Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Audrey's Little Farm (2024)

This quick and easy peanut butter fudge is a staple in our kitchen around the holidays! It’s soft, creamy and delicious!

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Audrey's Little Farm (1)

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There are certain desserts and recipes that I make that aren’t only about the taste, but about the memories.

And this peanut butter fudge is one of them.

There isn’t a time that I make this fudge or eat it, that I don’t think of my grandpa “Pops.”

I got this recipe from him and I hope one day I’ll be able to master it like he had. He still makes it better than anyone I know and when I say he mastered it, that’s an understatement.

I vividly remember the last time I got to make fudge with him and I was trying to study every exact step so I could do it just like him.

He rarely even used a candy thermometer because he would just watch the hot mixture run off the spoon and he knew it was ready when it slowly dripped off.

So even though this old fashioned fudge recipe really is the best tasting fudge I’ve ever had, I love it the most because it gives me wonderful memories of Pops.

I hope that you and your family will enjoy this recipe at the holidays or even year around as much as mine does!

How to Make Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge

This is one of the easiest recipes I have but if you barely overcook it, it’ll quickly turn to crumbles.

So my biggest piece of advice is to cook it slow and as soon as it is approaching the correct temperature quickly remove it from the heat and you’ll be good!

You can always pour undercooked fudge over ice cream, but the only good place for over cooked fudge is in the trash can.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 TBSP cocoa powder

2 TBSP butter

1 cup milk

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:

Step 1:

Butter an 8 x 8 glass baking dish and set aside.

Step 2:

In a medium or large pot, add sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk.

Step 3:

Cook on low to medium heat while stirring constantly. Once the mixture comes to a boil use a candy thermometer and watch the temperature. As soon as it approaches a soft ball stage remove it from the heat.

Soft ball stage is 240 degrees F. So once the mixture gets to about 238 degrees I will remove it from the heat because overcooking this fudge will ruin it.

Step 4:

Once you remove the fudge mixture from the heat then quickly add in the peanut butter and continue stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.

Step 5:

Once the fudge mixture is smooth pour it into your buttered dish and let it cool. It should be firm enough to cut and serve within 10 minutes.

Trouble Shooting:

If the fudge is already setting up in the pan before you pour it into your baking dish it has been over cooked.

If the mixture seems too runny when you pour it into your baking dish it may have been undercooked. But give it time because it still may set up. If it doesn’t, it will still taste great and you can serve it on top of ice cream.

Fudge Making Tips

Always cook at a low to medium temperature so that the mixture heats up slowly and doesn’t overcook.

To test soft ball stage without a thermometer, drop a spoonful of the hot mixture into a cup of very cold ice water. If it has reached soft ball stage it will form a soft ball in the water and then flatten out once it’s removed.

Always lean on the side of undercooking versus overcooking as you start testing out the recipe. Overcooked fudge cannot be undone and just crumbles apart. While undercooked fudge will still taste good, it just may not completely firm up.

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Audrey's Little Farm (2)

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge

4.63 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 TBSP cocoa powder
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

  • Butter an 8 x 8 glass baking dish and set aside.

  • In a medium or large pot, add sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk.

  • Cook on low to medium heat while stirring constantly. Once the mixture comes to a boil use a candy thermometer and watch the temperature. As soon as it approaches a soft ball stage remove it from the heat.

  • Soft ball stage is 240 degrees F. So once the mixture gets to about 238 degrees I will remove it from the heat because overcooking this fudge will ruin it.

  • Once you remove the fudge mixture from the heat then quickly add in the peanut butter and continue stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.

  • Once the fudge mixture is smooth pour it into your buttered dish and let it cool. It should be firm enough to cut and serve within 10 minutes.

Keyword peanut butter fudge

Tried this recipe?Mention @audreyslittlefarm or tag #audreyslittlefarm

Here are more recipes you may enjoy!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Andes Mint Cheesecake

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

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Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Audrey's Little Farm (3)

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe - Audrey's Little Farm (2024)

FAQs

Why did my peanut butter fudge not get hard? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

How do you thicken peanut butter fudge? ›

How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

What can you do with peanut butter fudge that didn't set? ›

OPTION 4) If you think the reason it didn't set was because you didn't heat it to the right temperature, you could try putting it back into the pan and re-cooking.

When was peanut butter fudge invented? ›

Peanut Butter Fudge has been around since the late 1800's with one of the first recipes originating in Maryland and later being shared from there to family members in New York.

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Why is my peanut butter fudge still soft? ›

Conversely, if the cooking time is too brief and there is not enough evaporation, too much water will remain and the fudge will be too soft.

How to rescue fudge that won't set? ›

How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

Will powdered sugar thicken fudge? ›

How to thicken your fudge? If your fudge it noticeably thin, you may want to add more chocolate. If you are out of chocolate, you can also add 1/4-1/2 cup of powdered sugar. This, however, can make the fudge very sweet.

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

Why won't my 3 ingredient condensed milk fudge set? ›

Why won't my 3 ingredient fudge set? This often happens when the condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture isn't hot enough to start. Everything must be completely melted before it is transferred to the pan to cool.

How do I fix runny fudge? ›

If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream. Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.

What is a fun fact about peanut butter fudge? ›

It has never been exactly clear when peanut butter fudge was first created. It is believed to have come from experiments with peanut butter. Brilliant innovations in the kitchen produced the peanut butter fudge that many people love today. Peanut butter fudge is actually quite easy to make.

Why do you add cream of tartar to fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

What is the oldest peanut butter? ›

1908. Krema Products Company, in Columbus, Ohio, began selling peanut butter. They are the oldest peanut butter company still in operation today.

How long does it take for fudge to go hard? ›

After your fudge has completely set (this usually takes about four hours on the counter top), remove it from the foil and cut it into squares. If you use a rounded baking pan, cut off just enough of the edge so that the fudge no longer has a rounded edge. Doing this will give every piece of fudge a nice flat bottom.

Does fudge go hard? ›

It's not considered a potentially hazardous food, but the quality of fudge can certainly be affected, with a change in texture, appearance and flavor. If fudge experiences a change in temperature, it can melt or develop a slimy texture on the surface. If it is exposed to air, it can dry out and become hard.

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