Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge is an old fashioned peanut butter fudge recipe made on the stovetop. Just like grandma used to make with the addition of flaky sea salt on the top.
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The best homemade fudge like Grandma used to make
This old fashioned fudge recipe is the absolute best homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter fudge recipe you will find.
It’s super silky, creamy, and not too sweet.
Like little bite size gourmet peanut butter cups with a bit of nostalgia stirred in.
Grandma made peanut butter fudge every Christmas. Then my mom took over the tradition from her. Making batch after batch of fudge from scratch to and give large plates to everyone on her list.
This really is an old fashioned fudge recipe. Made without powdered sugar and instead candied on the stovetop. This recipe is based on the same one grandma used to use. It is the real deal.
And now the homemade fudge tradition is on to me, the third generation.
But don’t be intimidated! You can make it too with the right tools and the following steps.
Ingredients
- Peanut butter
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Salted butter
- Milk
- Cornstarch – makes fudge naturally gluten free.
- Vanilla extract
- Coarse flake sea salt
- Chocolate ganache -chocolate chips, heavy cream
Step by step instructions
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add brown sugar, sugar, butter, and milk. Dissolve, stirring frequently
- Add a candy thermometer (if you have one) and cook until mixture reaches the soft ball stage of 240 degrees Fahrenheit (116 Celsius). To make fudge without a candy thermometer you can test the mix by placing a small drop in a glass of cold water. If it forms a ball that flattens in your hand, it is ready. Much more guesswork and testing is required without a thermometer it’s not impossible to make fudge without a candy thermometer.
- Sprinkle cornstarch on the top and stir to combine.
- Remove from heat, add vanilla and peanut butter.
- Stir well until combined and thick.
- Spread immediately in parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Prepare chocolate ganache using a 3 part chocolate to 1 part cream ratio. The pour warm ganache over the peanut butter fudge layer. Spread to an even thin layer using the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
- Sprinkle coarse sea salt over top and let cool at least 2 hours before cutting.
- Cut into squares, circles or strips and store for later or enjoy!
How to store
Store peanut butter fudge in airtight container to retain the creaminess and prevent the fudge from drying out. Peanut butter fudge does not need to be refrigerated but it can be frozen if desired.
Shelf life
When stored in an airtight container at room temperature old fashioned chocolate peanut butter fudge will last 3-4 weeks. Or freeze peanut butter fudge for up to 6 months. Enjoy frozen or defrost at room temperature or refrigerated and enjoy it smooth and creamy peanut butter fudge whenever you’d like!
Common issues
Is your fudge dry and crumbly? If homemade fudge is crumbly, grainy, or hard it’s most likely the sugar was cooked too long. There’s really nothing you can do to salvage it but you can crumble the fudge and use in other recipes like homemade ice cream, cookies or crispy rice squares.
Likewise if homemade fudge is too soft and slack it’s likely the sugar was undercooked. The best fix is to store in the freezer and use as a filling for homemade peanut butter cups or peanut butter filled cookies. Or simply enjoy frozen.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 40 ounces peanut butter smooth
Chocolate ganache
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Melt brown sugar, butter, sugar and milk in a saucepan over low heat.2 pounds light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 cups milk
- Boil for 5 minutes over low heat (until reaches soft ball stage).
- Stir in cornstarch.2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Remove from heat.
- Add vanilla and peanut butter and beat until well incorporated.2 teaspoons vanilla, 40 ounces peanut butter
- Pour into greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
- Prepare chocolate ganache and pour over.
- Top with sea salt.
- Cool for at least 2 hours before cutting into desired sized fudge pieces.
Chocolate ganache
- Bring cream to simmer on the stovetop over medium heat.½ cup heavy cream
- Measure chocolate chips into a heat safe bowl1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit at least 5 minutes.
- Stir until smooth and all the chocolate lumps disappear.
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