BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (2024)

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ByJamie Sanders

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This Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with sweetened condensed milk is made with only 4 ingredients and can be whipped up in just about 10 minutes!

This simple microwave fudge recipe is sweet, creamy, and oh-so peanut buttery. You’ll impress anyone lucky enough to be given a piece (or two.) Peanut Butter Fudge is perfect for holiday cookie trays and gift-giving.

BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (1)

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients at a Glance + Notes
  • How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge in the Microwave
  • Recipe Tips
  • Variations
  • FAQ’s
  • Recipe Card

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

This peanut butter fudge with sweetened condensed milk is creamy, peanut buttery, and sweet.

It’s also a great microwave fudge recipe that can easily be adapted to your preferences.

  • Prefer milk chocolate instead of white? No problem.
  • Want your fudge a little crunchier? Then simply use crunchy peanut butter in place of smooth.

Learn how to make peanut butter fudge in the microwave today! No candy thermometer is needed in this easy recipe.

BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (2)

More Recipes for The Fudge-Aholics

  • Mint Chocolate Fudge Recipe
  • Decadent Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge
  • Rocky Road Fudge
  • Cherry Vanilla Fudge
  • Saltine Cracker Toffee (ok, so not fudge, but definitely belongs in the candy category.)
BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (3)

Ingredients for this Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe + Notes

(Ingredients at a glance, you will find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

  • White chocolate chips or candy melts |You could easily swap white chocolate out for milk chocolate which would be a great pairing too!
  • Sweetened condensed milk |14 oz can
  • Peanut butter |Any kind of peanut butter will be fine, except for natural or organic – Only use regular peanut butter for this fudge recipe – natural/organic will cause your fudge to not set adequately due to the level of oil present in these types of peanut butter.
  • Vanilla Extract |I love using vanilla extract in place of vanilla essence in fudge as it offers a deeper flavor which prevents that peanut butter flavor dominance if you know what I mean?! The balance of flavors created in this amazing peanut butter treat is just too delicious!!
BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (4)

How to make Peanut Butter Fudge with sweetened Condensed Milk

  1. Line an 8 by 8-inch square pan with wax or parchment paper.
  2. Add the white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter to a microwave-safe bowl.
  3. Microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power, remove the bowl, and stir with a rubber spatula
  4. Keep microwaving the fudge at 15-second intervals at 50% power, stirring well until the white chocolate chips are mostly melted Keep stirring until the fudge is completely combined. (this I where the arm workout comes in – the peanut butter fudge mixture is very thick.)BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (5)
  5. Add vanilla and stir for about an additional minute until the fudge is glossy and the vanilla is thoroughly mixed in.
  6. Pour fudge and spread evenly into the prepared dish. Allow fudge time to chill and set up. (You can speed up the process by placing the peanut butter fudge in the fridge once it has cooled.)
BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (6)

Recipe Tips

  • Only use regular or commercial brand peanut butter for this fudge recipe – natural/organic will cause your fudge to not set adequately due to the level of oil present in these types of peanut butter.JifandSkippypeanut butter are great options but you can use whatever is available at your local store too.
  • Common mistakes when it comes to making fudge include overcooking it (resulting in grainy fudge), cooking at too high of a temperature, too fast (resulting in the natural oils separating and creating a “greasy” fudge), or undercooking it (resulting in your fudge not setting properly).
  • If you store your fudge in the freezer, it’s worth wrapping it in wax paper and then in foil to keep it from losing its freshness from a potential loss of moisture. While you never want your fudge to be too sticky or soft from moisture, you also don’t want it to lose too much moisture that it starts to taste stale and loses those rich, delicious flavors you worked hard to create!
  • In a rush to cool your fudge? Simply place it in your refrigerator to chill.

