The Orange Creamsicle-Inspired Treat That Won't Melt In Your Hand

For many, thinking about the Orange Creamsicle ice cream bar makes them think of their childhood. But its creamy, fruity flavor doesn't have to be for kids — nor does it have to be confined to the form of an ice cream bar. If you've ever wanted to indulge in an Orange Creamsicle without the risk of getting sticky and messy, you need to know about Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Morone's orange cream fudge bars.

Orange cream fudge bars have all of the tasty flavors of the ice cream bar, but packed into a batch of decadent, rich fudge instead. The fudge is full of creaminess thanks to marshmallow creme and white chocolate chips, while the orange flavor is achieved with orange extract. As for the bright orange coloring, which is swirled with white, a mixture of yellow and red gel food coloring is used.

After whipping up this easy fudge, you'll be delighted to discover that the taste will transport you back to all those childhood afternoons eating an Orange Creamsicle without the mess. And now that you're an adult, you don't have to stop at just one serving — have as many fudge pieces as you want.

If you're looking to get creative with a recipe or you've already made the batch as is once and want to experiment with the flavors, there are some delicious options at your disposal. First, what if you prefer milk or dark chocolate to white chocolate? If this is you, feel free to swap out the type of chocolate — this will definitely affect the overall Orange Creamsicle element, but it will be just as tasty. Or, to include two types of chocolate, stick with the white chocolate for the recipe, then drizzle fudge sauce or use milk or dark chocolate chips as a topping.

You can also use the topping idea to integrate even more orange flavor into the mix — top the fudge with candied orange peels for an extra burst of sweet citrus. To do this, you can borrow the instructions for candied orange peel from our recipe for candied orange shortbread. Other non-orange toppings include sprinkles and chopped nuts.