This melt-in-your-mouth easy peanut butter fudge is any peanut butter lovers dream! With just 10 minutes of work, this rich and velvety microwave fudge recipe is packed with sweet peanut butter cups.
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Why I Love This Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe
Everyone loves homemade candy, especially if it involves chocolate and peanut butter! I once brought this peanut butter fudge with me to a cookie exchange instead of my usual peanut butter cookies and let me tell you… they were a HIT. I think I had at least 5 different people request the recipe. It was fun to see the surprise on their faces when I told them I made the fudge in the microwave with just 6 ingredients! Here’s why you’ll love this fudge recipe just as much as I do:
- Easy: The microwave and fridge do most of the work for you! If you can use the microwave and stir ingredients together, you will nail this fudge!
- Traditional: Fudge is a traditional holiday candy you can expect to see at all your festive gatherings. It is also a great alternative to bring to a Christmas cookie exchange.
- Great for gifting: This creamy peanut butter fudge looks super pretty when packed into cute boxes or bags. No one has to know how simple it was to make!
Looking for more easy and festive fudge recipes? Try this rocky road fudge, bright green Grinch fudge, or this decadent pralines and cream fudge!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for microwave peanut butter fudge. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Peanut Butter: Use standard creamy peanut butter.
- Vanilla Extract: It helps round out the flavors, but feel free to skip it.
- Powdered Sugar: Don’t use granulated sugar or the fudge will turn out grainy.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: You can use all full size cups, mini peanut butter cups or a mixture of the two!
How to Make Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
No need for a candy thermometer, as the microwave saves the day when it comes to last-minute cravings for fudge. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Prep: Lightly butter a baking dish and line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Heat and Stir: Microwave the butter and peanut butter until the butter melts. Stir and heat it again.
- Combine: Stir the vanilla extract and powdered sugar into the butter mixture until smooth. The mixture will thicken and lose its sheen.
- Assemble: Spread the peanut butter mixture into the prepared pan and top with Reese’s cups. Or you can add half the fudge mixture, followed by a layer of Reese’s cups, and top with remaining fudge and Reese’s cups.
- Chill: Pop fudge into the fridge to chill until the mixture is firm. Cut it into 1″ pieces and enjoy.
Chef’s Tips & Variations
- Let it chill: The more you let the fudge chill, the less chances you have of it being melty and sticky when you slice it or serve.
- Add a base: You can add a layer of graham crackers or wafer cookies along the bottom of the baking dish and pour the fudge on top. When it sets, you have a cookie-fudge combo.
- PB&J Fudge: Microwave 1/4 cup strawberry or blackberry jam to make it runny. Swirl it into the fudge mixture and let it set for a touch of fruitiness.
- Use more add-ins: Chopped mini pretzels, peanuts, pecans or mini chocolate chips are great ways to add more flavor and texture to each bite.
- Add a drizzle: Use salted caramel sauce or chocolate sauce to add a sweet drizzle right before refrigerating the fudge. It’ll make it extra pretty!
- Choose the right baking dish: The larger it is, the more spread out the fudge will be. Stick to an 8×8″ baking dish for a thicker fudge, or double the recipe if using a 9×13 pan.
- Pick the right peanut butter: Both smooth and chunky peanut butter are great for this easy peanut butter fudge recipe. The only difference is the texture they’ll add. Smooth peanut butter gives the fudge a creamy texture, whereas chunky adds texture regardless of whether your add-ins are crunchy. Avoid natural peanut butters because the oil and peanuts will separate over time and the texture will not be the same.
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 8 full size Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped
- 16 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped
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Instructions
- Butter and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir until smooth with a wooden spoon or spatula. The peanut butter mixture will start to thicken and loose it’s sheen. If it is still really thin, add 1/4 cup more powdered sugar.
- Transfer half of the fudge mixture into prepared pan. Add a layer of the full size peanut butter cups. Top with remaining fudge mixture and sprinkle the mini peanut butter cups on top. Press the peanut butter cups in slightly to ensure they stick to the top.
- Refrigerate until chilled and fudge is set (this took about an hour in my fridge). Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
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Fudge in a microwave sounds too good to be true!
Love microwave fudge and PB cups are my favorite, so I’m really loving this recipe! 🙂
I love a simple yet wonderful recipe. And this is it. Who wouldn’t want peanut butter cup fudge this holiday season. Loving this
I don’t have any kids yet, but I imagine my husband and i will be the same way lol, precious bed time, right? this microwave fudge looks absolutely amazing!
I love the look of this! It sounds delicious!
uuhh yes please! PB cups is my weakness…like I cant control myself around them. This fudge looks absolutely amazing…
PB fudge is my weakness and the peanut butter cups take this to the next level! So much yum.
these looks ridiculously good!!
ps: hate hate hate when I drop my phone – mine’s got a quite a few cracks! 🙁
Oh my gosh I’m in love with this fudge! Peanut butter fudge is my absolute weakness and I love the addition of pb cups! Plus it’s made in the microwave which is such a time saver! Pinning!
I want to try this with the homemade peanut butter I make!
I woke up this morning and saw this in my email and knew what I would do as soon as the kids went off to school. I just pulled it out of the fridge and…YUM! My boys are going to be so excited when they get home! Thanks so much for sharing some EASY recipes. 😉
I’m so making this!
Ah! I am so making this tomorrow with the kids! Microwave?? Who knew!