Variations

  • Swirl a 1/4 cup of melted chocolate chips into the top of the peanut butter fudge. (or better yet, use a larger pan and swirl together this peanut butter fudge and chocolate fudge!)
  • Add nuts or marshmallows.
  • Sprinkle Reese’s pieces on top.
  • Add chocolate chips.
  • Add chopped-up Oreos.
  • Another great peanut butter treat recipe to try is this No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars.
BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (7)

FAQ’s

What Type Of Peanut Butter Can I Use In This Fudge?

Any, except natural/organic style (the kind you have to stir the oil back into.) You can use pretty much any brand or type of peanut butter except for natural or organic, as this tends to have additional oils that will affect the consistency of the fudge. Other than that, feel free to use smooth or chunky commercial-brand peanut butter.

BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (8)

What type of White Chocolate Chips should I use?

Choose white chocolate chips that you enjoy eating straight out of the package. You can use white chocolate chips or white candy melts.

I don’t recommend using pure white chocolate as it is made with cocoa butter and requires cooking a certain temp with a candy thermometer to ensure it sets properly. My favorites to use are Nestle Premier White Morsels, Ghiradelli White Chocolate Chips, or the white candy chips from Hobby Lobby (look for the bright white ones.)

How Long Does Peanut Butter Fudge Keep?

Quite a while!This easy peanut butter fudge generally lasts 2-3 weeks when stored in an airtight container in the fridge or up to several months in the freezer. To thaw frozen fudge, allow it to sit at room temperature in its wrapping until completely thawed out.

How Can I Achieve Cleanly Cut Pieces Of Fudge?

Have you ever experienced your fudge crumbling as you cut into it? Here are two ways to prevent it from happening:

  • Use a Very Sharp Knife.To avoid the fudge from crumbling, a very sharp (large) knife is needed.
  • Warm Your Knife:Warm your knife up in hot water between cutting your fudge pieces… similar to what you may have done when cutting frosted cakes.
  • Let It Cool:You also need to allow your fudge to cool down before you attempt to cut it completely. It’s best to place your fudge in a cool, dry area of your kitchen for a minimum of 2 hours before you cut it.

Do I Really Need To Stir The Fudge So Frequently?

Stirring your fudge frequently helps to bind and incorporate all the ingredients. Since you are cooking this peanut butter fudge in the microwave, you also need to take care not to let the white chocolate chips burn. (They do burn quickly in the microwave and there is no fixing burned chocolate. Stick to the recipe instructions given and you’ll be fine.

Can I Use Chunky Peanut Butter In This Recipe?

Of course! If you prefer a bit of texture in your fudge over a creamy peanut butter fudge, you can use crunchy peanut butter. (or even better, how about mixing in some chopped Reese’s pieces -yum.)

Why does my peanut Butter Fudge Seem Oily?

Two reasons this may have happened. One is your peanut butter had too much oil in it, to begin with. (see my photo above) Or you may have heated the mixture too fast and caused the oils in the chocolate to separate. To avoid this, I recommend heating in the microwave at 50% power and stopping before the chocolate morsels are completely melted.

To fix an oily fudge, I recommend transferring the fudge to a clean bowl and letting it sit for a few minutes, then stirring the fudge slowly to try to incorporate the oil back into the fudge.

BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (9)

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BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (10)

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

★★★★★5 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Jamie Sanders
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours (includes setting up time)
  • Yield: 40 pieces 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: microwave
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

  • 12 oz bag white chocolate chips or candy melts
  • 14 oz can Sweetened condensed milk
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter (not natural or organic style)
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Line a 8 by 8 casserole dish with wax paper.
  • Add the white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter to a microwave safe bowl.
  • Microwave for 30 seconds, remove bowl and stir, stir stir.
  • Microwave the fudge at 15 second intervals, stirring like crazy until the white chocolate chips are completely melted and the fudge is completely combined.
  • Add vanilla and stir for about an additional minute until the fudge is glossy and vanilla is completely mixed in.
  • Pour fudge and spread evenly into prepared dish. Allow fudge time to chill and set up. (you can speed up the process by placing in the fridge once it has cooled.)

