This delicious church cookbook fudge has a surprising main ingredient: Velveeta

Trust those great grandmas—it works.

I don’t think I’ve ever bought Velveeta in my life—honestly, I was a bit intimidated by it since it’s not something I grew up eating. But when I came across an old-school fudge recipe with this ingredient in it, I practically ran to the store to grab a big block of the orange cheese product so I could make a batch to satisfy both my curiosity and sweet tooth.

The result surprised me, and now I want more.

Where Did Velveeta Cheese Fudge Originate?

Velveeta cheese was invented by the Monroe Cheese Company in 1918 in an effort to salvage scraps of Swiss cheese left over from the production process. The cheese, which takes its name from its velvety texture, was soon transformed into a shelf-stable, more affordable product after Kraft bought the company, and it quickly rose in popularity.

In 1984, Velveeta released a fudge recipe featuring this meltable cheese, though some say the recipe first appeared in church cookbooks decades earlier, like the one I came across on Reddit.

The Reddit recipe calls for massive amounts of powdered sugar and butter (or oleo, aka margarine), plus cocoa powder, vanilla extract, chopped nuts, and, of course, Velveeta. Because I wasn’t sure if I would end up liking this fudge, I decided to follow this viral TikTok version, which uses half the amount of butter, sugar, and cocoa. Aside from the volume differences, the recipe contains the same ingredients and follows the same steps.

How To Make Velveeta Cheese Fudge

Even though this fudge is foolproof, I found it helpful to watch the TikTok video while I made it. First, I cubed 12 ounces of Velveeta and two sticks of cold, unsalted butter, then melted both in a saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes.

While this was happening, I mixed the powdered sugar and cocoa in a large bowl. Like the grandmother-granddaughter duo in the video, I broke out my electric mixer when it was time to blend the wet and dry ingredients—it gets thick fast, and from my prior fudge-making experience, I know it’s important to thoroughly combine the ingredients to achieve the smoothest results.

Lastly, I used a silicone spatula to mix in chopped pecans, and then to scrape the fudge out of the bowl and spread it evenly into a parchment paper-lined baking dish. Finally, I waited while it chilled in the fridge… for an entire four hours.

Why I Love This Recipe

Call me a skeptic, but I didn't have high hopes for this fudge. However, to my surprise, my first bite didn't taste at all like cheese—nor did my tenth. In fact, it was so good that I could hardly stop myself from eating it.

The Velveeta gives the fudge a creamy texture and adds a hint of saltiness that works really well with the chocolate. And the pecans are a must for breaking up the sweetness and smoothness of this fudge—I even sprinkled some on the top to give it even more crunch and a pretty presentation. Between the surprisingly delicious taste and velvety texture, ease of the recipe, and overall appearance, this is a fudge I’d be proud to bring to a potluck.