I still remember the first time I made this fudge. It was a chilly afternoon, and my kitchen was filled with the desperate need for something sweet and comforting. I wanted a treat that felt like a hug, but I didn’t want to spend hours over a candy thermometer, wrestling with finicky sugar stages. That’s when I stumbled upon this magical, three-ingredient wonder. Within minutes, my small kitchen was swirling with the rich, toasty scent of melting peanut butter and caramelizing sugar—a smell that promised pure, uncomplicated joy. This recipe became my secret weapon, the one I turn to when I need a guaranteed win, and today, I’m so excited to share it with you.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’re going to adore this recipe because it removes every single barrier to making perfect, old-fashioned fudge. No candy thermometer, no complicated stages, and absolutely no fuss. It comes together in one pot in about ten minutes of active work, and the result is a batch of fudge so incredibly smooth, rich, and peanut-buttery that your friends will swear you bought it from a fancy confectionery. It’s the kind of foolproof recipe that builds your kitchen confidence and delivers a decadent payoff every single time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of milk (whole or 2% works best)
- 1 cup of smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- A generous pinch of salt
After years of making this, I’ve learned a few ingredient secrets. First, do not use natural or “stir” peanut butter where the oil separates. The consistency is wrong and will give you greasy, grainy fudge. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. A standard, shelf-stable creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy is perfect here—it emulsifies beautifully. For the milk, whole milk gives the creamiest result, but 2% works in a pinch. And that pinch of salt? Don’t skip it. It cuts the sweetness and makes the peanut butter flavor absolutely sing.(See the next page below to continue…)