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 piece
  • Calories: 104
  • Fat: 6
  • Carbohydrates: 12
  • Protein: 2

Keywords: peanut butter fudge, peanut butter candy, microwave fudge recipe

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About the AuthorJamie Sanders is a wife and mom of 2, located in the heart of Texas. She founded Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom in 2011 as a place to share creative ideas and family friendly recipes. Her work has been featured on Martha Stewart, Woman’s World, HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, CNET, Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, Oprah Daily, and Redbook, plus many other publications. To date, she had given away just under a million free pdf sewing patterns.
BEST Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my condensed milk fudge set? ›

Fudge Didn't Set

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough. This mistake is super easy to avoid if you use a candy thermometer and cook the fudge to the temperature specified in the recipe (usually between 234 and 239°F).

What happens if I use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in fudge? ›

Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet. Cut up the Butter– Before adding the butter in make sure to cut it into smaller pieces for faster melting.

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.

What makes high quality 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).

How do you fix grainy condensed milk fudge? ›

OMG My fudge is grainy, what do I do? -

Pop the grainy fudge back into the pan along with some water and a little cream and melt the fudge back down to a liquid and re-boil it to temperature. Heat slowly to begin with and make sure the mixture goes completely smooth before bringing it to the boil.

Why is my condensed milk fudge grainy? ›

The most common reason for graininess is because you began beating or stirring it while the fudge was still cooling. It's best to wait until it's cooled to somewhere around 110 to 113 degrees to begin stirring.

How do you make homemade fudge firmer? ›

​Harden the fudge:​ Place your container or tins in the fridge for 2 hours, which is the time it takes for the fudge to set. Once it's hardened, cut the fudge into 12 pieces or remove it from the muffin tins. Store in the fridge or the freezer (if you don't devour it right away).

Which is better for fudge condensed milk or evaporated milk? ›

Condensed milk is thicker and sweetened. If you want it to be the right consistency and flavor do not substitute. How can I make a fudge recipe without using evaporated milk? Evaporated milk is used to richen the texture of the fudge.

What is the best pan to make fudge in? ›

Secondly, the pot's material should allow for good heat distribution hence your top choice should be copper cookware or a pot with a copper core. Copper's exceptional heat conductivity offers unparalleled temperature control, an asset when working with finicky ingredients like sugar.

Does fudge need evaporated or condensed milk? ›

Evaporated milk is milk that has been cooked to reduce its water content. It is more stable than regular milk and it can be cooked at high temperatures without curdling, a real benefit to fudge. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for it in a fudge recipe.

Why is my peanut butter fudge not getting hard? ›

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. A temperature of 112°C to 114°C (234°F to 237°F) must be maintained. This will ensure the fudge has the ideal concentration of water and sugar. Fudge is difficult to make.

How do you fix peanut butter fudge that didn't set? ›

To fix it, you can reheat the fudge mixture over low heat and continue cooking until it reaches the proper temperature. Be sure to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Alternatively, you can try to salvage chewy fudge by mixing it into ice cream or using it as a topping for desserts.

How do you keep peanut butter fudge from getting grainy? ›

Despite this, I still recommend following a few grain-preventing best practices, like brushing the sugar crystals back into the pot with a damp pastry brush before the candy boils and not scraping the sides of the pot when pouring your fudge out of the pan.

Should you stir fudge constantly? ›

It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould. Another tip: Do not scrape the sides of the pan or the spoon used for stirring.

What does cream of tartar do in 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!

Why is my fudge crumbling when I cut it? ›

The ingredients for fudge are combined and cooked to 234 degrees, cooled to 110 degrees without stirring, then beaten until creamy. Candy that isn't cooked long enough will end up too soft; overcooking makes fudge crumbly or hard.

What does soft ball mean when making fudge? ›

making of fudge

termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers.

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