This is such an easy and fun recipe to make.
I tried this recipe twice, and I've perfected it now. The trick is to use confectioner's sugar, not white sugar like the recipe specifies. I tried once with white sugar and 2 times with confectioner's sugar. Confectioner's sugar is in 99% of fudge recipes - there were a lot of people on here saying their fudge came out grainy, and that would be why! So make sure to use confectioner's, and I've found that 7-8 minutes is the right amount of time for the "soft ball stage" to be reached, but you really ought to try it out in a cold glass of water every 30 seconds until it forms little balls in the water. I added a little more peanut butter in my 2nd try as well, maybe 1/8 cup more, and my family definitely liked it better, so if you're a PB stickler like me, add more peanut butter!
Read More This was a horrible recipe! I tried it twice and both times immediately after adding the peanut butter the fudge hardened up and became rock solid and crystalized. I was sad to have wasted all my ingredients on this recipe
Read MoreI tried this recipe twice, and I've perfected it now. The trick is to use confectioner's sugar, not white sugar like the recipe specifies. I tried once with white sugar and 2 times with confectioner's sugar. Confectioner's sugar is in 99% of fudge recipes - there were a lot of people on here saying their fudge came out grainy, and that would be why! So make sure to use confectioner's, and I've found that 7-8 minutes is the right amount of time for the "soft ball stage" to be reached, but you really ought to try it out in a cold glass of water every 30 seconds until it forms little balls in the water. I added a little more peanut butter in my 2nd try as well, maybe 1/8 cup more, and my family definitely liked it better, so if you're a PB stickler like me, add more peanut butter!
This is the fudge my Mother made. It does take white sugar, not powdered. The reason for the graininess, is stirring it too much. Mom always said, Don't monkey with it or it'll go sugary on you. Soft ball stage is dropping a teaspoon full in a cup cold water..If it stays together in a soft ball, it's done. Good luck with this recipe, once you do it right, you'll feel so accomplished.
I think the problem people were running into when they say this mixture never got to the "soft ball" stage is this: the soft ball stage does not mean that the mixture in the pan comes together in a ball, like dough does, but rather that a drop of the mixture, dropped into a glass of ice-cold water, will form a ball that flattens slightly when you place it on a flat surface. You can also tell the stage with a candy thermometer. This recipe is pretty sweet, but has a nice texture.
Just responding to graininess issues - don't forget that candymaking is a crystallization project. You need to form the proper sized crystals in your fudge to have a creamy texture. If the crystals are allowed to grow to large, the candy becomes grainy and, if very large, hard and brittle. You need to stop cooking fudge at the soft ball stage as measured by a properly calibrated thermometer. If it is a recipe that requires beating, you need to stop as soon as it loses it's gloss; further beating allows crystal growth which changes the texture. Also remembering that making any substitutions may change your inhibiting agents and allow crystals to grow larger as well.
Really Good, to be the first time that i make it of course we love peanut butter so instead of the original amount of peanut butter i used 1/2 Cup crunchy PB and 1/4 creamy PB and instead of evaporated milk i improvised and used normal 2% 1&1/2 C and also i added 1 Teaspoon of vanilla it came out sooooo creamy of course i added and extra 1 TSP of butter and cutted it as soon as it was semi cold kinda semi warm so it wont brake, i submited a pictured and guess what? it Melts in your mouth, not grainy or crystalized and even tho i dont have a candy thermometer i did it and just let it boiled till it became a very slow boil and all the way to the top, so for those who dont have a CT just let it boil till it raises like if its going to overboile and the trick is when it is boiling really slow like not boiling at all. I love it, and plan to make it again just as i did. again not bad for a first time make!!!! Jen
I followed this recipe and it was just like my mothers fudge. We lost the recipe and now I found it again. This is exactly like MOMS! My family loves it. I put 1 tsp of vanilla in at the end. I used regular sugar and it turned out perfect. Only needs to cook about 5-7 min. after a rolling boil. Thanks for the recipe.
