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    Home » Desserts

    Published: Dec 2, 2021 · Modified: Jan 24, 2023 by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    No-Bake Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge

    Jump to Recipe

    Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge is an easy no-bake homemade candy recipe that you will want to make part of your holiday traditions. Fudge is a popular sweet treat at Christmas time and making it with family or giving it as gifts is a long-standing joy I look forward to every year.

    This peanut butter fudge recipe is sweet, creamy, nutty, soft, and a bit salty.  If you love Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls, this is your dream fudge recipe. This old-fashioned holiday candy recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, & can be made vegan easily. It is a holiday sweet that everyone will look forward to year after year. 

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge PN1 stacked on a plate with a teal napkin and pieces of fudge and peanuts on the marble counter

    This recipe is all done in the microwave for a quick homemade peanut butter fudge.  You do not need a stovetop or Crock-Pot to make this classic fudge that is to die for.  All you need is 4 ingredients and a microwave to make the best homemade peanut butter fudge.  This fudge recipe is made without marshmallow cream or chocolate for a tasty unique Christmas sweet. 

    Ingredients to Make Peanut Butter Fudge

    This tasty fudge recipe could not be easier. It only takes 4 ingredients to make this sweet, rich, & amazing peanut butter fudge.  You will need your favorite creamy butter to make fudge, chunky simply does not work. You want a smooth lovely texture you can only get with creamy peanut butter to make this classic candy. 

    For peanut butter fudge you also need vanilla, salted butter, and a lot of powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar.    To make vegan peanut butter fudge, swap out the salted butter for your favorite vegan butter. 

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge ingredients

     

    Prepare a Loaf Pan for Fudge Making

    This recipe fits into a loaf pan but you can double it and get it into an 8x8 dish instead.  Either way, before you pour in the fudge to set you will want to prepare it with parchment paper.  This not only keeps the fudge from sticking but is also the easiest way to lift the fudge out to slice.

    Make sure you cut a piece of parchment paper that is large enough to fit the pan and hang it over the edge generously.  To hold it in place, here is my favorite parchment paper hack for no-bake recipes such as this fudge; use binder clips.   If your pan does not have a very thick edge, medium binder clips are the best way to hold the parchment in place.  These little clamps hold the parchment paper in place with ease. 

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge prep loaf pan with parchment paper held with binder clips

     

    How to Make No-Bake Peanut Butter Fudge

    Begin by bringing your butter to room temperature. You want it a bit soft so that it will cook in the same amount of time as the peanut butter.  This easy fudge recipe is done by cooking the peanut butter and butter in the microwave. 

    No oven or stovetop is needed to make this holiday candy; it is a microwave fudge recipe. Place the softened butter and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl.   

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge softened butter added to peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl

     

    Making Peanut Butter Fudge in the Microwave

    Next, microwave for 30 seconds & then stir.  Microwave it again for another 30 seconds & stir. It will need a final 30 seconds for a total of 1 minute & 30 seconds.

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge melted butter and pb in the bowl in the microwave cooking

     

    By now it will be darker and little bubbles will have formed, as seen below.   The smell of warm peanut butter will fill your kitchen, which is one of the best parts of making homemade fudge. 

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge pb & butter mix ready in a bowl golden brown with tiny bubbles

     

    Add Remaining Ingredients 

    To the warm peanut butter mixture, add vanilla. Stir to combine. 

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge stir vanilla into peanut butter mixture

     

    Next, you will be adding powdered sugar.  Make sure it is done a little bit at a time. You will want a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula since this will be hard to mix.  Start by adding half of the powdered sugar and stir to mix well.  Next add half of what is left, stir, and add the final amount. The peanut butter fudge batter will be stiff but will come together with a little muscle. 

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge add powdered sugar to the pb mixture

     

    How Long to Let Fudge Set in the Pan

    Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.  Using an offset spatula smooth the top and make sure the peanut butter fudge is evenly distributed so that the cubes are similar in size and thickness.  Once it is smooth and even, place the fudge into the refrigerator. Place plastic wrap over it but be sure it does not touch the fudge - another way the binder clips come in handy. 

    Let the fudge refrigerate for 2 hours.  To know when fudge is ready, it should be firm and solid to the touch. If you touch it gently on the top, no dents or fingerprints should show. 

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge poured into the prepared pan ready to cool in the fridge

     

    How to Cut Homemade Fudge

    Now that the old-fashioned peanut butter fudge is ready.  Remove the plastic wrap and unclamp the binder clips if you are using them.  Now you can easily, grab the edges of the parchment paper.  Gently lift the peanut butter fudge out of the pan, grasping the parchment edges. 

    Place the parchment-lined fudge on a cutting board.  Peel back the edges to expose the fudge to begin cutting. The best way to cut homemade peanut butter fudge is to use a sharp chef knife. 

    Cut along the shorter side to make 10 rows.  Next, cut each row of peanut butter fudge into 4 pieces. This will give you 40 pieces of homemade peanut butter fudge that are even squares.  Each piece of fudge will be a perfect bite-sized candy treat.

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge opened on the parchment paper with a chef knife cutting rows and then cubes

     

    How to Serve & Give Peanut Butter Fudge as a Gift

    This easy recipe makes 40 pieces of homemade peanut butter fudge.  It is great to give as gifts or serve at a party, potluck, or holiday dinner.  It is best to serve this peanut butter fudge at room temperature.

    Ideally, have it sit out about 20 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. The temperature of your room is too warm can make this too soft. This can make fudge hard to grab or for it to hold its square shape.  Pay attention to your environment and plan accordingly.  

