Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (2024)

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Need an easy peanut butter fudge recipe? This fudge recipe with butter, sugar, peanut butter, and the right amount of vanilla is not only the easiest homemade peanut butter fudge you will make but is also so rich and decadent just a small slice will satisfy every dessert craving you have!

As far as this peanut butter fudge goes, make sure you watch my video as I talk you through this super easy recipe!

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (1)

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Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

When I think of desserts, especially desserts for a crowd, I always think of fallbacks like cakes, cookies, and trifles. But fudge is SO easy to make, and a little goes so far.

Fudge makes a delicious food gift and takes almost no time at all to make. Is this the easiest peanut butter fudge recipe ever? Could be!

Of course, one dessert recipe is never good enough, so before you go, make sure you check out one of these amazing recipe ideas!

  1. Blueberry Breakfast Cake
  2. Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots
  3. Funfetti Dip
  4. Fruit Salad Fluff
  5. Cheesecake Bars

Are you looking for chocolate fudge?

Try my Easy Fudge Recipe that has decadent, rich chocolate!

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Let’s get started on making this oh-so-easy peanut butter fudge!

I made this again recently and gave some to neighbors (cause what are neighbors for!), and the grandmother of one of my neighbors specifically said it was the best peanut butter fudge she has had in 60 years!!

I also dropped some on my husband’s work desk, and he later texted me, “OMG! THAT’S DANGEROUS, NO MORE!”

Suffice it to say, this fudge is rich and delicious with just a few simple ingredients (that you probably have in your pantry already)

  • 1/2 cup, 1 stick, butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butterEasy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (2)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Common Peanut Butter Fudge Questions

  1. How long will peanut butter fudge last? Approximately 2 weeks in the fridge sealed up or 1 week on the counter.
  2. Should you refrigerate your fudge? Many people say fudge is best left on the counter so it’s not dry (sealed). HOWEVER, if you have a hot environment, fudge can melt. So, this question’s answer changes depending on how or where you are storing it. In my house, the kitchen is right near the back door, which puts out a lot of heat, so I prefer to put mine in the fridge. However you store it, make sure its airtight as it’s the air that dries it out.

Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge

Line an 8×8 square baking panEasy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (3) with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepanEasy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (4) over medium-low heat.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (5)

Add brown sugar and half and half and heat on medium, stirring constantly.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (6)

The mixture will begin to boil; when that happens, start the time for 2 minutes.

Boil for two minutes as the mixture begins to bubble and rise in the pan.

Continue to stir.

After 2 minutes, remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (7)

Place 2.5 cups of powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and add the peanut butter mixture.

Powdered sugar can be really hard to get just right with its fluffy nature. Beat the sugar and peanut butter until combined well.

You can adjust the consistency slightly, adding a few tablespoons of sugar at a time if needed to smooth out.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (8)
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (9)

Pour your fudge mixture into your prepared pan and press gently with the back of a spoon to even out.

I tried a metal spoon, wooden spoon, and spatula and liked the wooden spoon for the most, even top.

Honestly, fingers work really well to smooth also (just clean ones!)

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (10)

Freeze your peanut butter fudge for at least one hour or set in the fridge overnight before cutting.

TIP: When I made the video, I needed the fudge quickly and put it in the freezer for an hour. It set pretty quickly.

To remove the fudge from the pan, lift the foil out of the pan and peel away from the fudge.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (11)

Place onto a cutting board and cut into 36 squares.

There will be a few cracks on the edges, and you can easily discard those.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (12)

Because peanut butter is sensitive to heat, I keep my fudge in a sealed container in the fridge when not serving.

Makes 36 squares (depending on how you cut)

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (13)

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (14)

4.66 from 83 votes

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Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

Author Trisha Haas – Salty Side Dish


Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 day d 10 minutes mins

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe! This fudge recipe with butter, sugar, peanut butter and the right amount of vanilla is not only the easiest homemade peanut butter fudge you will make, but is also so rich and decadent just a small slice will satisfy every dessert craving you have!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup 1 stick, butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Line an 8×8 square baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Once melted, go to next step.

  • Add brown sugar and half and half to your melted butter sauce pan and heat on medium, stirring constantly.

  • Brown sugar/butter Mixture will begin to boil and when that happens, start the time for 2 minutes.

  • Boil for two minutes, as mixture will begin to bubble and rise in the pan. Continue to stir.

