Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
This Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge is a chocolate and peanut butter lover’s fantasy. The bottom layer is an old-fashioned peanut butter fudge made by melting butter and peanut butter together. Then top your peanut butter fudge recipe with a layer of chocolate ganache for the best peanut butter and chocolate fudge recipe ever.
So read on for all the tips and tricks for making this easy fudge recipe. But leave your candy thermometer in the drawer, because you won’t need it for this buckeye fudge!
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Ingredients
There are only seven ingredients in this two layer peanut butter and chocolate fudge recipe, and the peanut butter fudge layer uses most of them. It’s essentially a buckeye fudge, inspired by the candy I made in junior high home economics years and years ago.
This is not a time for natural peanut butter. I recommend baking with Jif in all my peanut butter baking, whether for my peanut butter waffles or everyone’s favorite double peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
Chocolate ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream, here in a two to one ratio for it to be fudgy and firm. Tasters preferred bittersweet chocolate for the chocolate topping. You can also use semisweet chocolate, but milk chocolate would make this peanut butter chocolate fudge overly sweet.
This chocolate and peanut butter fudge is no lie better than Reese’s peanut butter cups, which are my favorite candy. If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter as much as I do, check out my chocolate and peanut butter layer cake, peanut butter rice krispie treats topped with ganache, or my chocolate peanut butter bonbons.
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and substitutions
- Top your peanut butter fudge with a peanut butter chocolate ganache.
- Top your peanut butter fudge with an old-fashioned chocolate fudge recipe.
- Sprinkle on chopped peanuts or some flaky sea salt.
Recipe tips and tricks
While I generally prefer the texture of classic old-fashioned fudge, I love this easy peanut butter and chocolate fudge recipe for you because there’s no condensed milk and there’s no candy thermometer anywhere in sight. That’s why this peanut butter fudge recipe uses a chocolate ganache topping instead of a traditional chocolate fudge recipe.
To make the peanut butter layer, you first melt together the butter and peanut butter. Add the vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar, and press the mixture into a lined pan.
While the peanut butter is still warm, make the chocolate ganache by pouring heated cream into chopped chocolate. Stir until shiny and then pour over the peanut butter fudge layer.
Smooth the chocolate ganache evenly over the peanut butter fudge, and then put the pan with the peanut butter chocolate fudge uncovered into the refrigerator to chill until firm.
Sadly your ganache will lose its shine. When firm you can lift your buckeye fudge out of the pan and cut it into squares. Store your fudge in the refrigerator for up to three weeks (though it won’t last that long!).
Recipe FAQs
This fudge recipe will be fine out of the refrigerator for a few days, but you may prefer to eat it slightly chilled.
Yes, absolutely! Just double wrap the chilled fudge in plastic wrap and place in an air-tight container.
Related candy recipes and other sweets
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.
Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Equipment
- 1 8 inch or 9 inch square pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup (264 grams) creamy peanut butter I recommend Jif
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams) unsalted butter plus extra for the pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups (420 grams) powdered sugar
- 8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
- 4 ounces (120 milliliters) heavy cream
Instructions
- For the best results, line a square pan with parchment paper and very lightly butter the pan.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter and butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until fully melted and smooth. Continue to heat and stir until larger bubbles appear just at the outside edge of your pot. Remove from heat.1 cup (264 grams) creamy peanut butter, 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams) unsalted butter
- Stir in the vanilla and salt and then add the powdered sugar. Mix until you no longer see any traces of sugar.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3½ cups (420 grams) powdered sugar
- Add the peanut butter fudge layer to the prepared pan, pressing down. You do not need to get it perfectly smooth and level. Set the pan aside.
- While the peanut butter fudge is still warm, make the ganache. Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, and heat the cream in a small pan over low heat. When the cream is just barely bubbling, add it to the chocolate. Let it sit for a moment and then stir together until combined and shiny.8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate, 4 ounces (120 milliliters) heavy cream
- Pour the ganache over the peanut butter fudge and use a knife or off-set spatula to smooth it over the top. Chill your peanut butter and chocolate fudge in the refrigerator for at least three hours before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Bored with the recipes you’ve been cooking and baking lately? Get inspiration here:
These were incredible! Made them just as prescribed and they were perfect. I usually make buckeyes every year but these are hoing to be my new go to.
Jenny – I’m so glad you loved this chocolate peanut butter fudge too. Thanks for leaving the note!