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The Best Peanut Butter Fudge is so easy to make and perfect for treating friends and family to during the holidays! You only need 5 simple ingredients for this homemade fudge recipe. It’s so sweet, peanut buttery, and scrumptious to sink you teeth into.
Why You’ll Love It
Every winter I make a new Christmas candy recipe. I just can’t help myself! Cookies kind of get all the attention, and that’s a shame because recipes like this homemade peanut butter fudge are just as delicious and easier to make from scratch than most cookie recipes you’ll find. You only need butter, peanut butter, salt, vanilla and powdered sugar to make this quick and easy peanut butter fudge recipe.
To make this old fashioned peanut butter fudge, you pretty much just mix it all together then let it chill in the fridge until it’s firm enough to slice. It’s so simple yet so very satisfying! As a peanut butter lover, I might just love this recipe even more than my favorite easy microwave fudge. We love adding this to our holiday cookie trays.
And while I keep mentioning the holiday season (it’s just very much on the brain at the moment), this fudge recipe is great for making all year round with basic ingredients! Next time you have a birthday coming up for the peanut butter fanatic in your life, make them a big batch of this fudge and make their day so much more delightful. It’s the easiest peanut butter fudge to toss together, you’ll love having any excuse to whip it up!
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Fudge
- Butter – We use salted butter in this recipe but you can substitute with unsalted butter. Be sure to add a pinch of salt to compensate.
- Peanut Butter – Smooth peanut butter insures a smooth texture, you can use chunky peanut butter if you like a little crunch. I prefer not to use a natural peanut butter for this recipe.
- Vanilla – Balance the flavor profile with a splash of vanilla extract.
- Sugar – For a creamy, smooth fudge use confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. Granulated sugar will result in a grainy fudge. This recipe does not use corn syrup.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge
Fudge is always one of my favorite no-bake dessert recipes to make! Keep scrolling to the bottom of this page to find more detailed ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Prepare the pan. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray before lining with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Then, coat the parchment paper with spray and set aside.
- Make the fudge mixture. Add butter and peanut butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine and bring to a boil. Use a candy thermometer and once the temperature reaches 234˚F – 236˚F, remove from the heat. Be sure that the bottom of the candy thermometer is in the middle of the mixture and not touching the bottom of the pan. Stir in the salt and vanilla extract, then slowly add in the powdered sugar until a smooth and creamy texture.
- Chill. Transfer the peanut butter mixture into the prepared pan or baking dish and smooth it out with a spatula. Cover the fudge with a piece of parchment paper that’s been lightly coated with spray. Gently press on top of the fudge so the paper sticks and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Cut and serve. Here’s the fun part! Once set, remove the fudge from the fridge. Cut into even, 1 inch squares.
Kellie’s Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Fudge
Check out these quick tips before making your new favorite fudge:
- Don’t scald it. Once the peanut butter and butter mixture begins to boil, remove it from the heat and stir in the other ingredients as instructed. If you let it boil for too long and don’t remove it from the heat, you may end up scalding the peanut butter.
- Let it fully set. I speak from my own impatient experience here! If you don’t allow the fudge to fully set in the fridge before slicing, you’ll end up with a total mess.
How To Store Fudge
You can keep homemade peanut butter fudge in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I don’t recommend popping it in the fridge as this may dry out your fudge. You can store it as one big piece or after you’ve chopped it into squares.
If you’re storing the fudge as squares, it may be best to wrap each individual piece in saran wrap. This probably seems tedious, but it’s how you’ll achieve the best results! Plus, it’s easier to gift to family and friends that way.
Enjoy more of my favorite easy candy recipes!
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Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9 inch square baking dish
- chef's knife
- parchment
- offset spatula
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut Butter, If using natural Peanut butter, use no-stir only; natural can separate and go greasy
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Coat an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and peanut butter stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and remove from the heat.
- Stir in the salt and vanilla then slowly add the powdered sugar stirring until smooth.
- Pour the fudge into the baking dish and level with a spatula.
- Cover the fudge with a piece of parchment coated with cooking spray and press lightly to the top of the fudge.
- Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour or until set.
- Remove from the refrigerator and lift the fudge out of the baking dish with the parchment. Cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Can I use natural creamy peanut butter in this recipe?
Hi! I haven’t tested it with natural peanut butter but we have used regular creamy and it works well.