This Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge is the easiest fudge recipe! You only need four ingredients and 6 minutes prep time to make it in your microwave or stovetop . It turns out so smooth and delicious, perfect for the busy holiday season.
What is chocolate peanut butter fudge? It is a confectionary treat made from peanut butter, sugar, butter, and sometimes condensed milk and with chocolate added to it. It's creamy, rich with a smooth texture and a distinct peanut butter flavor, like the peanut butter toast.
It's a popular treat during the holidays, loved by many for its sweet, nutty taste and creamy consistency, like the sunbutter cups.
Traditional fudge can be a tricky to make at home and it needs a candy thermometer. If not done right, you might end with a grainy or greasy candy.
How is fudge different from chocolate? Like the Christmas fudge recipe, fudge is known for its smooth, creamy texture and can be flavored in various ways, such as chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, or maple. It often includes added ingredients for added texture and flavor.
Whereas, chocolate encompasses a wide range of confections made mainly from cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar. Available in various forms like bars, chips, or powders, chocolate can vary in cocoa solid percentages.
Chocolate can be consumed as is, used for baking, or melted to create coatings, fillings, or decorations for desserts, like in chocolate covered peanut butter balls.
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Why you'll love this?
- No need for a candy thermometer.
- Only 4 ingredients.
- Under 6 minutes of prep time.
- Smooth, creamy and melt in your mouth texture.
- Perfect for the holiday season.
- Make it easily in the microwave or stovetop.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Peanut butter - Like the almond flour peanut butter cookies recipe, use creamy, “regular” peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. I don’t recommend using the natural kind that separates.
- Chocolate Chips - Like in chocolate peppermint bark recipe or almond butter truffles, I use semi sweet chocolate chips make this a no-fail recipe.
- Sweetened condensed milk - One 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk is the base of the entire chocolate peanut butter fudge recipe, like for chocolate truffles recipe with condensed milk.
- Flavorings - Vanilla extract and salt make sit taste delicious.
What chocolate to use?
Opting for semi-sweet chocolate chips or a baking bar provides an ideal balance of sweetness and flavor when paired with other ingredients. Using a milk chocolate variety may result in an overly sweet candy.
It's crucial to note that not all brands are identical. Nestle Toll House chocolate chips, for instance, tend to make it more sweeter. Personally, I prefer Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips as they offer just the right level of sweetness, like in peppermint hot chocolate.
Variations
- Make a swirl - To create a marbled effect, melt chocolate and condensed milk together and spread into the pan. Add dollops of peanut butter on top and swirl it in using a butter knife, like in marbled sheet pan pancakes.
- Add nuts - Add chopped nuts like roasted peanuts, walnuts, or pecans into the fudge mixture for a crunchy texture.
- Peanut butter cups - Place chopped chunks of peanut butter cups on top of the fudge mixture, before it sets and gently press it in to adhere for added visual interest and texture. Have more peanut butter cups? Use them to make these adorable Easter nests.
- Salted caramel - Drizzle a layer of salted caramel sauce on top of the fudge before it sets.
- S'mores - Place mini marshmallows and crushed graham crackers on top before it sets.
- Peanut and jelly - Swirl in a layer of jelly or jam to create a beautiful pattern.
- Rocky road - Press mini marshmallows and chopped nuts to create a rocky road-inspired fudge.
- White chocolate - Create a marbled effect by swirling melted white chocolate through the chocolate fudge mixture before it sets.
- Not a fan of peanut butter? Use almond butter instead like in almond butter overnight oats.
How to make?
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
1.Add chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave for 50 to 80 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds, until it is melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
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3. Immediately transfer mixture into the parchment lined loaf pan, smooth top and sprinkle some sea salt on top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until firm.
Pan size - I recommend using a 9.5 x 5 Inch standard loaf pan , which keeps the fudge squares on the thicker side. A 8-inch square pan will work, but the chocolate peanut butter fudge squares will be thinner. However, I don't recommend using a 9-inch square baking pan, because it might make the candy to thin. Whichever size you use, line the pan with parchment paper so you can easily lift the whole block out of the pan after it sets.
