Peanut Butter Fudge

2 hours 10 minutes

Published: February 27, 2023

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Super quick and easy Peanut Butter Fudge made at home on your stovetop or microwave without a candy thermometer! This is the creamiest, dreamiest, most simple peanut butter fudge recipe you’ll ever need.

Do you love everything peanut butter and chocolate? Have I got a treat for you — all of these recipes combine the winning combination and are so easy to make: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bites, and No Bake Peanut Butter Bars.

peanut butter fudge pieces stacked on a cutting board

Why This Recipe Works

Peanut butter and chocolate — Only the best ingredient combo put together on this planet. (And maybe other planets too, who knows?) So. Good. Together. It’s a guaranteed win.

Easy, easy, easy — 10 minutes is all you need to prep and heat these up (let’s not even really call it cooking, because it’s melting and stirring, and that’s about as simple as a recipe can get. You just melt, stir, pour, and chill.

Microwave — If melting the peanut butter, milk, and white chocolate in a pan is just too much work, you can totally use the microwave! Melt the ingredients together for this peanut butter fudge (see directions below), pour over the melted chocolate and put in the fridge.

Delicious — Peanut butter fudge is the best fudge. Chocolate on top? Even better. I have to double this recipe and hide half of it so that my husband and kids don’t eat it all before I get my share. This also makes a great hostess gift for any occasion!

Ingredients

Creamy Peanut Butter — Do you use high-quality creamy peanut butter for this peanut butter fudge. Avoid using natural, its consistency keeps the fudge from solidifying in the fridge.
Sweetened Condensed Milk — This kind of milk provides creaminess, richness, and sweetness to the peanut butter fudge.
White Chocolate Chips — I add white chocolate chips because I like a bit of chocolatey flavor (but don’t want to discolor the peanut butter with milk chocolate). Also, white chocolate has a slightly caramel flavor that plays off the nutty, salty flavor of peanut butter.
Vanilla — I add just a hint of vanilla because it adds just a tiny extra bit of flavor to this peanut butter fudge. But you can skip it if you prefer.
Milk Chocolate Chips — I like the taste of milk chocolate chips on top of peanut butter fudge but you could totally use semi-sweet, dark, or any other kind of chocolate chips you like.

Here’s How You Make It

six steps of preparing peanut butter fudge recipe

Grab an 8×8-inch pan and line it with foil or parchment paper and have it nearby so you can pour the melted fudge right into it.
Get out a large sauce pan and in it, combine the peanut butter, the sweetened condensed milk, and the white chocolate chips. Stir the ingredients over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and smooth.
Remove the peanut butter fudge mixture from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour into your prepared pan.
Melt the chocolate chips. Drizzle the melted milk chocolate over the peanut butter fudge.
Cool the fudge for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Expert Tips and Tricks

The peanut butter fudge should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Tip: If you find that while you are stirring peanut butter mixture (in either cooking method) and it doesn’t become smooth, it may just not be hot enough. Try turning up the heat and stirring again.
Fudge not setting? Thicken it up by making a slurry, mixing together one tablespoon of water and one tablespoon of cornstarch. Add this to the fudge slowly, stirring it into the fudge until it thickens.

peanut butter fudge pieces on a cutting board with napkin and bowl of peanut butter

What’s the Secret to Good Fudge?

1. Don’t over stir the fudge. Stir to combine the ingredients together but watch you don’t stir the peanut butter fudge too much or it may end up with a grainy texture.
2. Let the peanut butter fudge cool before eating. The sugar needs to crystallize to create the fudge and it needs to cool for a couple hours to achieve this.
3. Pour the fudge mixture into the pan while it’s still warm. Otherwise it could stick to the pan and harden irregularly when you try to add it to the pan later.

How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge in the Microwave

1. First, combine the peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and white chocolate chips in a large heat-safe bowl.
2. Microwave the mixture at half power for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat this process in 15-second intervals, stirring after each time until the fudge is completely melted.
2. Stir in the vanilla, and then pour it into your prepared pan.
4. Drizzle the melted milk chocolate over the top.
5. Allow the fudge to cool for 2 hours before cutting.

Ideas for Fudge Mix -Ins

Add candy to the peanut butter fudge (after you pour it into the pan, just before cooling). My favorites include Reese’s pieces, Reese’s Cups, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and bits of toffee or Health bars.
Swirl a bit of melted chocolate throughout the peanut butter fudge before adding the chocolate topping.
Nutella is also delicious swirled into the peanut butter fudge.
Not a mix-in but you can use chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter fudge instead of melted chocolate, if you prefer. Just ice after the fudge sets.

hand holding piece of fudge with bite taken out

More Candy Recipes You’ll Love

Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo of your CDLC creation – I love to see what you’re up to in the kitchen!

Super quick and easy Peanut Butter Fudge made at home on your stovetop or microwave without a candy thermometer! This is the creamiest, dreamiest, most simple peanut butter fudge recipe you’ll ever need.