This rich and creamy Easy Peanut Butter Fudge is impossible to resist! It has that classic soft fudge texture and is the perfect treat for sharing any time of year, but we especially love it during the holiday season!
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We went to Mackinac Island, Michigan not long ago, which is famous for its incredible and numerous fudge shops. I basically tried every flavor I could get my hands on while we were there because I love the stuff! It was consistently all really, really delicious fudge that had a wonderful texture to bite into, and then it just melted in your mouth.
Peanut butter fudge was one of the flavors that surprised me. I’m not typically the biggest peanut butter lover unless there is also some kind of chocolate involved. but there was just something about the peanut butter fudge that was way better than expected!
After trying many methods for making fudge, we all agreed that this old fashioned fudge recipe won our hearts. I tried methods that used marshmallow cream or sweetened condensed milk, but this easy fudge recipe was just the best.
With its classic creamy texture and perfect balance of peanut butter flavor and sweetness, it is the best homemade fudge, and I know you’re going to love it too!
If you love this easy peanut butter fudge recipe, you should check out my Old-Fashioned Homemade Peanut Brittle which has dozens of rave reviews, or these Frosted Peanut Butter Blondies!
Why We Love This Recipe
- This creamy fudge is made with only SIX simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
- Customize your sweet treat to make any type of fudge, or add in different flavors like chocolate chips or nuts.
- It’s a quick and easy recipe, with only 15 minutes of hands-on time!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Sugar – Two kinds are used in this peanut butter fudge recipe: light brown sugar and powdered sugar.
- Butter – Salted butter gives the best flavor and makes the best fudge. If you use unsalted butter, add an additional ¼ teaspoon salt to the mix.
- Milk – Whole milk works best for most recipes, but you could use something with a lower fat content (I have even used skim) and still have the fudge turn out well.
- Peanut Butter – For fudge, you want a creamy and smooth peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Don’t use “natural peanut butter” because the oils tend to separate, and it won’t work as well.
- Vanilla Extract – For best results, use Homemade Vanilla Extract!
How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge
Prep: Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or an aluminum foil sling for easy removal and cutting once the fudge is set. If using aluminum foil, be sure to butter it so the fudge will come off more easily.
Cook: Combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook while stirring frequently until the brown sugar and butter dissolve and the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
Mix: Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and fully combined. Add the powdered sugar to a large, heat-safe bowl. Pour the hot peanut butter mixture over the sugar mixture. Beat them together with a hand mixer until fully combined, so that there are no lumps of powdered sugar remaining. Then transfer the fudge to the prepared pan.
Set, slice, & serve: Let set at room temperature for about 3 hours until it is set up before slicing into squares and serving.
Recipe FAQs
If your fudge comes out grainy or gritty, it’s because the sugar didn’t completely dissolve when cooking it. Try cooking it a little longer at a slow temperature and stirring less to make sure the sugar dissolves completely. Stirring too much can actually sometimes be a problem when making fudge because it can cause the sugar to crystallize after dissolving.
If your fudge comes out grainy or gritty, it’s because the sugar didn’t completely dissolve when cooking it. Try cooking it a little longer at a slow temperature and stirring less to make sure the sugar dissolves completely. Stirring too much can actually sometimes be a problem when making fudge because it can cause the sugar to crystallize after dissolving.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Fudge doesn’t have to be refrigerated, but it will dry out if left exposed. I would recommend wrapping the fudge in plastic wrap once it has been cut, before putting it in an airtight container.
Yes! This fudge freezes beautifully! Just wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, then again in foil to keep the moisture in. It will keep for about 2 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter before serving.
What’s the secret to good fudge?
This is an easy recipe, and your fudge WILL be delicious, but to get that perfectly soft and creamy texture, you need to make sure that the mixes are smooth throughout the process. The trick is to stir the mixture as it heats and combine it with the powdered sugar while it is still hot to ensure the ingredients are well mixed together as they melt.
Substitutions and Variations
- Crunchy Peanut Butter Fudge: Add chopped peanuts or sprinkle them on top for some extra crunch! I haven’t tested it this way, but I bet you could even use chunky peanut butter instead of creamy.
- Oreo Peanut Butter Fudge: Mix in 1 cup of coarsely chopped up Oreos for a peanut butter cookie crunch fudge!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: Make a batch of peanut butter fudge, then a batch of my Creamy Chocolate Fudge, and layer it or swirl them together in the same pan! You would want to go with a 9×13″ pan if taking this approach.