I don't know how some people got a creamy textured fudge out of this. I have been cooking and baking since I was 12 years old and this recipe stinks! I am now 68 years old. I did everything right of that I am sure. It is toooo sugary, too grainy and also it got hard as a rock in a matter of hours. Don't even try this one, it's a waste of all the ingredients!
This was a horrible recipe! I tried it twice and both times immediately after adding the peanut butter the fudge hardened up and became rock solid and crystalized. I was sad to have wasted all my ingredients on this recipe
I feel bad for the people who tried this recipe and got bad results because it's great! It sounds like the "soft ball stage" is the tricky part. I had no clue what the soft ball stage, so I just cooked & stirred until my husband and I thought it looked good. It was really quick--about five minutes to get to the soft ball stage. Mine's a tad grainy, so maybe I didn't go long enough. But if your not sure on the soft ball thing, just go about 5 minutes and it will turn out great!
The recipe, as it's written, is a great basic fudge recipe. I was looking for an "old fashioned" recipe, without marshmallows or sweetened condensed milk & this was THE one! I did try substituting powdered sugar a couple of times like some other reviewers suggested... but each time, the fudge didn't set properly. But when I tried the granulated sugar (as recipe suggests), it turned out beautifully. Smooth... not grainy & set up really well. I didn't place the granulated sugar batches in the fridge though until AFTER it had set. Not sure if that made the difference or not. For my best batch of fudge, I reduced the sugar to 2 3/4 c. & increased the peanut butter to 1 cup. I used reduced fat Jif & it made no difference at all... also used dark cocoa instead of regular and it was not only delicious, but the dark color made it look even more scrumptious! Thanks for a great fudge recipe... I will definitely be making this one again!
I make this all the time and it turns out perfect every single time. Bring it to a full boil while stirring. Reduce the heat to low/medium so that it's still bubbling a little bit. Let it bubble for 8 minutes. When after the 8 minutes, drip a tiny bit into some cold water, if it floats to the bottom and turns in a little ball, it's ready. That's it. The soft ball stage seems strange but it works. Then add the peanut butter and butter and stir it until you can see the scraps on the bottom of the pan, it means it's starting to get thick, pour it in the pan before it gets too thick.
Tastes great, but I must have cooked it too long, it got too hard and I was unable to cut it-it just broke apart. Any suggestions? Susan C.
Sorry, I didn't care for this at all. It was very grainy and a lot harder than most fudges. I prefer the creamy type. The directions were good, and only needed a few ingredients but it's not a fudge I would give at Christmas.
This turned out perfect for me. The reviewer below had the right idea, it has to boil for about 8 minutes to get to the soft ball stage. After boiling on medium for six minutes, I tested the dough in water about every minutes onward. So so so yummy!
For the people having trouble getting their fudge to set...Make sure it isn't raining when you make it!! I assume it's a humidity thing but my sister-in-law swears "you can't make fudge in the rain".....I love hillbillies, they know all the tricks!!
HOLY COW!! Great recipe! Next time I will be adding more peanut butte but, if your not a peanut butter maniac like my self. then the amount called for is perfect.
This is great, BUT you must use condensed milk NOT evaporated milk (=evap. milk makes it runny, whereas cond. milk makes it soft like fudge we're all used to)....
I have made this recipe twice now, and the 2nd time added just a little more Peanut butter... we're fanatics here.... I was reading the reviews and people mentioning the grainy results.... I have found through making other fudges and candies, the graininess comes from stirring the sugar mixture too much during the cooking process and also having the heat up too high. When it cools, more sugar crystals form instead of keeping the mixture form. Cook to a soft ball on a low heat, not anything above that. Be patient when cooling... do not try and cool too quickly, and just leave it sit do not mix... As for the powdered sugar? well, was ok, but prefer the granulated more and so does my family....
What exactly is a "soft ball" stage? I guess I figured it out well enough for a first time fudge maker. It turned out delicious and creamy, and it was so easy to make too! Perfect to satisfy that chocolate craving! My husband who is not a big chocolate fan even liked it! Thanks for sharing your recipe, will definitely make again.
