This smooth and creamy, Easy Peanut Butter Fudge recipe is quick and simple to make in less than 5 minutes with only 4 ingredients. A fool-proof, never fail recipe perfect for the holidays!
All I can say is WOW. This is not only the easiest peanut butter fudge recipe but it is hands down the best!
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❤️ Why you'll love it!
- Addictive peanut butter flavor
- Super creamy and smooth
- Only 4 ingredients
- Fool-proof, never fail recipe
- Super easy
- Less than 5 minutes to make
- Never flakey or gritty
- Always sets
- No boiling sugar
- No thermometer
If you love peanut butter recipes and peanut butter desserts, try my easy peanut butter cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and peanut butter Rice Krispie treats. For more peanut butter candy recipes, try my homemade peanut brittle and Buckeyes - the famous chocolate dipped peanut butter balls from Ohio.
🥜 Easy, Microwave Fudge
This 5-minute Peanut Butter Fudge is made in the microwave. It’s not only the easiest peanut butter fudge, it’s the creamiest and smoothest with rich, peanut buttery flavor.
No cook Peanut Butter Fudge makes a melt in your mouth fudge without the fuss of boiling sugar, taking the temperature, testing for a soft ball. It also spares you the frustration of a fudge that doesn’t set or has a gritty, flaky texture.
Simply melt butter and peanut butter in the microwave, then stir in powdered sugar.
🏆 The BEST Fudge Recipe!
I did a side-by-side taste test of the highest rated recipes to find the world’s best peanut butter fudge. Here are some of the ones I tried:
Old fashioned peanut butter fudge – made by boiling milk and sugar until it reaches the soft ball stage then stirring in peanut butter. This method requires either a thermometer or testing by dropping some into a glass of ice water to determine its texture. This can be tricky for those not experienced in making candy. Some recipes call for boiling for 2 ½ minutes, which in the comment sections, many people had problems with because of the differing heat of stoves and the conductivity of different pans.
Even with a thermometer, I found this method made a drier, grainier fudge that flaked when cutting.
Peanut butter fudge with marshmallow cream or marshmallow fluff – butter, milk, and sugar are cooked until the soft-ball stage then marshmallow cream and peanut butter are stirred in. I wasn’t crazy about the texture and in the comments some people had trouble getting theirs to set properly.
Peanut butter fudge with marshmallows – marshmallows are melted in milk then sugar is added and cooked. Finally, peanut butter is stirred in. I thought this method had promise because the gelatin in the marshmallows would help set the fudge. However, the texture wasn’t my favorite and again, some people had trouble with the fudge setting.
Peanut butter fudge with powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) – Although it’s the easiest and most fool proof, I didn’t anticipate that this method would be my favorite. Without fancy ingredients like marshmallow cream or a fussy cooking method, I thought it would be an inferior fudge, albeit an easier one.
Much to my happy surprise, peanut butter fudge with confectioners’ sugar was the absolute creamiest with a perfectly smooth texture and a rich, peanut buttery taste. Added to it being absolutely simple to make in less than 5 minutes, I’m pretty sure I just found the best peanut butter fudge in the world!
📝 Ingredients:
- Peanut Butter – Use a smooth, commercial brand of peanut butter like JIF or Skippy. Natural peanut butter may separate and become oily in the fudge.
- Butter – unsalted if you’re using salt or salted if you’re not.
- Powdered Sugar – (Confectioners’ sugar) Sift your sugar so the fudge is perfectly smooth. I like to mix the fudge and get it into the pan as quick as I can
- Vanilla – the ingredient that makes this a 4-ingredient fudge instead of a 3-ingredient fudge. Vanilla adds a wonderful, rounded flavor to the fudge.
- Salt – optional, but it really balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor. If you use salted butter, it’s not needed.
🧑🏻🍳 How to make Peanut Butter Fudge
- Butter an 8 by 8-inch square baking pan then line with a piece of parchment paper with the 2 sides over hanging for easy removal.
- Put butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and microwave until both are melted and liquid, about 3 minutes. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Stir in the vanilla and salt, if using.
- Add the powdered sugar and stir until no white streaks remain.
- Pour into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. If you’d like a swirly pattern on top, press the edge of a spoon around the surface.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours until set and firm.
- Slice into squares.
🍫 Variations and add ins
Try some of these variations and add ins:
- Chocolate peanut butter fudge – stir ¾ cup chocolate chips in the warm mixture before spreading in the pan.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Fudge - stir ¾ cup chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the warm mixture before spreading in the pan.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips Fudge - stir ¾ cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips in the warm mixture before spreading in the pan.
- Butterfinger Peanut Butter Fudge - stir ¾ cup chopped Butterfinger candy bars in the warm mixture before spreading in the pan.
- Double Peanut Butter Fudge - stir ¾ cup chopped peanuts in the warm mixture before spreading in the pan.
- Keto Peanut Butter Fudge – for a sugar free peanut butter fudge, substitute the same amount of Swerve Confectioners’ Sugar for the powdered sugar.
