In modern life, we have a phrase that describes tips that save time and effort quite effectively. A ‘life hack’ is a method of performing day-to-day tasks in a more efficient way, and the internet is full of them. Some are great and are pretty useful.
Then again, some are completely useless and are a waste of time for anyone who wrote it, recorded it, or watched it. We’re not into wasting your time, so we have a genuine life hack that can save you time and money.
But first, answer the question: do you like fudge? We’re going to go ahead and guess that the overwhelming majority will be answering a wholehearted “yes” to that question. Most people love sweet treats but don’t like spending money on them in the supermarket.
For one thing, we don’t like to look the cashier in the eye as they swipe ten packets of candy through the checkout. That’s fair. We are a culture of sugar-lovers, but we also foster a culture where it’s perfectly acceptable to have no idea what’s in our food.
The artificial ingredients, preservatives, and additives in our foods somehow slip completely under the radar for many of us. We think it’s better to know what you’re putting into your body, but we also know that very few of us have the time it would take to look through every ingredient on every packet or box before we put it in our trolleys.
That’s not realistic, but one way you can be sure that you know what is in your food is to make it yourself at home.
Lots of people wouldn’t attempt to make their own fudge because they hear how tricky or time-consuming it might be, but these 3-ingredient fudge recipes are super easy to do and some of them take so little time, you would be amazed.
So, the next time you want a sweet treat, don’t reach for the pre-packaged, processed candy. Make your own and feel confident in the knowledge that homemade is usually healthier, and the bonus is that you’ll know absolutely everything that is in it because you made it.
Some of these recipes make fudge that can be frozen too, so you can make large batches and keep some handy for when your sweet tooth strikes. So, without further ado, here are some of the best 3-ingredient peanut butter fudge recipes we could find readily available on the internet.
1. Fudge Recipe At Pillsbury.com
This fudge recipe only needs a microwave to cook it and a fridge to cool it, so it couldn’t be easier. Don’t be put off by the total time it takes to make, most of it is spent waiting for the fudge to cool and set, so you don’t have to do anything during that time other than keep trying to contain your excitement about making your own homemade fudge.
The three ingredients for this recipe are white vanilla baking chips, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter. If you were expecting strange and hard-to-find ingredients for these recipes because there are so few ingredients, then you were wrong. Fudge is really easy to make, and it doesn’t need expensive, or exotic-sounding ingredients to make it right.
Servings: 36
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2-5 minutes
Cool time: let stand for two hours or refrigerate to speed up the process.
2. Fudge Recipe At thespruceeats.com
This recipe acknowledges that the traditional way of making fudge can be a delicate task, involving boiling sugar to exactly the right temperature using a special fudge thermometer. We also know that if people are going to make their own fudge instead of buying it, then it needs to be quick, easy, and convenient, otherwise they will just go back to their convenience-food ways.
This recipe knows that we’re too busy to be fussing with boiled sugar, so they melt together butter and peanut butter before stirring in some confectioners’ sugar to give it some bulk. Once that is accomplished, you have your fudge mixture. So you just need to smooth it into a foil-lined pan and wait for it to cool. That’s the whole method.
Servings: 16
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Cool time: Until completely cooled
3. Peanut Butter And Chocolate Fudge Recipe From tasty.co
This is not just a peanut butter fudge recipe, it’s chocolaty too. What could be more perfect? It’s a sweet and a chocolate. This tempting recipe uses chocolate chips, condensed milk, and peanut butter to create the heavenly taste of chocolate-nutty fudge.
This is another microwave recipe, so no stove is required. Despite the short cooking time and minimal fuss of the recipe, this fudge actually looks really pretty as it’s in two separate layers. The chocolate layer goes in the tray first and after just ten minutes in the refrigerator, the peanut butter layer can be added.
This will make an easy, yet thoughtful gift for the holiday season, and it will save you a lot of money compared to buying pre-made fudge for your mail carrier and other people you conventionally buy small gifts for at Christmas.
Servings: 8
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 minute
Cool time: 2 hours 10 minutes
4. Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe From sprinklebakes.com
This recipe claims to be the “world’s easiest peanut butter fudge,” so we’ve got high hopes. This one prides itself on the creamy texture of the fudge, so it’s perfect if your favorite thing about fudge is the creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
So how is it different from other 3-ingredient fudge recipes? Well, you’ll know by now that two of the ingredients will be condensed milk and peanut butter. The third ingredient is the one that can change and in this case, it is almond bark.
The creator recommends Candiquick which is widely available at Target. You can heat the mixture using a microwave or on the stove, but they specify that heating it on the stove will probably take a couple of minutes longer. The recipe does recommend sprinkling some coarse sea salt on top of the fudge for decoration and taste, but this is an optional ingredient.
As with any of these recipes, you can add your own twists and make it how you like it. Some people like adding chopped nuts to their fudge or vanilla extract. You can do both or either, but the point is that you don’t need half the grocery store to make great-tasting fudge.
Servings: 36
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1-3 minutes
Cool time: 2 hours
5. Fudge Recipe From insanelygoodrecipes.com
This is another no-mess microwave fudge recipe, so anyone can do it. Is this technically even baking if you don’t use the stove? Who cares? This 3-ingredient fudge uses peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar, so no need for condensed milk in this recipe.
The fudge can last up to a month in the refrigerator or up to a year in the freezer, but why would there be any leftovers to store?
There probably won’t be, but if your freshly made fudge does mysteriously disappear from the kitchen counter after the kids get home from school, then it’s super quick and easy to whip up another batch that will be set by the time they are ready for dessert after dinner.
Servings: 64
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 2 minutes
Cool time: 2 hours
6. Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe From veganinthefreezer.com
It’s great when you find a vegan recipe for something like fudge because those who are choosing to follow a plant-based diet for ethical or health reasons are unlikely to expect that they can still indulge in something that is usually so dairy-heavy as fudge.
The fact that it is a vegan recipe also means that it is vegetarian, egg-free, and dairy-free, so those who have dietary intolerances can also indulge. This is technically a four-ingredient fudge, but we don’t exactly feel tricked, because the fourth ingredient is water, so it’s not something that we’ll need to go out and buy. We’ll allow it.
So what are the other ingredients? Well, we have the usual fudge staple that is sugar on the list. Organic granulated sugar is recommended. Then there is peanut butter, of course for the flavoring, and then maple syrup, which is a new ingredient for our list.
This recipe recommends using a candy thermometer for the heating, but you shouldn’t go too far wrong if you watch the saucepan so that it is boiling but not boiling over.
This recipe is a little more technical than some other recipes on our list, but it more closely resembles the traditional method for making fudge, so if you want to try it the old-fashioned way, then be our guest. It only takes a few more minutes than our other quicker recipes.
These are suitable for refrigerating or freezing, so feel free to make a big batch to dip into over time, if you have the self-control, that is.
Servings: 25
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Cool time: Until completely cooled
In Summary
So there you have it, the best 3 ingredient peanut butter fudge recipes. Whether you’re looking for an easy sweet treat or a tray good for your child’s bake sale these recipes are quick to whip up and simple to follow.
For more peanut butter fudge recipes see:
10 Scrumptious Keto Peanut Butter Fudge Recipes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: 10 Of The Most Delicious Recipes
Ten Of The Most Delicious Peanut Butter Fudge With Marshmallow Cream Recipes