- White Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: Make White Chocolate Fudge (just leave out the cranberries and pecans) and layer it or swirl it in with the peanut butter fudge.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Fudge: This is next on my list to try, but I’m thinking you could use about ¾ to 1 cup of your favorite raspberry or strawberry jam and layer or swirl it with a batch of this peanut butter fudge. I would try making the fudge, then spreading half of it into a prepared pan and swirling it with half of the jam, then adding the remaining fudge and jam on top and swirling again to make sure it’s evenly mixed for both flavors in every piece.
More Favorite Fudge Recipes
- Creamy Easy Chocolate Fudge
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge
- Rocky Road Fudge
- Candy Corn & Peanut Fudge
- Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted to break up clumps
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or an aluminum foil sling for easy removal. If using aluminum foil, be sure to butter it so the fudge will come off easily.
- Combine brown sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook while stirring frequently until the brown sugar and butter dissolve and the mixture comes to a boil.2 cups brown sugar, ¾ cup whole milk, ½ cup salted butter
- Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Stir the peanut butter and vanilla extract into the mixture until smooth and well combined.1 cup peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the powdered sugar to a large bowl, then pour the hot peanut butter mixture over it.3 cups powdered sugar
- Beat together with a hand mixer until combined and there are no lumps of powdered sugar remaining.
- Transfer the fudge to the prepared pan, and let it set at room temperature for about 3 hours.
- Allow it to cool completely before slicing it into squares.
Notes
- Storage: Store wrapped in cling film in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: Wrap your cooled fudge in a layer of plastic wrap, then again in foil to keep the moisture in. It will keep for about 2 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter before serving.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in December, 2020. The photos and content were updated in November, 2022.
I remember my father-in-law years ago making chocolate fudge and adding cheerios to the mix at the end of the recipe to give a little more crunch to the fudge.. the fudge usually fell apart where the cheerios were, but it was still an enjoyable fudge. I am thinking of trying it with the peanut butter fudge…. Any thoughts, ideas or comments?
Super easy and super creamy! Was a big hit with the family. Will never do those “four ingredient” peanut butter fudge recipes again- this one is worth the additional ingredients!
This may be the best fudge I have made. Wonderful taste and perfect texture (I followed the directions exactly). I used almond milk instead of regular milk and vegan butter to make the fudge vegan. It was still perfect. Just make sure you time the 2 minutes starting from a full rolling boil and that you sift the powdered sugar and mix it until smooth. You won’t be sorry.
I’m so glad you loved it and thank you for sharing your experience making a vegan version! That’s so helpful to know!
Do you use light or dark brown sugar? I don’t have quite enough for 2 cups in light brown but plenty of dark brown
I usually use light brown but dark brown will be fine too.
The fudge tastes delicious! I’m wondering if I did something wrong though? The consistency is a bit too…peanut buttery? I thought it would harden up some but it’s still very very soft. Any ideas?
It is a very soft fudge, but if it’s not setting up even after leaving in the fridge, try boiling for another 30-60 seconds to bring the temperature up a bit more. Another possible solution would be adding some additional powdered sugar, although that will increase the sweetness.
When does it go in the fridge? I didn’t see that step. Mine also is a little too soft. Taste is perfect but consistency is not quite right. I’m going to try your tips above on my next batch but let me know about the fridge. I set out for 3 hours at room temp then put in airtight container.
This fudge is on the soft side and I don’t set mine in the fridge. But you are welcome to refrigerate it once it has cooled to room temperature! If you want it a little more firm, you could boil the mixture just a little bit longer. That should help!
Mmmm! Delicious! First time I made it is delicious. It’s going to Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow. My mother used to make the best fudge. She passed in 2020 from COVID. And I never got her recipe. But the taste and texture is very, very close to hers.
Thank you
Theresa Klein
My PB fudge never turned out quite right until I found this recipe. Very easy, pretty quick, and great taste and consistency. My only adjustment was adding peanutbutter chips because we love peanutbutter. Perfect fudge! Thank you.
I’m so glad it is turning out so well for you!
This is the best fudge I have ever tasted or made.
Thank you
I’m so happy to hear that! Winning!
Can you double or even triple
Absolutely! You just need to use a larger pan.
I changed it up a little. Where it called for a cup of peanut butter, I used a half cup of peanut butter and a half cup of Nutella and it was just amazing!
That DOES sound amazing! I might have to try it!
Wonderful!
This peanut butter fudge is amazing!! I’ve made many different types of fudge, and this is by far hands down the yummiest!!! Soft, moist, melty, delicious-ness!!!
Soft, smooth and delicious
It is too soft to take out of the pan. It isn’t really setting after 5 hours
It wasn’t cooked long enough then.
This fudge was so good!!!!!! We loved it!!