🧺 How to store
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a week, or 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.
❓FAQs
Yes. Wrap the chilled fudge in plastic wrap then place in a plastic freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks or 227g
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter 260g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar 460g
- ¼ teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Butter an 8-inch square baking pan then line with a piece of parchment paper with the 2 sides overhanging for easy removal.
- Put butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and microwave until both are melted and liquid, about 3 minutes. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Stir in the vanilla and salt, if using.
- Add the powdered sugar and stir until no white streaks remain.
- Press the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. If you’d like a swirly pattern on top, press the edge of a spoon around the surface.
- Let cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours until set and firm.
- Cut into squares.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a week, or 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use a commercial brand of peanut butter such as JIF or Skippy.
- Don’t substitute margarine for the butter. It may not set properly or have the right texture.
- Let come to room temperature before eating, it’s creamier.
- I find I get a neater slice if the fudge is at a cool room temperature (after chilling and setting in the refrigerator). Clean the knife and dip the knife into hot water between each slice.
- Have the pan buttered and lined before starting so you can get the fudge into the pan without delay. As it cools it gets harder to smooth.
Dilene Brooks says
I have a crazy question, what is the difference between powdered sugar and confectioner's sugar? Which do you recommend for a little firmer texture instead of a gooey texture?
Kelly says
Hi Dilene! Confectioner's sugar and powdered sugar are the same thing. It's also called icing sugar. I haven't had my fudge turn out gooey. You could be sure to measure everything correctly. Also when it's chilled it's firmer than when it's at room temperature. Adding slightly more sugar may make a firmer fudge, but it may be more crumbly.
Heather says
This was exactly the recipe I needed! Turned out perfect! Just the right amount of sweet.. which lead to NOT ENOUGH MADE! Thank you for sharing!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Heather! Thanks so much!
Lacey says
Flavor is delicious!.. consistency was too soft and sticky. Didn’t set up good. I used skippy natural pb … is that the problem?
Kelly says
Hi Lacey, yes, using natural peanut butter affects the ability of the fudge to set.
Jane says
I only tried making fudge once before and it was a mess. Tried this last night, with doubts that it would turn out or taste decent. It was a smash! Easy and so good.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Jane! Thanks so much!
Kendall says
I added crushed Butterfingers to the mix and it’s absolutely delicious!!! Thanks for this easy recipe.
Kelly says
That sounds insanely good! Thanks Kendall!
Stephanie says
Can we use stove top instead of microwave?
Kelly says
Hi Stephanie, you can. Just be careful that it doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pan.
Stella says
My daughter cant have dairy so I tried this with vegan butter. It was so thick I couldn't stir it. It came out almost like cookie dough. I was finally able to mix it all and get rid of the white streaks but I'm not sure how it'll taste. Once it cools I'll try a piece.
Does the butter really make the difference or is it supposed to be that thick?
Kelly says
Hi Stella, yes the melted butter provides the liquid (along with the melted peanut butter) for the sugar to dissolve in. The fudge is on the thicker side before pressing into the pan (see the above photo). Even using margarine and natural peanut butter can negatively affect the consistency and setting of the fudge, so I'm not sure how vegan butter would turn out.
David says
Recipe was very easy to follow and it turned out great. This recipe wasn't as sugery as some are, cant't wait to try this with different add ins. This will definitely make my annual cookie list.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, David! Thank you!
Toni says
This is the best peanut butter fudge recipe. It will be my go to recipe from now on.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it! Thanks Toni!
Jan says
Easiest fudge I've ever made! So creamy and delicious. I know what I'm giving for Christmas gifts this year!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Jan! Thanks so much!
Natalie Asher says
Can you use salted butter and omit the salt in the recipe?
Thanks
Kelly says
Hi Natalie, that should be fine. It may be slightly saltier since 2 sticks of butter have about .6 teaspoon of salt and the recipe calls for an optional .25 teaspoon.
Luna says
For some reason when I added the powdered sugar to the peanut butter/butter mix it stayed very wet and liquidy and was not thick like how it was in the photo. Will it still become fudge??
Kelly says
Hi Luna, it does firm up upon cooling. Measuring the powdered sugar by weight will give the most accurate measure. If there is too little powdered sugar it can be too loose. Too much, and it will be too thick.
Gayla says
I had to add extra peanut butter and butter to get it wet enough to mix. Not sure why I had this problem and nobody else seems to be having the same problem.
Kelly says
Hi Gayla, I'm not sure what could be happening. Are you using a commercial brand of smooth peanut butter? Crunchy peanut butter has less liquid when melted because the chunks of peanuts take up space. The only other thing I can think of is measuring the confectioners' sugar by weight.
Pat says
Why on Earth would you not use chunky pnut butter for this yummy recipe?
Kelly says
Hi Pat, The recipe was tested using smooth peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter has less liquid when melted because the chunks of peanuts take up space so the consistency might change.
Pat Rebel says
Peanut butter perfection! Thank you so much
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Pat! So happy you liked it!