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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!
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
My daughter wants peanut butter fudge for Christmas. I’m going to make her your peanut butter fudge. Thanks
I followed the directions carefully but the end product was crumbly. Tasted good but not presentable for gifts. Would not make again.
You overcooked it, that’s why it’s crumbly. No fault of the recipe.
Thank you for your peanut butter recipe easy and tastes great
Made this recipe today. Used 2% milk since that is what I had. Poured onto parchment paper on counter top and let set. Turned out great. Recipe is easy and quick. Will be keeping this and using again.
So glad you liked it!
My peanut butter recipe used in past years is now just too sweet. So I spent a large part of an afternoon online looking through recipes which I felt would better meet current tastes, including quick and easy preparation! After looking at many recipes and reviews–from old fashioned to newer recipes–this “Foolproof” one got my attention. And I scored! I made it per the recipe (except I didn’t have whole milk so used half evaporated and half water) and it is perfect! Was so easy and quick, perfect sweetness, and the overall texture and taste are absolutely the best!! My husband was very impressed, and I can’t wait to share it with others. Thank you so much, Dorothy Kern, for what is now my one and only peanut butter fudge recipe!
What size jar of marshmallow creme are you using? Thanks!
The small jar, I believe it’s 7 oz
I thoroughly enjoy peanut butter fudge, and this recipe looks so easy and the fudge looks so yummy . . . I can’t wait to make some!! However, I am (like a few others have commented) seeing vanilla in the picture of ingredients but do not see it listed in the recipe. The comment was made the recipe would be amended to show that. I guess my question is . . . is the vanilla necessary? If so, please amend the recipe to show how much. Thank you!!
Hi Dorothy,
I see where reviewers have asked about the vanilla and you said you would correct the recipe I don’t see the corrected recipe so how much vanilla and when do you add it? Thanks for your recipes, Karen
Hi, Dorothy—I can’t wait to try this recipe, but I was wondering…since I love PNButter-Chocolate fudge the most, do you think I could add melted chocolate chips to your recipe? Or, would this totally mess it up? Thank you for your help—or from any of the Commenters, as well!🙏🏻
Umm…I noticed you said to reduce the powdered sugar in several of the comments, yet the recipe calls for granulated, excepting when trying to thicken fudge which didn’t set. So – which is the correct sugar?
I also saw an earlier comment asking when to add the vanilla, to which you replied at the very end. The problem is – there’s no vanilla listed or shown anywhere in this recipe.
Would you please be so kind as to clarify both of these, as I’d like to make a batch for our Thanksgiving dessert tray.
Thanks so much, from Terry the Confused 😂 in Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
In the photos of the ingredients, it shows vanilla flavoring but it is not mentioned in the recipe. Also some of the reviewers say they used powdered sugar, but the ingredients list granulated sugar. Can you clarify? Thank you!
Sorry about that – the vanilla goes in at the end, I’ll edit the recipe. It’s granulated sugar – I have never used powdered.
Can I use marshmallows, if so how much?
I’m afraid that would be a different recipe – I haven’t tried it. Fudge is so finicky I don’t suggest substitutions.
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