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This foolproof peanut butter fudge with marshmallow cream is quick and easy with just 5 ingredients – it’s creamy and soft with so much peanut butter flavor! Fudge can be finicky – so use my tested recipe to make it perfectly!
This is the old fashioned peanut butter fudge you’ll remember from your childhood – that creamy soft texture and peanut buttery flavor from scratch – like the kind you get on vacation. 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!
Why this recipe works:
- 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.
- I’ve tested this numerous times and it always works as long as I follow the directions.
Ingredients Needed
- Granulated Sugar instead of powdered sugar
- Milk: use whole milk, no substitutions
- Marshmallow Cream: also called marshmallow fluff – no substitutions
- Peanut Butter: use a regular processed (shelf-stable) peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. Do not use a natural peanut butter.
How to make Peanut Butter Fudge
- 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 a prepared 9×9-inch pan lined with aluminum foil or parchment; cool to room temperature. Then chill until firm.
Variations
- You can stir in chocolate chips or chopped nuts after stirring in the vanilla.
- We also love making chocolate fudge and easy fudge with sweetened condensed milk or 2 ingredient fudge with frosting.
- Instead of peanut butter try making my Oreo Fudge (or stir in some Oreos after the vanilla).
Expert Tips
- Be sure to have all your ingredients ready to go when you start – making fudge goes fast!
- 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.
- I do not recommend making this 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.
Storage
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.
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.
I just made the fudge a few hours ago. I followed the directions to the T and it has been in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. I just took it out to cut it and it still isn’t set 😩.. not sure what happened! It’s somewhat set but still very lose and melts in my hand right away. It tastes so good though!
It may be that it didn’t cook enough. I think that’s the major culprit when it comes to fudge not setting. To fix it since it’s already done you can heat it up until it’s liquid and add some powdered sugar, that should help it.
Oh my goodness! I was extremely excited to find this recipe! My first boss, Jan, would make this for us every Saturday as a special treat! It is exactly as I remember her Saturday peanut butter Fudge! Thank you so much!
Fudge is so easy and so delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Having run out of snacks & not wanting to risk leaving our home I found this recipe & was excited that I had all 4 ingredients on hand! I haven’t tried the final product yet, but after licking the saucepan it was delicious and appears that it won’t take very long in the fridge before I can cut it. Unfortunately we will have to ration it and try to make it last, but feeling fortunate to have a sweet treat on hand!
Wow, not sure how I did it, but I screwed up fool proof peanut butter fudge!
I had everything ready ahead of time, cooked the sugar/milk stirring always for 3 minutes. I removed from heat, dumped in the peanut butter and fluff (measure out ahead of time) and stirred it in. It didn’t have a smooth texture at all, kept stirring hoping it would get better, but it didn’t. I now have a pan of dry, crumbly fudge. What did I do wrong?
Can you use almond milk instead of whole milk?– have a grandson who is on a dairy and gluten free diet currently.
yes, I would also like to know If you can use almond milk. Have a friend who cannot have any dairy.
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