture of fat and dry particles, and any contact with water will cause the dry particles to become moist and stick together, resulting in a hard, gritty paste.

How to fix it: Unlike with the extract, there is no saving melted candy that’s seized due to contact with water (even the smallest amount). You would have to start over. To avoid this, use oil-based food coloring instead.

How should fudge be stored?

When it comes to fudge, it should remain good for up to two to three weeks in a sealed container. The texture of the fudge may change over time, but you have some control over this depending on how you store it:

In the refrigerator – Keeping fudge chilled ensures that it stays firm and won’t become messy to eat. However, the chilled environment will slowly draw out the moister in the fudge, which could result in a crumbly texture over time. Despite this, storing fudge in the refrigerator is still the way I personally recommend.

On the counter – Storing fudge on the counter ensures that it’s always accessible and has a soft texture, but some fudge may soften too much (or appear to “melt”) over time. However, this doesn’t always happen; it all depends on the exact temperature of the room. So when storing fudge this way, be sure to keep it in a cool, dark place. It’s also best to wrap or separate each piece of fudge with plastic wrap or wax paper so that the fudge does not stick together.

How long is fudge good for?

When stored in a sealed container, this buttered rum fudge should remain good for up to two to three weeks.

Can you freeze fudge?

Yes, you totally can! Fudge can be frozen for up to three months.

To freeze fudge, be sure to store it properly. You can either:

• For best results, do not cut the fudge and instead freeze the whole block, storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Cut the fudge once thawed and ready to eat.
• If the fudge has already been cut, wrap each individual piece in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag.

How to tell if fudge has gone bad

If you’ve had your fudge for a while, you can tell it’s past its prime if it either:

• Feels hard, dried out, or crumbles easily.
• If the fudge appears to be “melting” (without heat) or has a slimy texture. If freshly made fudge is doing this, try storing it in the refrigerator.

Notes & tips for this buttered rum fudge

• Because fudge should be mixed quickly to ensure that all the ingredients incorporate, I recommend measuring all ingredients out before you begin.
• For “cleaner” cuts of fudge, trim off the uneven edges before cutting the squares of fudge. You’ll lose fudge this way (it can still be eaten!) but you’ll gain a prettier presentation.

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How to make buttered rum fudge

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Heat the white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl until the chocolate is smooth.

Step 2 – Add the rum, vanilla, and salt, then stir until it’s completely incorporated.

Step 3 – Pour the fudge mixture into an 8×8 baking dish lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then use a spatula to smooth out the top. If desired, sprinkle the top of the wet fudge with ground cinnamon.

Step 4 – Refrigerate and let set!

Step 5 – Remove fudge from the baking dish, peel away the foil, then cut into 1-inch squares (or whatever size you prefer).

Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!