I tried this recipe twice with horrible results. While cooking, I waited and waited and it never came to a softball stage. By that time it was cooked too long. A total waste of time and waste of food! It almost ruined one of my pans. For those who got it to a soft ball stage, I can see why it would be dry; it has to cook too long. I also believe you would need to add marshmallow for it to a creamier texture. Try a different recipe!
I added a photo today of this recipe; the texture is right and the flavor is right... but it's just not as glossy as I expected it to be. I think that next time, I'll increase the peanut butter and see if the extra oils help.
There are a lot of great things about this recipe. It's very easy -- if you use a candy thermometer and cook it to 235 degrees. It's also inexpensive (compare this to other fudge recipes that call for chocolate chips and marshmallows). The chocolate peanut butter flavor is a sure crowd-pleaser. If the "rolling boil" part confuses you, you can just ignore it and cook on medium until you reach 235 degrees. On the minus side, it's not quite as peanut buttery, creamy, or smooth as fudge can possibly be. But it's a solid basic recipe.
Excellent and very easy. Tastes like the fudge my father made when I was a kid!
This a very easy recipe. But I replaced the 3 cups of sugar with 2 and half. and 1cup of Peanut Butter. Perfect
This was easy and great if you love peanut butter. Once it comes to a boil don't stir it too much and it will come out creamy. If you stir it too much after it has come to a boil you will get the grainy sugar texture.
I was looking for a smaller chocolate peanut butter fudge recipe. This one fit the bill and is tasty too. My normal recipe calls for a five lb. bag of sugar so starting with three cups was a different experience for me. I used this a jumping off point and used a whole can of evaporated milk (about 1 and 1/3 cups)instead of the 1 cup called for and used 1/3 cups cocoa instead of the 1/4. I would probably use even more cocoa powder next time just because I like my fudge to be very chocolaty. Using more cream probably increases the cooking time too. It was a nice recipe to begin with. Thanks for posting this! I was not quite sure where to begin when using smaller amounts of ingredients. Thanks!
I can never get the soft ball stage right and I can't fin a candy therm. for the life of me! But, I read alot of the reviews and followed the tips that I had read and lo' and behold- THE PERFECT FUDGE resulted~! I think next time I would add a bit more peanut butter and maybe swirl some in on the top while it's still hot for appearance! Will be a family fave, I'm sure!
I made this last night, it was my first time ever making fudge. It was AWESOME!!! So smooth and yummy! I let it bubble for about 8 minutes, put a couple drops in the water like some of the other reviews indicated to do. It was perfect. It set up in about 15 minutes and its been really hard not to just eat it all!!! I will totally be making this again!!
Im sitting here eating a big piece of the fudge I just made and I LOVE IT!!!I have been searching for a recipe for pb fudge like my mom used to make (using white suger NOT marshmellows!) and I FOUND it!! I did not add cocoa. I added a lot more pb than the recipe called for. Also I added vanilla...not sure whether it made a difference...it's just what momma used to do. This isn't really creamy fudge like you buy in the mountains....but I like this kind better! You have to try it once....and don't forget...double the amount of peanut butter!
This is an excellent quick fix recipe. I used 2 cups of powdered sugar instead of 3 as suggested. I write in from India, where we evaporated milk is not freely available. Can regular milk be substituted for it?
This was my first attempt at making fudge. I followed the recipe to the best of my ability, but had trouble deciphering the "rolling" and "soft" ball stage. I believe it would have helped if the recipe creator added approximate cooking times. I cooked this fudge for at least 25 minutes, but never hit the "rolling ball" stage. After I poured the batter into the pan, it never hardened. It was likely that it was undercooked. Directions for this recipe are vague.
I try every year to make fudge and fail every time. I actually got this one right. I read all the reviews and it helped a lot. I did use white sugar...just didnt constantly stir. I also added some vanilla...Really very good and not grainy at all.
