Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

4.87 from 15 votes

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October 7, 2019

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Smooth, rich and creamy, this is an Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe that is perfect for the holidays! Or any day you want a delicious treat!

You are 4-ingredients and 15 minutes away from this divine peanut butter fudge. The only hard part about this recipe is waiting for it to set. We’ve all had chocolate fudge, so this peanut butter fudge recipe is a great alternative to the traditional.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

With just four ingredients you can make the most delicious, creamy peanut butter fudge. And I bet you have all four ingredients in your pantry right now.

  • Smooth Peanut Butter –such as Jiff, but if you like your fudge chunky, buy and use crunchy peanut butter.
  • Salted Butter –this helps create that smooth texture. If you use unsalted butter, just add in a pinch of salt.
  • Vanilla –to compliment and balance the peanut butter flavor.
  • Powdered Sugar –this adds the structure and sweetness to the fudge!

If you love, love, love, peanut butter, check out these recipes:Soft Baked Peanut Butter Cookies,Peanut Butter Energy Balls,Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies, andPeanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2)

How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge

This Fudge Recipe is so EASY because it’s made in a microwave! Plus it takes about 15 minutes of prep. Ok, here it is, how to make peanut butter fudge:

  1. Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper or wax paper and grease lightly. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, melt peanut butter and butter together in the microwave until smooth.
  3. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until thick and smooth. Pour mixture into prepared dish, smooth the top and cool in the fridge until firm.
  4. Cut into squares and serve.
  5. Store in an airtight container. Left at room temperature, fudge is good for two weeks. Refrigerate to extend it another week.

Freeze it

If you’re looking to make this peanut butter fudge recipe ahead of time, double your batch then freeze half of it!

Freeze. Wrap in plastic wrap then store in a freezer bag for up to two months!Freeze the fudge in a block and then cut in squares after thawing.

Reheat.Simply let it thaw on the counter for a couple of hours or until soft enough to cut into squares.

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Mix-Ins

The great thing about almost every fudge recipe is that you can add mix-ins to customize it. This fudge recipe is no different! Here are a couple of great ideas to add to your PB Fudge.

Chocolate Swirl. Try separately melting some semi-sweet chocolate and swirling it into the peanut butter mixture.

Nuts.You can add other types of nuts instead of just peanuts to this fudge recipe. Walnuts, almonds or pecans are nice options.

White Chocolate Macadamia.This is a slightly crazy good combo for peanut butter fudge. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Lauren's Latest (4)

More Fudge Recipes to Try!

  • Peppermint Patty Bars
  • Gingerbread Marshmallow Fudge
  • Peppermint Cookies and Cream Bars
  • Reese’s Cup Fudge
  • Gingerbread Cookie Dough Fudge

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4.87 from 15 votes

Peanut Butter Fudge

Smooth, rich and creamy, this is an Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe that is perfect for the holidays! Or any day you want a delicious treat!

servings 36 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter such as Jif
  • 1 cup salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 1/3 cups powdered sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper or wax paper and grease lightly. Set aside.

  • In a large bowl, melt peanut butter and butter together in the microwave until smooth.

  • Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until thick and smooth. Pour mixture into prepared dish, smooth the top and cool in the fridge until firm. Cut into squares and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy peanut butter fudge, how to make peanut butter fudge, peanut butter fudge, peanut butter fudge recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Lauren's Latest? ›

Fudge Didn't Set

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough. This mistake is super easy to avoid if you use a candy thermometer and cook the fudge to the temperature specified in the recipe (usually between 234 and 239°F).

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

Tips for Making Fudge
  • Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
  • Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
  • Beat Thoroughly.
Mar 8, 2023

Why did my peanut butter fudge not get hard? ›

Fudge Didn't Set

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough. This mistake is super easy to avoid if you use a candy thermometer and cook the fudge to the temperature specified in the recipe (usually between 234 and 239°F).

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter for fudge? ›

Use unsalted butter so you can add a small amount of salt (¼ teaspoon per stick of butter) to the sugar/liquid mixture. Salt tends to stabilize the mixture and keep it from foaming as much.

What not to do when making fudge? ›

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Candy Shop-Worthy Fudge and Caramels
  1. Using the Wrong Pan. All candy and confections start by melting sugar. ...
  2. Stirring the Sugar. ...
  3. Not Using a Candy Thermometer. ...
  4. Leaving Out the Parchment Paper Lining. ...
  5. Skipping the Cooking Spray. ...
  6. Scraping the Pot. ...
  7. Using a Cold Knife to Slice.
Dec 16, 2015

Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›

Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.

What makes fudge softer? ›

If there is too much evaporation, when the cooking time is too long, there will not be enough water left in the fudge and it will be too hard. Conversely, if the cooking time is too brief and there is not enough evaporation, too much water will remain and the fudge will be too soft.

How to rescue fudge that won't set? ›

How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

How do you fix peanut butter fudge that is too soft? ›

How do you fix fudge that is too soft? Bring the fudge back to a boil with 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of cream. If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.

How to fix grainy peanut butter fudge? ›

Fixing Fudge
  1. Scrape the fudge back into a large saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of water.
  2. Stir the fudge over low heat until it dissolves. ...
  3. Increase the heat to medium and bring it to a boil, washing down the sides of the pan frequently with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
Jan 5, 2020

How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage? ›

How long does it take to make fudge:
  1. about 18 min to reach boiling.
  2. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
  3. 60 minutes to cool.
  4. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
  5. 4 hours to set.

Why did my fudge turn out like taffy? ›

If the fudge is very soft and slightly chewy then it is possible that it did not quite cook to soft ball stage and next time the mixture should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature (soft ball is 112-116c/235-240F and a sugar or candy thermometer can help).

Which butter is best for baking? ›

For baking purposes, the Test Kitchen recommends using unsalted butter so you can better control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. Salted butter is best for serving at the table with bread or to flavor a dish, like mashed potatoes.

What happens if you use salted butter instead of unsalted? ›

You can definitely use salted butter and unsalted interchangeably. If a recipe calls for unsalted butter and additional salt, just use a little less of the salt that the recipe calls for. That's the only tweak you need to make!

How to keep butter and sugar from separating? ›

If the two elements melt unevenly it can result in separation. If you have good stovetop burners, we recommend turning them to medium-low to allow the butter and sugar to melt gently in the beginning stages. If the heat is too high, but butter might melt too quickly and can separate from the sugar.

What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

How do I get my fudge to harden? ›

OPTION 2) Freeze it overnight. Cut it into squares. Cover each square thickly in melted chocolate, ensuring no part of the fudge is exposed. Cross your fingers and hope that the chocolate sets firmly before the fudge starts to thaw, and later impress your friends as you present them with your soft-centred chocolates.

What happens if you use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in fudge? ›

Don't Substitute One for the Other

Thus, using condensed milk in a recipe that requires evaporated milk will yield an overly sweet dish.

What makes fudge chewy? ›

Chewy fudge results from the excessive moisture present in the mixture, which means the fudge was not cooked to the right temperature and could not be cooked enough to release the moisture. However, take care not to overcook fudge because it will take away the moisture and leave you with hard, chewy candy.

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