Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Just like the packaged ones but with a lighter sweetness.
Texture: Ultra chewy, fudgy, and soft. Perfect.
Ease: Very easy – you’ll just dirty a few bowls.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: Improved from-scratch version of a favorite childhood treat.
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As a kid, there were many packaged treats I loved. Cosmic Brownies. Nutter Butters. Little Debbie’s Fudge Rounds.
I have previously recreated the Cosmic Brownie recipe, Oreo Cookies recipe, and Homemade Pop Tarts, all with stellar results – so it seemed only fitting that I move on to Homemade Fudge Rounds!
Actually, I had all but forgotten that Fudge Rounds existed until shopping at Target during this recent back-to-school season.
All the end caps were piled high with packaged treats for lunch boxes, and it inspired me to tackle a new copycat/from scratch version.
Which sweet snack was your favorite?
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Homemade Fudge Rounds
What are Fudge Rounds?
Little Debbie Fudge Rounds are fudgy round chocolate cookies, sandwiched together with chocolate buttercream. Think Whoopie Pies, but richer and fudgier! A box of these treats can be found at pretty much any American grocery or convenience store.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Fudge Rounds Recipe:
- Super fudgy, decadent, soft chocolate cookies
- Sandwiched together with silky smooth chocolate buttercream
- Drizzled with melted chocolate for a cute (and tasty!) finishing touch of chocolate stripes on top
These will satisfy any chocolate craving. Seriously decadent and chocolaty without being too rich, these Fudge Rounds will be a crowd-pleaser at any picnic or BBQ, or a hit with the kids after their first day back to school!
Store Bought vs. Homemade Fudge Rounds
Nostalgic, store-bought Fudge Rounds are much too sweet and artificial tasting for me nowadays. When you make them from scratch, you can get extra generous with the amount of filling. See what I mean in the photo below comparing the homemade vs. store-bought cookies:
Do I Have to Use Corn Syrup?
Corn syrup is an invert sugar, which means it is liquid at room temperature. Invert sugars prevent grains of sugar from recrystallizing as the cookie cools. Essentially, that little bit of corn syrup in this recipe creates a texture that’s bendy and chewy, giving us the soft, fudgy texture we want with these cookies! I don’t recommend skipping it for this reason. You can use the same amount of golden syrup if needed.
Which Cocoa Powder Should I Use?
- High-fat cocoa powder really elevates any chocolate recipe, and these Fudge Rounds are no exception.
- Read more about my experiments with cocoa powder in my Most Important Thing to Know About Cocoa Powder article.
- If you can’t get your hands on the really high-end natural/unsweetened cocoa powder, I recommend seeking out Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder for both the cookies and the filling. It’s available at most supermarkets or even Target, and it gives a really delicious, smooth chocolaty flavor without breaking the bank.
- I don’t recommend using Dutch-process cocoa powder in this recipe as we are using baking soda as the leavener here. You can read more about the differences between Natural and Dutch-Process Cocoa Powders here.
How to Assemble Homemade Fudge Rounds:
- Make the cookie dough and bake the cookies.
- Decorate the cookies.
- Make the filling.
- Assemble the cookie sandwiches.
- Enjoy with a glass of milk!
Can Fudge Rounds be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can make Fudge Rounds ahead of time and fill and serve the following day – but they keep beautifully in the fridge, assembled, for several days. They even freeze well – more information on that below.
How Long do Homemade Fudge Rounds Last?
Store assembled Fudge Rounds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 5 days (they’re even more delicious chilled!). Pro tip: the colder they are when serving, the more fudgy they’ll be!
Can you Freeze Homemade Fudge Rounds?
Yes, and they taste amazing frozen! Freeze assembled Fudge Rounds in an airtight container, wrapped individually in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month. Enjoy frozen, or thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
More Copycat Recipes You’ll Love:
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Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at cool room temperature
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (159 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (32 grams) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the chocolate drizzle:
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) milk chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
For the filling:
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (11 grams) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons warm water (about 100°F)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple times, until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, corn syrup, and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Beat on low until combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Using a 1 ½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, drop balls of dough on baking sheets and bake until the cookies are slightly puffed up and the edges are set, about 8 to 9 minutes. Remove baking sheets to cooling racks and remove cookies after a few minutes to continue cooling. Cookies will flatten as they cool.
Decorate the cookies:
- For the chocolate drizzle, microwave milk chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth. Drizzle or pipe on top of each cookie. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, at least a half hour.
Make the filling:
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sifted cocoa powder and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the warm water and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Pipe or spread filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Gently press another cookie on top of the filling.
- Serve or store assembled Fudge Rounds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. The colder the Fudge Rounds are when serving, the more fudgy they’ll be!
Notes
This post was originally published in 2015 and recently updated with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
These are always a hit. I love them straight from the fridge/freezer, it just makes them even more fudgy!
These are delicious!! Ate them cold and they are soooo fudgy and rich. Will definitely be making these again.
Scrumptious! Fudgy and soft. A total crowd pleaser. Takes some time, but not complicated. They look and taste impressive.
An easy recipe that is so nostalgic!
These are so good, soft just the right amount of sweetness. Hard to stop at just one.
These were easy to make and yes there were a few more bowls to clean but so worth the end result. My husband that has a sweet tooth said he could only eat one because it was like eating a slice of cake, which means a 2 thumbs up. I followed the directions to the “tee” and will make these again very soon.
These were easier to make than I thought! Delicious!
I never had the store bought version of these, but this homemade version is amazing! So fudgy, especially when they are cold.
These were me and my family’s favorite recipe so far from all of the challenge bakes and were so surprisingly easy!
That makes us so happy to hear, yay!
These were delicious; I put a little less filling because I was concerned it would be too sweet, but I could have used it all and the balance actually would have been better.
These were delicious and the recipe was easy to follow. A little disappointed with the cookie portion as they turned out quite thin and fragile.
These were such a treat to make. My kids loved them!