I did everything as the recipe says and while it taste fine, it is hard a a rock and not at all like fudge! Next time I think I will either try as some others have said and use powdered sugar or just get a new recipe all together :(
This reminded me of the fudge my mother made when I was young. It got great reviews for the critics that matter most and that's what counts. It's 12/21/12 and if the world ends today, I've got a smile on my face and great fudge in my belly. Thank you
Easy to make, and tastes delicious! I researched the 'soft-ball stage' and found that it is when the mixture reaches between 235 and 240 degrees F. I bought a candy thermometer and my fudge turned out terrific!!!!
This was great! The peanut butter flavor didn't shine through as much as I was hoping it would, but it was still really good! Very simple to make!
I tried this recipe two different times and it didn't turn out either time. It was really grainy. I used a candy thermometer, and followed the directions to a tee. Didn't work out for us.
I have not tried it yet, but the picture does not jive with the recipe stating to mix the peanut butter with the chocolate. It was confusing me, people need to know it is not a layered fudge
I have always had trouble with the tecture of fudge. thanks to one review I read here, my fudge is great, best recipe ever!! and so easy to make. the trick really is not stirring once it is boiling.
Worked for me. Good texture, nice flavor. I would add vanilla next time, and cut down on the sugar. (I know, it's fudge!)
Hmmmm....No disrespect to the chef....but this didn't taste much like fudge to me. Too much sugar maybe? It pulled like taffy. Something about it didn't agree with me! Could be my fault.... :(
After reading the reviews I was afraid of a mess, but it came out pretty excellent. Reading the reviews taught me what the soft ball stage was, and also I took the suggestion to add vanilla flavouring. Make sure to refridgerate to make more solidified. So yummy.
I've made fudge many times and decided to try a new recipe. This didn't even come close to my expectations or standards! I know what a "ball stage" is, and this certainly never occurred. The description is very poorly written, my mistake for even trying it.
This fudge tastes great, is very easy to make ... and it takes very little time to make. I will make this very often. It came out perfect the first time I tried it. Great recipe!
this is the first time i've ever made fudge.. very easy.. hubby thinks it taste like a no bake cookie.. but he likes it.. thanks for sharing.. did use confec. sugar as recommended from a previous review...
This is good fudge. Although it took me 3 times to perfect it. And I tried it with confectioner's sugar and white sugar. I decided that the white sugar worked better. Made a great Halloween Treat! Just be sure to boil it on the high temperature long enough (almost like its about to boil over), otherwise you wind up with frosting like fugde instead.
Delicious fudge, thanks for a great recipe! This was the first fudge recipe I've ever tried and it was real easy and quick to make and the kids LOVE it!
Good recipe....but I emprovised. The first time, I must have cooked it too long until it got to "hard-ball stage" because like the one of the reviews said, it just broke apart. The second time, I used a glass of ice water and tested the mixture every minute. It seemed to take about 12 to 13 minutes after the rolling boil to get to the "soft-ball stage". I did emprovise with regular milk instead of evaporated milk and added my own vanilla to the mixture (I love vanilla). I also used a baking squared instead of coco powder but I shredded it which took a little longer and added more than the recipe called for. I never follow directions completely I usually just use them as a guide...but it seemed to turn out well anyways.
I just got finished making this and it turned out FANTASTIC!!! I used the hershey special dark chocolate powder and just a tad bit extra peanut butter and a teaspoon of vanilla. Within minutes of pouring it into the pan, it already began setting up. I have tried several other recipes and this by far is the best. Thank you!
I was scared to make this but I have a LOT of evaporated milk that I won't use and a bunch of sugar that wouldn't fit into the container. Thank you Proofhead for saying not to monkey with it...it worked! My husband all but licked the pan clean and I've got to make at least 2 more batches!
Just do exactly what the recipe says. I got the soft ball stage in about 5 minutes. Yummy!
A new treat for work! Everyone loved it!
Great fudge and easy to make. It's a little sweet and could use a little more peanut butter in my opinion. I've never made fudge before, and this recipe was great for a beginner!!! I will definately use this again.
I tried this recipe, and it didn't turn out like I thought it should. It almost seemed like if I'd pt oatmeal in it, that it would've made No Bake cookies. It was too grainy and gooey.