  • After 2 minutes. remove from heat.

  • Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

  • Place powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and add hot peanut butter mixture.

  • Mix peanut butter fudge until combined well.

  • Pour fudge into prepared pan and press gently with the back of a spoon to even top.

  • If you need fudge to be served quickly, put in freeze for an hour before cutting or place in fridge for 2 hours or overnight (for best set)

  • To remove peanut butter fudge from pan, lift foil out of pan and peel away from the fudge.

  • Place fudge onto a cutting board and cut into 36 squares.

  • Store fudge in air tight container in the fridge

Video

Notes

  • STORAGE: in the video i stated that I put mine in the fridge, and we do because we live in the south and its very hot here….but having in the fridge too long can dry out if not completely sealed so if you live in an even tempered environment, its best in an air tight container on the counter.

Nutrition

Serving: 36slices | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 59mg | Sugar: 19g

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.

Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Make sure to follow Salty Side Dish on Pinterest and rate the recipe here and make sure to leave a comment below!

4.66 from 83 votes

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (15)
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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

What causes peanut butter fudge not to harden? ›

If you didn't reach the correct temperature during the cooking process, it might not set properly. Use a candy thermometer to ensure that you reach the recommended temperature. Overcooking or Undercooking:Solution: Cooking the fudge for too long or too short a time can affect its texture.

How do you keep peanut butter fudge from being grainy? ›

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.

Why did my peanut butter fudge turn out crumbly? ›

Candy that isn't cooked long enough will end up too soft; overcooking makes fudge crumbly or hard. High-quality fudge has many small crystals. If the process of crystallization begins too early, fewer crystals form and they become much larger.

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

Grainy Fudge

The sugars probably crystallized, a common mistake when making candy like fudge or caramel. If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon.

Do you stir fudge while it is boiling? ›

Brush the sides of the pan with a wet brush at the beginning of cooking to dissolve sugar crystals stuck to the sides. Never stir the mixture during cooking or sugar could crystallize again. The mixture may seize and become grainy. Use a candy thermometer or conduct a cold water test to check if the fudge is done.

Why is my peanut butter fudge gooey? ›

If the humidity was too high, it would come out sticky and gooey and there was nothing you could do about it.

What makes fudge softer? ›

Undercooked. This fudge was cooked until the temperature reached only108 °C (226 °F). At this temperature, the sugar is not concentrated enough... there is too much leftover water in the syrup and the resulting fudge is soft.

How do you fix runny peanut butter fudge? ›

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.

What is the best pan to make fudge in? ›

Secondly, the pot's material should allow for good heat distribution hence your top choice should be copper cookware or a pot with a copper core. Copper's exceptional heat conductivity offers unparalleled temperature control, an asset when working with finicky ingredients like sugar.

Can you Recook fudge that didn't set? ›

If it's overcooked (resulting in grainy fudge) or undercooked (resulting in poor setting) all you really need to do is add a bit of cream, reheat the fudge to the target temperature, and let it set again.

Why does my peanut butter fudge taste grainy? ›

– There are a number of reasons why the fudge was grainy. It might be that you haven't dissolved all the sugar before boiling the fudge mixture. It could be that there just wasn't enough fluid or fat to enable the sugar to dissolve or it might even be that the fudge wasn't beaten long enough or hard enough.

Can you over whisk fudge? ›

It could even be because the fudge wasn't beaten long or hard enough. If you are using an electric whisk instead of hand beating your Homemade Fudge it's important to remember that this is a very easy way to overbeat Fudge.

Why does my fudge crack when I cut it? ›

There are 2 reasons that fudge will crumble: overcooking & having an undissolved sugar crystal in the mixture. That undissolved crystal will cause the dissolved sugar to recrystalize (think rock candy).

Why did my fudge turn out like caramel? ›

Fudge can turn into caramel due to overcooking or undercooking, incorrect temperatures, or wrong ingredients.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

The trick to good homemade fudge is to cook the ingredients to the right temperature to form a sugar syrup, and cool the mixture properly so the texture of the fudge turns out smooth and firm, but soft enough to cut.

What gives fudge its firm texture? ›

The key to creamy, luscious fudge is controlling crystal formation. If the sucrose (table sugar) crystals are small, the fudge will feel creamy and smooth on your tongue. But if the crystals are large, the fudge develops a crumbly, dry, or even coarse texture.

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 you keep fudge smooth? ›

If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.

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