The first time I made this Buckeye Fudge, it was an act of sheer desperation. I had promised to bring a treat to a holiday party, but my oven decided to call it quits. I was surrounded by bowls, a frantic energy, and a deep worry I’d show up empty-handed. That’s when I found this no-bake fudge recipe, a beautiful marriage of my two great loves: creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate. As I stirred the chocolate and butter together on my stovetop, my tiny kitchen transformed. The air filled with that warm, cocoa-y perfume that just smells like happiness, and the frantic worry melted away. When I finally swirled the peanut butter layer into the dark chocolate, creating those signature buckeye swirls, I knew I’d stumbled onto something truly special. This fudge isn’t just a dessert; it’s my go-to rescue recipe, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that feels like a warm hug from the inside out.
Ingredients
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not the natural, oily kind)
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (omit if your peanut butter is salted)
- 1/2-3/4 cup additional powdered sugar, for the peanut butter layer
Let’s talk ingredients for a second, because a few choices here make all the difference. For the chocolate, I’ve found a good quality semi-sweet chip gives the best flavor and melt. For the peanut butter layer, this is crucial: use a standard, shelf-stable creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. The natural, stir-please kinds will separate and make your layer oily and greasy—I learned this the hard way and ended up with a delicious but messy puddle. The powdered sugar is our key to that classic fudge texture and sweetness, so don’t be tempted to reduce it. And that little pinch of salt with the peanut butter? It’s the secret weapon that makes the whole flavor profile pop.(See the next page below to continue…)