I like the 2 layer look in the photo but instructions are not given for this. Tks
I did not care for this. Did not turn out. Sugary mess. Should have listened to reviews.
I tried this recipe after several failed attempts at other peanut butter chocolate fudge recipies. This is by far the BEST recipe I have made. I made it exactly how it is written and I doubled the recipe.....between 4 kids and my husband it only lasted about 12 hours in our house LOL. The key is making sure you get it up to temp. it makes sure the sugar granules are all disolved and it's a nice smooth fudge. I highly recommend it (and do so on pinterest lol)
Ok...maybe it was me...I never made homemade fudge before, but I consider myself a very experienced baker, and rarely have I ever had anything I've ever made come out this bad. I read all the reviews and made sure to follow the recipe to the letter. What I got, was a very dry and dull looking fudge. It tasted ok if you could get past how it looked and the intial dryness...but I guess I won't be making fudge again for a while. This really discouraged me. Sorry.
I didn't like how you can feel the granulated sugar. I suggest using powdered sugar. & it needs much more chocolate. AANNDDD I suggest chunky peanut butter.
The taste is good, but the fudge came out hard and you couldn't cut it without it crumbling...not something I would serve to others, but my husband and I enjoyed it!
This recipe does not have the same flavor or texture of traditional fudge. It tastes like no bake cookies without the oatmeal.
I'm making it this very minute and followed almost all of everyone's advise. I used 1 cup of peanut butter because we're peanut butter freaks and I added 1-2 more Tbsps. of cocoa because I love chocolate. So far it's been boiling 11 minutes and still hasn't reached the soft-ball stage(when I drop it in cold water). Maybe it's because of the high altitude where I live. I noticed everything takes longer to cook here.... It's now at 12 minutes cooking and still no soft ball :( 13 minutes now...NADA! Well boys and girls, I've been cooking this for 15 minutes now and I'm beginning to think I've just wasted a lot of good ingredients. Now on my 16th minute and.... wait!...can it be???? OK, after 18 minutes, it's finally somewhat holding its shape! Not a soft ball but it's like fudge sauce consistency. Can it be possible that the altitude can make that much of a difference in the cooking time? So, now it's been 20 minutes and I'm afraid to overcook it so I'm going to call it good and go ahead with the rest of the instructions and add the peanut butter and stuff. After beating in the remaining ingredients, it's very smooth and creamy...and it tastes out of this world! But time will tell if it solidifies enough to cut in squares and hold it's shape. If not, well...we'll just eat it with a spoon because it's just that tasty, smooth and creamy! As long as it's not hard and grainy,I'm good with it. I can only give it 3 stars until I know if it will solidify. I'll report back later today.
Mmmmmm. So good. My 2 year old bawled when I told him no more. It does taste like a no bake cookies minus the oatmeal, but no bake cookies are my favorite. I doubled the chocolate and used 1% milk because I was all out of canned. I'm sure it would be even better with canned milk.
After adding the peanut butter we found that the "fudge" was extremely dry. To fix that issue we just added a bit of the evaporated milk until it became stirrable and sort of pourable. We then kneaded the "fudge" on wax paper until it was a good consistency and poured into pan to cool.
After spending a morning at Bass Pro Shop smelling their delicious fudge cooking in the cafe, I returned home ready to make my own (rather than pay $12.99 for a pound!). I took the advice of some commenters and replaced the granulated sugar with powdered sugar. I set the timer for 6 minutes once I turned the heat down to medium and I have to say this is the absolute easiest and best fudge recipe out there. It is perfect and fool proof!
This is so tasty, but I can't get it to set up correctly. Can anyone tell me why it never hardens. I did make a change, I substituted non fat condensed milk for regular and used powdered sugar as someone suggested. I did use a candy thermometer so I got the temp right. Am I stirring too much? I thought I had to stir continuously. I'd love to get this one right. Any help would be appreciated.
