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Fudge is always a holiday favorite and this foolproof peanut butter fudge with marshmallow cream is quick and easy one to make. It’s rich, creamy and all about the peanut butter! Four ingredient peanut butter fudge without any special equipment!
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Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge
During the fall and winter season I go a little fudge crazy! I can’t help it – homemade fudge is one of those treats that has endless possibilities. You can literally make any number of flavor combinations. There are also countless ways to make fudge with different ingredients that give it a rich and creamy texture. It’s one of my favorite treats to experiment with!
I’ve made peanut butter pumpkin fudge recipe, which is an amazing flavor combo for fall and I thought a pure peanut butter fudge would be great to share. I’ve been busy testing recipes, tweaking until I got it just right.
This is the BEST peanut butter fudge recipe – it’s easy with only 5 ingredients. It’s fantastic fudge, made with marshmallow cream. You don’t need any butter or confectioners’ sugar for this recipe and it has so much amazing peanut butter flavor. Plus – it’s freezer friendly!
Ingredients in Peanut Butter Fudge
- Granulated Sugar
- Milk: use whole milk, no substitutions
- Marshmallow Cream: also called marshmallow fluff
- Peanut Butter: use a regular processed peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. Do not use a natural peanut butter.
How to make Peanut Butter Fudge
- Line an 9-in. square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Assemble all your ingredients because this recipe goes fast.
- Combine sugar and milk in a 3-quart saucepan on a stove-top. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Make sure it is at a ROLLING boil. Once it starts to boil, boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Immediately stir in peanut butter and marshmallow creme until blended. Immediately spread into prepared pan; cool to room temperature.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut into squares.
- Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container. It will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.
Why this recipe works:
- I’m so excited about this easy fudge recipe because it’s foolproof! It’s so easy to make and it works every time.
- Unlike other recipes, you don’t need a candy thermometer to make this fudge. No special equipment needed! You only need a saucepan and a baking dish.
- You only need four ingredients and about 10 minutes to make it! It’s a great recipe for the holidays when you need a batch of something sweet on short notice.
- This fudge starts to set immediately and is ready to slice after an hour in the fridge.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- This fudge needs to be at a rolling boil for a full 3 minutes. It will reach approximately 234°F (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer in this time. As long as the fudge is at a full boil before you start your timer you don’t have to use a candy thermometer.
- This easy peanut butter fudge sets very quickly and is ready to slice after it’s chilled for an hour. In fact, as soon as you pour the mixture into the dish you will notice it will start to firm up almost immediately.
- The best way to store fudge to keep it fresh is in the refrigerator. I recommend slicing it and storing the slices in an airtight container. Separate them with wax paper and the fudge will keep well for up to a week.
- This fudge can be frozen in an airtight container for up to one month.
- This fudge cannot be made in the microwave.
- You can rescue soft fudge by mixing some powdered sugar. But if this fudge is cooked properly you will not need to do this.
FAQs
Grainy fudge usually happens because the sugar has not completely dissolved into the milk. Be sure to stir well and continuously while the milk and sugar boil to ensure it fully dissolves.
Chances are it didn’t set because it wasn’t cooked hot enough. It needs to stay at a continuous rolling boil for 3 minutes.
You can add some powdered sugar and mix and it should help it set up. How much powdered sugar depends on how thin it is. To offset the extra sweetness, add some extra salt.
Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118ml) whole milk
- 1 ½ cups (400g) creamy peanut butter
- 7 ounces marshmallow creme (1 jar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line an 9-in. square pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Assemble all your ingredients because this recipe goes fast.
- Combine sugar and milk in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it starts to boil, boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Immediately stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and marshmallow creme until blended. Immediately spread into prepared pan; cool slightly.
- Refrigerate until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut into squares. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Use a regular store peanut butter, not a natural one where you have to stir it. You can use Skippy or Jif Naturals, but not a fully natural peanut butter.
- This fudge needs to be at a rolling boil for a full 3 minutes. It will reach approximately 234°F (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer in this time. As long as the fudge is at a full boil before you start your timer you don’t have to use a candy thermometer.
- This easy peanut butter fudge sets very quickly and is ready to slice after it’s chilled for an hour. In fact, as soon as you pour the mixture into the dish you will notice it will start to firm up almost immediately.
- For this recipe, after the fudge has set, you don’t need to keep it in the refrigerator. I recommend slicing it and storing the slices in an airtight container. Separate them with wax paper and the fudge will keep well for up to a week.
- This fudge can be frozen in an airtight container for up to one month.
- This fudge cannot be made in the microwave.
Recipe Nutrition
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Last Updated on December 1, 2023
This sounds just like my Nana’s. I can’t wait to make it .
This is a old recipe I started using in the very early 1970’s. I used to watch a program from Michigan State University with a local celebrity and chef called the Copper Kettle, with Martha Dixon. I even bought a Cookbooks signed by her. It was a wonderful show.
I had moved to Lansing Mi. because my husband got a job working for the State. I didn’t know anyone in the area so it was great for me.
Sincerely,
Diane Dukarski
Only got the consistency of cake frosting. Made exactly as recipe said. Will use my old recipe next time.
I am sorry that happened – most likely it needed to be cooked longer.
So easy and creamy fudge!!!
This peanut butter fudge recipe is FANTASTIC!!! As I am severely allergic to all milk products (dairy), I substituted canned coconut milk (the solids only!!!) in place of the whole milk. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written… it is amazing – firm, creamy peanut butter goodness. Thank you for sharing this recipe 😀
My mom and family have been making this peanut butter fudge recipe for over 50 years…it is delicious!!! A very important tip to keep in mind is if it is raining or snowing it doesn’t firm up good according to the cooking time (for us). If the weather is humid like this you have to boil it longer. I’m sorry I don’t know right off exactly much longer. But my family LOVES this peanut butter fudge recipe!!!
Very easy to make. I used 2 cups of peanut butter instead of 1 1/2 cups and my family loved it. I will definitely be making this again.
Hi! Do you think I can use homemade marshmallow fluff in this recipe?
I would be wary of that. It’s a finicky fudge anyway so it would worry me it wouldn’t set up
Awesome recipe. 1st time we made it, we put the peanut butter in first, it came out great. Tonight, we put the fluff 1st, and it immediately started setting. We pressed it into the pan. It will still taste great. Thanks, for an easy peanut butter fudge recipe.
Sugary. Too much marshmallow. I want heavy peanut butter flavor, so this recipe, even with all that pb didn’t do it.
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