3 Ingredient Cool Whip Candy
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You’ve probably seen those too-perfect photos floating around of “Cool Whip candy”- smooth, glossy, identical chocolate bites that look like they came from a candy factory. Many of those aren’t even real photos and its such a shame. For those of you that have gone to a fake website, with an untested recipe and fake pictures, let that end!
This is what the recipe actually looks like when you make it in a real kitchen with real ingredients and you can make it in your own kitchen quite easily. Scroll below to see exactly how with all my tips on going from AI to reality.
These little candies taste a lot like 3 Musketeers, sweet and chocolatey with a whipped center. The nougat layer isn’t quite as airy as the store-bought bar, but it is close enough to call this a homemade dupe. They only take three ingredients, and while they do get sticky, that is totally normal. I’ll share a few tips for handling that below.
If you enjoy making holiday candy like this, you might also love my saltine toffee candy and cinnamon rock candy. Both recipes are classics for gifting and sharing.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 small tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed
- 2 packages (11.5 oz each) milk chocolate chips, divided
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
How to Make Cool Whip Candy
Step 1 – Line the pan
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Binder clips help keep the paper from shifting when you add the nougat.
Step 2 – Melt the chocolate and butter
In a saucepan, melt 14 ounces of chocolate chips with the butter over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
Step 3 – Mix with whipped topping
Stir the melted chocolate into the whipped topping until blended. Spread evenly in the pan. Freeze for 2 hours.
Step 4 – Cut and roll
Cut into 64 squares (4 rows of 4, then quarter each piece). The candy will be sticky, so roll each square into a ball and place them on a parchment-lined sheet.
Freeze again for 2 hours.
Step 5 – Dip in chocolate
Melt the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Dip each chilled candy piece, let the excess drip off, and place on wax paper to set.
Step 6 – Chill and store
Refrigerate until firm. Keep covered and serve chilled.
Makes about 64 pieces.
Real-Life Tips for Candy Making
- Sticky candy is normal and it will cling to parchment and knives. A metal spatula works better for lifting.
- Chocolate chip bags are often 11.5 ounces, not 12. I weighed mine to split the chocolate evenly.
- Binder clips keep parchment from slipping when you spread the nougat layer.
- Don’t expect these to look factory-perfect. The texture is a little denser than a 3 Musketeers bar, but the taste is spot on.
More Homemade Candy Ideas
Candy-making at home is messy, fun, and perfect for the holidays. If you like this Cool Whip candy, you should also try my Christmas nougat candy or classic divinity. Both are nostalgic sweets that show up on many Christmas trays.
For something a little different, these white chocolate haystacks are quick, crunchy, and a total crowd-pleaser.
These 3 ingredient Cool Whip candies are an easy holiday spin to include in your gift tins or party trays. They may not look like the picture-perfect versions you see floating around online, but they taste every bit as sweet.
📌 Don’t forget to save this recipe and pin it on Pinterest so you can find it again during the holiday season.
3 Ingredient Cool Whip Candy
Ingredients
- 8 oz Cool Whip whipped topping thawed
- 23 oz milk chocolate chips divided into 14 oz (candy) and 9 oz for the coating
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Binder clips work great to hold the parchment in place so it doesn’t slip when you spread the nougat layer later.
- In a saucepan, melt 14 ounces of the chocolate chips with the butter over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Chocolate chip bags are usually 11.5 ounces (not 12), so weigh or measure to split them evenly for this step. Do not overheat chocolate because it will seize up.
- Stir the melted chocolate into the thawed whipped topping until fully blended. Spread the sticky mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Freeze for 2 hours or until firm enough to cut.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into 64 squares (first cut into 16, then quarter each piece). The candy will be sticky and that’s normal. A metal spatula works better than a knife for lifting the pieces. Roll each square into a ball and place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Freeze again for 2 hours.
- Melt the remaining chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each round until smooth. Using a fork to hold the nougat, and a spoon to cover with chocolate, dip each frozen candy ball into the melted chocolate, let the excess drip off, and place onto wax paper to set.
- Refrigerate balls until firm. Keep covered in the refrigerator and serve chilled for the best texture.
Notes
- Stickiness is normal when cutting. Freezing between steps makes handling easier.
- Binder clips are handy for keeping parchment paper in place.
- Don’t expect picture-perfect results; they’ll look homemade but taste like a real 3 Musketeers bar.
- Keep refrigerated for best texture.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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