Not a terrible recipe. I didn't want to make a huge amount so I cut the recipe in half, and it's always turned out. I'd give it five stars but I have decided to unrealistically give five stars only to recipes that can self correct the mistakes I make when I make them. I'm doing something wrong and I suspect it's stirring too much. But that darn wooden spoon is just so hard to put down!
I made the recipe according to the directions except I added more PB and lined my 8x8 pan with wax paper. I used a candy thermometer and it turned out excellent. My husband love Reese's PB cups and he was very impressed by this fudge. It's better than the stuff I used to buy in the candy shop. Thanx for sharing!
I don't like a super-smooth fudge. This was not, although I'm sure it had more to do with my cooking than the recipe iteself. I would suggest doubling the peanut butter if you want a nice PB flavor in the fudge. The amount called for is not enough. A good recipe though, thanks!
This was awesome! It was my first time making fudge, and it turned out great. I did add more peanut butter and cocoa, but I had no problems with graininess - I made sure to reach the soft ball stage and not stir too much, and it turned out great!
I also used the powdered sugar instead of white sugar and it looked and tasted very good, it just didnt harden as much as I thought it would!
Super simple! super good, i love it! and hubby loves it too! i used half powdered and half granulated, worked out well. Boiled about 5 minutes and tested for soft ball stage, had to let it boil another minute, minute and a half. good and fudgey! :P
I didnt boil it long enough so it turned out gooey but it was the best tasting goo i ever had! gonna try it again soon!
Lousy directions. The author could have said about how many minutes this recipe takes.
I just tried this recipe for the first time this afternoon and it was PERFECT! I had no problems using granulated sugar, I just tested the mixture in cold water to see if it formed together.. I am so pleased with this recipe!
delicious recipe! I followed it exactly and it came out great. I followed another person's review and cooked it for 7-8 minutes on medium heat (timed after the rolling boil) and mine solidified great.
I tried making this fudge and it actually never solidified...even when I had it in the freezer. I think I didn't boil it for long enough. Also, I agree that confectioners sugar would be better suited. Although it tasted good, the texture was off.
I've been looking for a chocolate peanut butter fudge recipe for awhile. This tastes just like my mom's recipe; she got it from the Hershey's box years ago (I do mean years, like 50). I did add extra peanut butter 1/4 cup, but still not peanut buttery enough. Next time I'll probably put in more. This is so creamy and smooth. I just love it. My hubby said it's the best fudge I've ever made. Didn't have to use a chizel on it (LOL) and didn't have to eat it with a spoon. Thanks Jean for a great recipe. The last time I made fudge was almost 15 years ago. I'll be making this again soon.
It was great I have never made fudge before and this as my first try turnd out great. I would add a bit more peanut butter though!
Very good. This was my first time making fudge. I used an 8 x 8 pan. The only change I made was I added 1 tsp. of vanilla. I used a candy thermometer. It took 10 minutes for fudge to reach 250 degrees. Make sure you work quickly when poring fudge into pan.
Twice in a row perfection! The soft ball stage is when a small dab is dropped into a glass of cold water and it stays together as a ball. The trick is to follow the recipe, not modify it. If it is too grainy, it is not the type of sugar, you arent cooking it all the way too the soft ball stage. This is a great recipe, simple to follow and easy to adapt, without PB or with nuts.
I have used a very similar recipe for many years (I add vanilla at the end with the peanut butter). I doubled this recipe to make a 13X9 pan of it. Doubled, it was perfect. I just added vanilla at the end (and, really, it didn't need it, was more from habit than anything else!) I have to say, that this double batch was the best batch of fudge I can remember ever making!!! Thank you so much for your recipe! I hope you don't mind, it's going to be the one I use from now on!
Tastes like peanut butter cup basically - the "cooking to a soft ball stage" was beyond me - but my mom helped me figure that out. The fudge is okay - I'm not a huge fudge fan but BF is allergic to eggs. He's eating a lot of it though - so I think it was a success!
This was really good fudge!!! Easy to do, as long as you know about the soft ball thing. Could have had more of a peanut butter taste.
This is a great recipe! I have never made fudge before, and this was super easy and very good! Thank you!