This recipe was really easy to follow and turned out really well!I did make a couple of alterations; I doubled the vanilla, added about a half teaspoon of kosher salt in with the sugar when cooking, and I ran out of creamy peanut butter and supplemented with about 1/8 cup of crunchy. It did turn out a little greasy, but that’s most likely my fault since this is my first time making fudge myself.
I made this PB fudge for Christmas and it turned out perfectly creamy and delicious. I did use 1 cup of PB though, and it still made perfect fudge.
Thank you.
Danny
Easy and everyone loved it. I added a little crunchy peanut butter to the mix and everyone loved the texture.
This was amazingly easy and delicious!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! I always made fudge the hard way to soft boil stage and this just takes the guess work right out of it. So glad I found this recipe and thank you for posting it!!!!!
Love this recipe!!! Would totally recommend it to you! So delicious!!!!
What am I doing wrong? I’ve made this twice and it never hardens up enough for me to even cut it and when I lean the pan it just runs.
Oh no! A couple of reasons for the fudge not setting up is it did not come to a high enough temperature or there is a little too much liquid. Try stirring for two and a half minutes instead of two minutes and see if that helps! If you are still having issues I can revisit the recipe and see if any changes need to be made.
Easy to follow instructions.
Thank you!
This fudge is awesome. Everybody loves it. I will keep the recipe.
Sounds like you made a good fudge!
My first time making fudge and I’m so glad I tried this recipe! It came out perfect and was so delicious. Very smooth and creamy. I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!
Oh awesome! Sounds like you did a great job making it! You’ll have to try some of my other fudge recipes!
O.M.G!!! This is thee BEST peanut butter fudge recipe I’ve used!!!!! Oh man! Yum! I’ve been trying many different PB fudge recipes, trying to find that “perfect” recipe! THIS IS IT!!! It’s smooth, creamy, melty, soft!!! Wow! So glad I picked this recipe today because it’s my mom’s birthday and PB fudge is her favorite! She is going to LOVE this one!!!!
Wow! I’m speechless! Thank you so much for your kind words! That’s so nice. It makes me so happy to know this recipe can bring joy to your mom on her birthday!
I love you love you! I’ve never been able to make peanut butter fudge and I just successfully made my mammaws peanut butter fudge! You’re the greatest!
Wow! You’re welcome! I feel the love. Ha ha. 😉
I want to make miniature-size fudge squares with this recipe, like 1 inch x 1 inch. What size rimmed baking sheet should I use?
You could honestly do any size you want. If you want a thinner fudge square you could do 9X9 or even 9X13. Just make sure you line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
I just finished making this fudge and it is absolutely delicious! I used evaporated milk, since I didn’t have regular milk.
When I was a kid, my older brother and his friend made peanut butter fudge (and pizza-size chocolate chip cookies) and never shared…
Thank you for this easy and scrumptious peanut butter fudge recipe.
Wow I’m impressed your older brother and his friend made fudge! I’m glad you can make it now and have as much as you want!
Just what I was looking for! I added a Hershey bar and some cocoa powder to make chocolate peanut butter. It worked perfectly! The fudge was very creamy and smooth
Great! That would be delicious!
Peanut butter fudge has been my lifelong arch nemesis, with grainy and crumbly results. This recipe worked perfectly and I have finally accomplished a smooth and creamy Christmas treat. This will forever be my go-to!
This is the best peanut butter fudge recipe! It was so creamy and delicious! I am going to try your chocolate fudge recipe. Cannot wait!
Thank you! Yes I have a lot of delicious fudge recipes for you to try! Let me know how your chocolate fudge one turns out!
Nice and creamy fudge, the best peanut butter fudge I’ve made!
Thank you! I’m glad you like it!
Made this for Thanksgiving also will be doing for Christmas ❤️ best recipe I have found.
Thank you so much!
Excellent fudge. This is the only peanut butter fudge that has turned out successfully for me. Easy to make and turned out perfect.
Great! I love to hear that!
Waiting on it to cool but taste fantastic! My mommakes peanut butter fudge every Christmas, since my younger brother and dad died few yrs ago we’ve all pulled together to make sure MoM has the best sooo this yeR I’m surprising her with this peanut butter fudge I’ve made for the very 1st time e er…. hope it comes out great!!
Thank you.
Billy G.
I’m sure it will be great. What a delicious gift. Let me know if you have any questions along the way!
Best peanut butter fudge I have ever made.
Thank you!
Was wondering if I could use unsalted butter instead of salted butter
It’s completely up to you. Salted butter has 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 1/2 cup of butter. Using unsalted butter will change the flavor a bit but if that is what you want, then you can use unsalted!