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Stack of old-fashioned peanut butter fudge squares on parchment on a wooden board

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge

Classic 5-ingredient peanut butter fudge: sugar and milk boiled to the 234°F soft-ball stage, then beaten with peanut butter, butter and vanilla.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Setting 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 16 squares
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter commercial-style, not natural
  • 2 tbsp butter salted or unsalted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • heavy-bottomed 2- to 3-quart saucepan
  • Candy Thermometer
  • 8x8-inch baking pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • pastry brush

Method
 

  1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang, and grease lightly. Set the peanut butter, butter and vanilla by the stove.
  2. Stir the sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils.
  3. Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and clip on a candy thermometer.
  4. Boil, stirring only occasionally and gently, until the syrup reaches 234°F (soft-ball stage), usually 6 to 10 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat. Add the peanut butter, butter and vanilla and stir hard 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth, thick and just losing its shine.
  6. Pour into the pan right away and smooth the top.
  7. Cool at room temperature 1 to 2 hours until firm, then lift out and cut into 16 squares.

Notes

Test your thermometer in boiling water first (212°F at sea level) and adjust the target if needed. At high altitude, subtract about 2°F for every 1,000 feet. Cold-water test: a drop of syrup in cold water forms a soft ball that flattens between your fingers. Store airtight up to 1 week at room temperature or 2 weeks in the fridge.