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A small plate with a pile of homemade honey peanut butter fudge with peanuts scattered around it shot on a walnut wood-colored surface.
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Alice's Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

This old-fashioned peanut butter fudge recipe is truly delicious. Named for our sweet Alice, it's chock full of peanut butter with a kiss of honey. Sprinkle with finishing salt and a healthy handful of chopped peanuts for an extra tasty treat.
Course Candy Recipes
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 64 pieces
Calories 64kcal
Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

  • 238 grams brown sugar 8.5 oz or 1 cup
  • 129 grams granulated sugar 4.6 oz or a little more than 1/2 cup
  • 81 grams honey, corn syrup, or a mixture of the two 2.9 oz or 1/4 cup
  • 112 grams whole milk 4 oz or 1/2 cup
  • 269 grams smooth or crunchy peanut butter 9.6 oz or 1 cup
  • 1 - 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton's
  • 21 grams butter .75 oz or 1 1/2 Tablespoons
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Optional

  • ¼ teaspoon finishing salt
  • 1/4-1/3 cup salted peanuts eyeballing this is fine

Instructions

  • Spray an 8" x 8" pan lightly with pan spray. Line the pan with a parchment strip cut or folded to fit snugly in the bottom of the pan and up 2 opposite sides. Set aside.
  • Add sugars, honey or corn syrup, milk, peanut butter, and salt to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  • Put the butter and vanilla in the bowl of your stand mixer or in another large bowl. Set aside convenient to the stove.
  • Over medium heat, stir the peanut butter mixture until smooth.
  • Keep stirring as the mixture comes to a boil. If using a candy thermometer, clip it to the side of your pan now.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook and stir until the candy reaches 234F/112C on an instant-read thermometer or on a candy thermometer.
  • Once the fudge has reached the correct temperature, which will only take maybe 4-5 minutes once it starts boiling, pour it into the bowl with the butter and vanilla. You can lightly scrape the sides of the pan, but leave anything that's stuck in the bottom of the pot. You can eat that yourself once it cools down!
  • Let the candy cool, undisturbed, until the temperature is about 120F/49C. This will take about 45 minutes for a single batch and about 1:15-20 minutes for a double batch. NOTE: Wait time is dependent upon the temp of your kitchen, so always check your temperature with an instant-read or candy thermometer.
  • If using a stand mixer, place the bowl on the mixer and mix on medium-low speed until lightened in color, very thick, and no longer shiny. You can also stir with a hand mixer in your large bowl.
  • Scrape the finished fudge into the prepared pan. Use clean hands or an offset spatula sprayed lightly with pan spray to press out and smooth the candy evenly in the pan.
  • Optional: Sprinkle on the salt and scatter on some peanuts. Use your clean hand or the back of the offset spatula to press them down into the fudge so they stick.
  • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour if you're impatient to cut it. If you have patience, leave it to cool at room temperature for at least 4 hours. I still like to at least refrigerate it for a little while to hedge my bets since I like to cut it on a cutting board and not in the pan.
  • You can cut yours either way, using the 2 ends of the parchment to help you pull the slab of candy out of the pan. Slice with a serrated knife. Or just slice in the pan, being careful not to scratch up your pan.
  • See the NOTES section below for ingredient amounts for a double batch and for stirring the candy with a wooden spoon.

Notes

Double Batch Amounts

476 grams (17 oz or 2 cups) brown sugar
258 grams (9.2oz or a little more than 1 cup) granulated sugar
162 grams (5.8 oz or 1/2 cup) honey, corn syrup, or a mixture of the two
224 grams (8 oz or 1 cup) whole milk
538 grams (19.2 oz or 2cups) smooth or crunchy peanut butter
2 - 2 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Morton's)
42 grams (1.5 oz or 3 Tablespoons) butter
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
! Optional
1/2 teaspoon finishing salt
1/2-2/3 cup salted peanuts (eyeballing this is fine)
It took about 5 minutes on speed 3 of my KitchenAid to get the double batch of fudge to a beautiful, thick, matte texture.

To Make Without a Mixer

The traditional way to make fudge, without a mixer, has you add the butter and vanilla to the pot of fudge once it has reached the correct temperature and you have taken it off the heat.
Once the candy cools to about 120F/49C, begging stirring with a sturdy wooden spoon or a silicone spatula.
Stir pretty vigorously, switching arms when one gets tired.
You can also draw up big spoonfuls of fudge and let it fall back into the pan. The helps get some air in the candy as well as helps to cool it down some.
Keep stirring until the fudge is very thick and matte in texture and holds its shape on your spoon. Depending on what temperature you start stirring at, this could take 10 to 15 minutes or so.
Maybe invite some friends to help you stir!
Scrape the candy out into the pan and continue with the recipe.

Storing

If it’s pretty cool in your kitchen, you can keep it at room temperature, in a tightly-sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
Peanut butter fudge (all the fudge) freezes really well. The day after making it, once it is completely set, place in a single layer in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Make sure to press out as much air as possible before sealing.
To get as much air out as humanly possible, close the bag almost all the way, insert a straw in the opening left, and suck out as much air as you can before sealing. It will be fine in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature for several hours before opening the bag to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.9g | Protein: 1.5g | Fat: 3.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.7g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 61mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 7.2g