Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - No Candy Thermometer Required! (2024)

Every holiday season I pull out this Easy Peanut Butter Fudge recipe and make several batches to share with my family and friends. It is a quick and easy recipe that turns out perfect every time.

Soft pieces of fudge that can be served as a dessert after a holiday dinner. Or add several pieces to your Christmas cookie trays and package some up as an edible gift to give to family, friends and service workers around the holidays.

However, if you have ever tried to make fudge and it did not set up properly, don’t worry! This is an easy, fail-proof recipe.

And if you have never tried to make fudge because you don’t have a candy thermometer, this is the recipe for you!

Most traditional fudge recipes call for the use of a candy thermometer to ensure the exact cooking temperature has been reached. Otherwise you end up with either a gooey mess that you must eat with a spoon, or a brick that would cause your teeth to chip.

However, this recipe doesn’t require a candy thermometer and will still turn out perfect. And with only 6 common ingredients you can have the fudge made and ready to set in under 15 minutes!

What You Will Need To Make Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

• Butter
• Brown Sugar
• Milk
• Confectioners’ Sugar (powdered sugar)
• Creamy Peanut Butter
• Vanilla Extract

Equipment Required

• Stove
• Medium size cooking pot
• Measuring Cup*
• Measuring Spoon
• Kitchen timer
• Stand or Hand Mixer
• Silicone or Wood Spatula
• 8 x 8 inch or 9 x 11 inch baking dish

*When measuring out anything that is thick, like peanut butter, I highly recommend using a Push Measuring Cup.

Simply add the ingredient to the measuring cup. Then when you are ready to add it to your recipe, push the center cylinder and it comes cleanly out of the cup.

I bought mine years ago from Pampered Chef. Now you can find them just about everywhere, including the OXO Push Measuring cup from Amazon.

Tips For Making Peanut Butter Fudge

1. Prepare The Baking Pan

Before you begin to mix the ingredients, it is important that you prepare the baking pan. Although you won’t be baking the fudge, you will need a pan to pour the batter in so that it can harden and set up.

If you like thick fudge use an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. However, if you want a few more pieces, use a larger 9 x 11 inch dish.

Then line the dish with parchment paper. Be sure to let the parchment paper over hang the edges so that you can easily lift the entire block of fudge out of the pan to cut.

However, if you don’t have parchment paper, you can still make the fudge. Just be sure to butter a glass dish and once the fudge hardens, cut it right in the pan.

2. Measure The Ingredients Before You Begin

Because this recipe comes together very quickly you need to have all the ingredients measured and ready to go before you begin cooking.

You will first measure and place the confectioner’s sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then place the butter in a medium size sauce pan, but don’t place it on the burner yet.

Next, measure the brown sugar and place it in a bowl and set aside. In a liquid measuring cup add the milk and set it aside as well.

Finally, place the peanut butter in a push measuring cup and have a teaspoon ready for when you add the vanilla extract. Now you can begin making this easy peanut butter fudge!

2. Boil For The Exact Time

Just like when making Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies, timing is everything. Once the mixture comes to a soft rolling boil, you will start a timer and boil for exactly 90 seconds.

I find it helpful to preset the timer at the same time that I measure the ingredients. Then all I have to do is push the start button when the mixture comes to a rolling boil.

But what is a rolling boil? A rolling boil occurs when the mixture is bubbling even when stirred. When this happens you begin the timer.

3. Remove The Pan From The Heat

As soon as the timer goes off you must remove the pan from heat source. This will help prevent the mixture from over cooking.

Place the pan on a hot pad and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla and continue with the recipe as instructed.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter, creamy
• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease an 8 x 8 inch or a 9 x 11 inch dish or line the baking dish with parchment paper (preferred method). Set aside.

In your stand mixer bowl, or in a large mixing bowl, measure and add the confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.

Then place the butter in a medium saucepan, but do not place it on the burner yet until you measure the remaining ingredients. Measure the brown sugar and place in a bowl.

Then measure the milk in a liquid measuring cup and set aside. Finally, measure the peanut butter in a push measuring cup and set out a teaspoon and place it next to the vanilla extract.

Now it is time to start making this easy peanut butter fudge! In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.

As soon as the butter melts stir in the brown sugar and milk. Stirring constantly bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

Boil Time

Once it reaches a constant boil, even when stirred, boil for exactly 1 1/2 minutes (90 seconds), stirring frequently. Remove the pot from heat.

Quickly stir in peanut butter and vanilla and mix until the peanut butter is melted. Then pour the mixture over the confectioners’ sugar that is in the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until half of the sugar is no longer visible.

Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix until there are no clumps of confectioners sugar in the mixture.

However, this will require a little patience. At first you will notice the the sugar forms into little balls.

Keep mixing on medium-high speed and eventually the clumps will disappear. Once that occurs it is time to spread the peanut butter fudge in the prepared dish.

Using a silicone spatula spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Then let it set at room temperature until it becomes firm.

If you used parchment paper lift the entire block of fudge out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut in desired size pieces.

If you greased the pan cut the fudge directly in the pan. Store fudge in an air tight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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