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 to give 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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Add Remaining Ingredients
To the warm peanut butter mixture, add vanilla. Stir to combine.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 gifts.
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.
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No-Bake Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge
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. | |
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Martha says
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.
Angela says
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.
Lee says
Do not change a thing. Make this fudge just like this and you will be so happy.
Lee says
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.
Angela says
I am glad you found this microwavable fudge recipe exactly what you were looking for.