Don’t let the name fool you — there is not an ounce of chocolate in this recipe, but once you taste it you won’t be thinking about “normal” fudge at all. Texas Fudge is one of those beloved regional dishes that has been quietly making the rounds at Lone Star State gatherings for a long while, beloved by anyone lucky enough to have stumbled across it. The name comes from the texture; this stuff is rich, dense, and almost impossibly creamy, like a cross between a crustless quiche and a cheesy casserole that sets up into perfectly sliceable squares. Texas knows what it’s doing, and this recipe is proof.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Texas Fudge?

A short, simple list! You’ll need:

• Eggs.
• Evaporated milk. (This is what gives Texas Fudge its incredibly rich, creamy texture!)
• Garlic powder and onion powder.
• Kosher salt.
• All-purpose flour. (Just enough to bind everything together into those perfect sliceable squares.)
• Sharp cheddar cheese.
• Monterey Jack cheese.
• A can of diced green chiles.
• And sliced jalapeños for topping, if you’d like a little extra heat.

You can play around with the types of cheeses you use, but make sure to grate your own.

Why freshly grated cheese?
Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches and anti-caking agents that can make it harder to melt smoothly and can affect the texture of the final dish. Taking two minutes to grate your own cheese makes a noticeable difference in how creamy the finished Texas Fudge turns out.

How Do You Make Texas Fudge?

It’s simple, but delicious. (Our favorite kind of recipe.) One bowl, a baking dish, and about ten minutes of prep before the oven takes over completely. Here’s how it all comes together:

Whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until smooth, then whisk in the flour until the batter is completely lump-free. Stir in both cheeses and the drained green chiles, then pour the whole mixture into your greased baking dish. If you’re going the jalapeño route, (which I’d encourage) lay the slices over the top before it goes in the oven.

If regular fresh jalapeños are too spicy for you, you can always use “tamed jalapeños”, which you can find next to the olives and other jarred items in the grocery store. They’re more mild, hence the name!

Bake until the edges are just lightly golden and the center is set. Let it cool before slicing it into squares; it needs to firm up a bit in order to slice cleanly. Then, just serve it up like you would regular fudge. (But savory!) Serve it as an appetizer, a side dish, or honestly just straight from the pan. Texas doesn’t judge.