    To prepare peanut butter fudge to give as a gift, keeping it chilled in the refrigerator is the best bet.  Wrap homemade fudge squares in candy boxes, on a plate with cellophane, or in candy bags tied in a ribbon.  It stacks nicely as long as you keep it chilled. Homemade fudge can be at room temperature or travel in the car for about 30 minutes, but more than that the peanut butter fudge will soften. It will still be delicious but just may not look as fancy. 

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge plated and ready to eat

     

    How to Store Peanut Butter Fudge

    Always store homemade peanut butter fudge in the refrigerator.  Whether it is still in a big slab or if the fudge is cut into pieces, make sure it is in an air-tight container.  Fudge will last in the refrigerator stored properly for up to a month.  This is a great make-ahead fudge recipe because you can make it up to a month before Christmas as a gift. 

    Keep it stored in the back of the refrigerator if your family is anything like mine. Once they see this is made they cannot help themselves and before I know it they will eat all the peanut butter fudge before the holidays even arrive. 

    Can you Freeze Fudge?

    Freezing fudge is easy and it freezes well.  It may not be as creamy and smooth.  Freezing fudge may make it crumble easily due to a texture change but it will still be yummy. You will want it wrapped tightly so the surface is not exposed to air. 

    Freezing fudge works best when you freeze the slab before cutting it.  But you can freeze chunks of fudge if you stack it in an air-tight container, cover it with plastic wrap, & then snap that lid on tight. 

    Frozen fudge can last in the freezer for 2-3 months.  To defrost, place the container of peanut butter fudge in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours to thaw. Once thawed, enjoy previously frozen fudge within 2 weeks.  

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge plated with doily and ready to eat

    If you love this recipe try my other peanut butter recipes.  

    • Small-Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Keto Peanut Butter Cups (sugar-free & low-carb)
    • Frozen Peanut Butter Cup Pie (no-bake)

    PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge PIN2 stacked on a plate with a teal napkin

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge PINREDO overhead of aplate stacked and a red napkin

     

    Product Recommendations for this Recipe - #ad:

     

    The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you! 

     

    Easy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge plate stacked with teal napkin peanutes and fudge on the counter too

    No-Bake Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge

    Angela
    Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge is an easy homemade candy recipe that you will want to make part of your holiday traditions every year. This peanut butter fudge recipe is sweet, creamy, nutty, soft, and a bit salty.  All you need is 4 ingredients and a microwave to make the best homemade peanut butter fudge.  This old-fashioned holiday candy recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, & can be made vegan.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 12 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 40

    Equipment

    • microwave
    • loaf pan
    • Parchment Paper

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 stick salted butter (½ cup) softened
    • ¾ Cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 ½ Cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

    Instructions
     

    • Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure there is ample paper hanging over the edges so you can grab it easily later to lift the fudge out of the pan.
      See above for a quick hack to hold the parchment in place.
    • Add soft butter to the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Place it in the microwave & cook for 30 seconds – stir. Microwave another 30 seconds – stir. Cook for a final 30 seconds. It will be darker and little bubbles will have formed. 
    • Add the vanilla to the peanut butter mixture and stir.
    • Using a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula, begin adding the sugar.  Start by adding half of the powdered sugar and stir to mix well.  Next add half of what is left, stir, and add the final amount. The peanut butter fudge batter will be stiff but should combine evenly without any streaks of sugar remaining.
    • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.  Using an offset spatula smooth the top and make sure the peanut butter fudge is evenly distributed so that the cubes are similar in size and thickness.  Once it is smooth and even, place the fudge into the refrigerator. Place plastic wrap over it but be sure it does not touch the fudge – another way the binder clips come in handy. 
    • Refrigerate the fudge for 2 hours.
    • Place the parchment-lined fudge on a cutting board.  Peel back the edges to expose the fudge to begin cutting. The best way to cut homemade peanut butter fudge is to use a sharp chef knife. 
      Cut along the shorter side to make 10 rows.  Next, cut each row of peanut butter fudge into 4 pieces. This will give you 40 pieces of homemade peanut butter fudge that are even squares. 
    • Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a month. It can also be frozen for 2-3 months.
      For more information on storing homemade fudge or wrapping it up for gifts, see above.

    Notes

    Nutrition Facts
    Servings: 40
    Amount per serving  
    Calories 78
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 4.8g 6%
    Saturated Fat 2g 10%
    Cholesterol 6mg 2%
    Sodium 39mg 2%
    Total Carbohydrate 8.4g 3%
    Dietary Fiber 0.3g 1%
    Total Sugars 7.8g  
    Protein 1.2g  
    Vitamin D 2mcg 8%
    Calcium 1mg 0%
    Iron 0mg 3%
    Potassium 32mg 1%
    *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
    Keyword 4-ingredient, candy, christmas, easy, gifts, gluten-free, grain-free, holiday, microwave, no bake, quick, Spring, vegetarian, pasta, healthy, sweet, Xmas

     

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Martha says

      December 05, 2021 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      Truly is the easiest fudge recipe. My daughter does not like chocolate so she wanted to make this. She did it almost all by herself and I just had to stir at the end. She is 8 years old and proud of herself. Thank you for making her day.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        December 05, 2021 at 10:36 am

        I am so happy to hear you and your daughter loved making and eating this peanut butter fudge. I hope it becomes a new holiday tradition.

        Reply
    2. Lee says

      December 06, 2021 at 1:17 pm

      5 stars
      Do not change a thing. Make this fudge just like this and you will be so happy.

      Reply
    3. Lee says

      December 15, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      This microwave recipe really works. I have tried others in the past and they were not good and too soft. This peanut butter fudge sets up good but I recommend keeping it in the fridge for the best storing.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        December 15, 2021 at 2:30 pm

        I am glad you found this microwavable fudge recipe exactly what you were looking for.

        Reply

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