Stovetop method
1. In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 cup of water to simmering over low heat.
2. Place a glass bowl on top of the pot so it rests above the simmering water, but doesn't touch it.
3. Add the chocolate chips, peanut butter and condensed milk into the bowl and allow the steam to heat the bowl and melt everything. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
4. Once melted, remove the bowl from the pot and stir in vanilla extract and salt.
5. Immediately transfer mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smooth top and chill.
How to store?
One batch of this chocolate peanut butter fudge yields 32 squares, if using a 8-inch square pan and 16 squares when using a loaf pan.
Like the Halloween chocolate bark, fudge is indulgent and sweet, so even a small pan makes a lot of servings. The best way to store the cut pieces is in the refrigerator for a week.
You can freeze the entire block (wrap in plastic wrap and then in a gallon size zipper bag). Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then slice cold.
Tip: I like to also wrap the individual cut pieces in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer, for a quick pick me up when a craving strikes.
Helpful Tips
- Choose your thickness! Using a loaf pan will result in thick squares, whereas using a 8-inch square pan will make it thin.
- Line the pan with parchment paper, for easy removal.
- Use good quality chocolate. Like in chocolate peanut clusters, I love to use Ghiradelli semi-sweet chips. Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips make the fudge much sweeter than intended.
- Store the fudge in the refrigerator until serving time.
Have leftover chocolate peanut butter fudge? Cut them into small chunks and stir into hot milk for a peanut flavored hot chocolate, yum!
Recipe FAQs
My preferred storage method is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will remain this way for up to a month. If your room temperature is relatively cool, like during winter months, it can typically be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
In warmer climates or during hot weather, the fudge might soften or melt at room temperature, and refrigeration can help maintain its shape and consistency.
Traditional fudge recipes involves cooking sugar until it reaches a candy stage, which can result in a grainy texture if not cooked correctly. However, this recipe is forgiving and easy to prepare, consistently yielding a smooth and creamy texture.
Achieving the right consistency can depend on various factors such as cooking time, temperature, and the accuracy of ingredient measurements. Overcooking or undercooking the chocolate peanut butter fudge can result in it being too hard or too soft. Follow the recipe instructions carefully for best results.
More holiday recipes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips I recommend Ghiradelli
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounce
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt, as desired
Instructions
- Line a standard loaf pan or a 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, so that covers the bottom and sides of the pan. Tip: Loaf pan keeps the squares on the thicker side whereas a 8-inch square pan will be yield thinner pieces. However, I don't recommend using a 9-inch square pan, because it might make the candy to thin.
- Microwave method
- Add chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 50 to 80 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds, until it has melted and smooth.
- Stir in vanilla extract and immediately transfer mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smooth top and sprinkle sea salt on top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until firm.
Stovetop method
- In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 cup of water to simmering over low heat. Place a glass bowl on top of the pot so it rests above the simmering water, but doesn't touch it.
- Add the chocolate chips, peanut butter and condensed milk into the bowl and allow the steam to heat the bowl and melt everything. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
- Once melted, remove the bowl from the pot and stir in vanilla extract. Immediately transfer mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smooth top and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until firm.
- Cut into pieaces while it's still cold, right out of the fridge and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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Bobbi
This recipe call for only 1 cup of Chocolate Chips but all the others I’ve looked at call for 3 cups. Is 1 cup actually enough?
Maria Doss
Hi Bobbi,
A single cup serves as the ideal measurement, effectively balancing the sweetness when paired with condensed milk, which is inherently very sweet. More chocolate chips with added sugar would result in an overly sugary fudge. Hope it helps, Maria
Jessica
Can I make this recipe on the stove instead of in the microwave?
Maria Doss
Absolutely - Here are the steps:
1. In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 cup of water to simmering over low heat.
2. Place a glass bowl on top of the pot so it rests above the simmering water, but doesn't touch it.
3. Add the chocolate chips, peanut butter and condensed milk into the bowl and allow the steam to heat the bowl and melt everything. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
4. Once melted, remove the bowl from the pot and stir in vanilla extract and immediately transfer mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Proceed as with the remaining part of the recipe.
- Maria