2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge (Easy Recipe!)

Truly the easiest fudge recipe you will ever find! With only 2 simple ingredients, this peanut butter lovers fudge recipe is the perfect dessert for special occasions or anytime you need an easy dessert.

Need a delicious, easy and naturally gluten-free dessert this holiday season?

OMG look no further. I've got you🙋‍♀️

This recipe peanut butter fudge has two, yes only TWO ingredients!

You can easily make this peanut butter fudge with just icing and peanut butter chips - that's it!

Get into the holiday (and sweet) spirit and make this fudge recipe today😄

Jump to:

• 📝Ingredients for peanut butter fudge
• 🔪How to make peanut butter fudge
• 🙋‍♀️Tips for making peanut butter fudge
• 🔄Substitutions for fudge
• 🥡Storage and Freezing
• ❓Why is my peanut butter fudge not firm?
• 🤫What's the secret to making fudge?
• 🥶Do you have to refrigerate peanut butter fudge?
• 🙋‍♀️What are the ingredients of fudge?
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

📝Ingredients for peanut butter fudge

The 2-ingredients you need for this fudge recipe are:

• Vanilla Frosting - "whipped frosting" or Creamy Vanilla Frosting will work
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

🔪How to make peanut butter fudge

• First, line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper

🙋‍♀️Tips for making peanut butter fudge

• Parchment paper is a must! Don’t just use nonstick spray on your pan as it doesn’t work. I know this, because I did it and it was so tough to get the fudge out. Parchment paper is the only way to go.
• Don’t overcook your peanut butter chips or they’ll turn out lumpy. And that will equal lumpy fudge (boo).
• Be mindful of the type of icing you choose - there's "creamy" or "whipped" icing and although both will work, keep in mind that the moisture content of the icing can affect the end product or at least how long it has to be refrigerated. I've tried both varieties of icing and both worked fine for me
• Tip on using the vanilla icing - ok so you CAN microwave your icing IF it's not super soft (see photos). If you get the "whipped icing", you don't even have to microwave it and can skip that step.

🔄Substitutions for fudge

• Swap out the flavor of the chips to change up the flavor of the fudge.
• If you can find peanut butter frosting, you’re welcome to use that in place of the white frosting for an even bigger peanut butter taste.
• If you don’t want to use the peanut butter chips, you can use 16 ounces of creamy peanut butter in its place. It didn’t work the greatest with the natural peanut butter, but it worked great with the sugar added peanut butter options. Follow the steps the exact same way when making this substitution.
• You can also use a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk in place of the frosting, but you'll need to add 2 more ounces of peanut butter chips if you make this substitution.

🥡Storage and Freezing

Store fudge in a sealed container in the fridge or cool, dry spot for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

❓Why is my peanut butter fudge not firm?

This is a pretty fool-proof recipe: using frosting instead of sweetened condensed milk or a more traditional recipe with the whole butter/sugar/milk cooking adventure.

If you're making peanut butter fudge the more traditional way, there could be a few reasons why it's not setting properly and firming up.

Here's some reasons why your peanut butter fudge might not be as firm as you'd like:

1. Temperature Matters: Fudge is all about that temperature game. If your mixture didn't reach the right temperature during cooking, it might not set properly. Use a candy thermometer to make sure you hit that sweet spot (usually around 235-240°F or 113-116°C).
2. Sugar Syrup Magic: Fudge relies on sugar syrup to set. If your syrup didn't cook long enough, it might not have reached the right consistency. Make sure to let it boil for the recommended time in the recipe.
3. Peanut Butter Power: Peanut butter adds a creamy texture, but it also contains oil. If your peanut butter is too runny or oily, it can affect the fudge's firmness. Opt for a natural peanut butter with minimal added oils.
4. Marshmallow Mojo: Marshmallow cream is a fudge superhero, helping with that smooth texture. If you didn't add enough or the right type, it might be causing your fudge to be less firm. Double-check the recipe's marshmallow cream requirement.
5. Cooling: Fudge needs time to cool and set. If you rushed this step, it might be the reason your fudge isn't holding its shape. Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight for best results.
6. Butter Balance: Butter brings that wonderful richness, but too much of it might lead to a softer fudge. Check if your recipe calls for the right butter-to-other-ingredients ratio.
7. Humidity: Humidity is like the fudge's sneaky nemesis. In humid conditions, fudge might absorb moisture from the air and remain softer. Try making fudge on a dry day or in an air-conditioned environment.

If you make this 2-ingredient fudge recipe and it's not firming up, it's most likely that the icing and the peanut butter chip mixture hasn't had enough time to chill in the fridge.

Be sure to let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or if you have the time, leave it in there overnight.

🤫What's the secret to making fudge?

When making a more traditional fudge recipe, there are some steps that require some careful precision so that the fudge turns out yummy and firm.

A couple major things to keep in mind are:

• Temperature: Fudge is all about getting the right temperature. Use a candy thermometer to hit that sweet spot when cooking your sugar mixture. It's usually around 235-240°F (113-116°C). Too low, and your fudge might be gooey; too high, and it could turn into brittle.
• Stirring enough: sufficient stirring prevents sugar crystals from forming and gives your fudge its creamy texture. But don't go overboard – stop stirring when the mixture's ready to set.
• Cooling: Let your fudge cool at room temperature for a bit, and then pop it in the fridge to finish setting. Don't rush this step; give it the time it needs to set properly
• Humidity: Make fudge on dry days or if possible, in air-conditioned spaces to prevent excess moisture from affecting its texture.

🥶Do you have to refrigerate peanut butter fudge?

Yes, to properly cool and get the fudge to set properly, you need to refrigerate peanut butter fudge. After getting the mixture of icing and the melted chips into an 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper, put the peanut butter fudge into the fridge to set for about 2 hours (or overnight.)

For storing fudge, you can keep it in the fridge or on the counter. Just keep it in an air-tight container so it stays fresh.

I like to keep my fudge cut into small squares, wrapped in an airtight container in the freezer. That way, it stays really fresh and always there when I need a little sweet treat or when I need an easy and quick gluten-free dessert when having friends or family over for dinner.

🙋‍♀️What are the ingredients of fudge?

A more traditional homemade fudge recipe would include a combination of these ingredients:

• Sugar
• Butter
• Milk
• Chocolate - people use chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or just melt some good ol' chocolate bars
• Marshmallow Cream - this fluffy goodness isn't just for s'mores. Adding marshmallow cream to fudge gives a smoothness and sweetness to the fudge
• Vanilla Extract
• Nuts - optional but nice for some texture and a little crunch
• Salt - A pinch of salt might seem odd, but it actually enhances the overall flavor, balancing out the sweetness

Now, making homemade fudge with ingredients like sugar, butter and milk also means you have to make the fudge in a more complicated way - boiling the sugar, butter and milk together; adding the chocolate; cooling it, etc, etc.

So once of the reasons I love this recipe for 2 ingredient fudge is just that: only TWO ingredients🥳

Hope you love this peanut butter fudge recipe like we do!

~April

📖 Recipe