Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge

Fudge is a Christmas tradition in our house. I've been making my cookies & cream fudge for over a decade now, so it's the gold standard that all other fudge recipes get compared with. And let me tell you, my kids said they have found a new favorite in this creamy peanut butter fudge! It's smooth, rich, and full of flavor. I will definitely be adding this recipe to our annual holiday baking list!

Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 2/3 cup (5 oz can) evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I use Jif)
• 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
• 10 oz pkg peanut butter chips

Directions

1. Line shallow 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper (leave extra hanging over two longer edges for easier removal after cooling); set aside.
2. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in peanut butter, marshmallow creme, and peanut butter chips; mix until smooth.
4. Pour fudge into lined pan.
5. Cool at room temperature until pan is no longer warm (about 2-3 hours). Then move pan to refrigerator to chill (about 1-2 hours).
6. Lift fudge from baking pan using parchment "handles" and discard parchment. Cut into small pieces. Store in refrigerator in airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Art and the Kitchen.

Maple Nut Fudge

I didn't quite need the entire can of evaporated milk when making these caramel brownies, so I decided to try a new fudge recipe to use up the leftovers! The toasted walnuts add crunchy texture and depth of flavor to this decadent, creamy fudge. This recipe will be perfect for the holiday season and make for a delicious Christmas gift!

Maple Nut Fudge
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 2/3 cup (5 oz can) evaporated milk
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
• 2 1/2 tsp maple extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread walnuts in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 3 minutes, stir, then bake additional 3 minutes. (Be careful not to burn!) Let cool.
3. Grease 9x13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper. Set aside.
4. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once at full boil, maintain boiling for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Turn off heat. Stir in white chocolate chips until smooth.
6. Add marshmallow creme and maple extract. Stir until smooth.
7. Fold in toasted walnuts.
8. Pour into prepared pan.
9. Cool at room temperature until pan is no longer warm (about 2-3 hours). Then move pan to refrigerator to chill (about 1-2 hours).
10. Lift fudge from pan, discard parchment, and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.
11. To maximize maple flavor, serve fudge at room temperature. (Simply remove fudge from refrigerator 30 minutes to an hour before serving.)

Recipe adapted from Mom On Timeout.

Peanut Butter Fluff Blondies

If you've visited my blog before, you may have come across my Reese’s Fluffernutter Bars. Well this, my friends, is an even better version of my previous recipe! These sweet and chewy blondies are loaded with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and a marshmallow swirl that will leave you totally addicted. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Peanut Butter Fluff Blondies
Yield: 7x11 pan (see "Notes" below)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition, then add vanilla and combine. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
4. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in two parts, mixing after each addition.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
6. Spread 2/3 of batter in prepared pan.
7. Spread marshmallow fluff on top of batter layer in pan.
8. Spread remaining batter over fluff.
9. Bake 27-30 minutes, or until center is set and doesn't wiggle when pan is moved a bit. Remove pan from oven to wire rack and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Notes

• If you like your blondies thinner, use a 9x13 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• If you like your blondies thicker, use a 9x9 or 10x10 pan (8x8 pans are a bit too small for this recipe) and bake for 35-45 minutes.
• Bake times can also vary based on pan type, not just pan size, so start at the low end of the range and keep an eye on them.
• Make sure to spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray even if you're using a nonstick pan. Fluff is super sticky!

Recipe adapted from Sugar & Soul.

Reese’s Fluffernutter Bars

This indulgent dessert combines two of my childhood favorites, fluffernutter sandwiches and Reese's peanut butter cups, into one outrageously sweet and decadent treat that is brimming with peanut butter, chocolate, and marshmallow!

Speaking of marshmallow, take a look at all that ooey, gooey yumminess oozing out of the middle (because who can actually wait for the bars to cool all the way down before cutting into them, right?!).

Reese’s Fluffernutter Bars
Yield: 9x9 pan

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
2/3 cup chocolate chips
16 mini Reese's peanut butter cups (or 9-12 regular size)
7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or line with parchment); set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl; beat until light in color and fluffy consistency (about 3 minutes).
3. Add egg, peanut butter, and vanilla, continuing to mix.
4. Add flour; mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Press 2/3 of dough into bottom of prepared baking dish.
6. Unwrap and place peanut butter cups evenly over dough.
7. Spread marshmallow fluff over Reese's cups.
8. Cover with remaining dough and gently press to spread evenly.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, or until crust starts to turn golden brown.
10. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Notes
• Double recipe for 9x13 pan and bake additional 10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from The Soccer Mom Blog.

Marshmallow Milk Chocolate Fudge

I felt like getting creative in the kitchen today and wanted to figure out a way to use up the rest of the evaporated milk from my Cookies & Cream Fudge recipe that I made a couple days ago. (I bought the larger 12 oz can and didn't want it to go to waste.) And that's how this recipe was born!

I love that this chocolate fudge acts as a complement to the white version. I actually packaged up both varieties and gave them as a gift to some new neighbors as a "welcome to the neighborhood" gift! (I made sure to inquire about food allergies first to ensure they would be safe for the family to eat.)

Marshmallow Milk Chocolate Fudge
Yield: depends on how small/large you cut the pieces!

Ingredients
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2/3 cup (5 oz can) evaporated milk
2 cups milk chocolate chips
7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*
3 cups mini marshmallows

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions
1. Line cookie sheet with foil.
2. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in milk chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff until smooth.
4. Fold in mini marshmallows.
5. Pour fudge onto lined cookie sheet.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm.
7. Lift from cookie sheet and remove foil. Cut into pieces. Store in refrigerator.

Cookies & Cream Fudge

This recipe is a long-standing tradition at our house. I make it every single Christmas, without fail! Since this is not the usual chocolate fudge, it's a unique gift that everyone will enjoy. Be prepared to share the recipe! I get asked for it all the time. :)

Cookies & Cream Fudge
Yield: depends on how small/large you cut the pieces!

Ingredients

• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 2/3 cup (5 oz can) evaporated milk
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*
• 10.5 oz package Glutino Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies (see photo below)

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions

1. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop up cookies. Set aside.
3. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in white chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff until smooth.
5. Fold in crumbled cookies.
6. Pour fudge onto lined cookie sheet.
7. Cool at room temperature until pan is no longer warm (about 2-3 hours). Then move pan to refrigerator to chill (about 1-2 hours).
8. Lift from cookie sheet and discard parchment. Cut into pieces. Store in refrigerator.

No Bake Snickers Crunch Bars

Growing up, my sisters and I would go out trick-or-treating together on Halloween. While that was certainly fun, the best part of the evening was when we brought all of our candy back home and started trading with each other to get the "good" stuff.

Thankfully, we all had a different top favorite! My older sister wanted to hoard Butterfingers while my younger sister collected all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I bet you can't guess what my favorite was (and still is)... Snickers, of course! They are the perfect balance of salty and sweet, creamy and crunchy... all of the qualities you will find packed into these delicious homemade bars that rival the original!

Snickers Crunch Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Crunchy Chocolate Top and Bottom Layer:
 12 oz package semisweet chocolate chips, divided
 11 oz package butterscotch chips, divided
 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
 3 cups crisped rice cereal, divided (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

Nougat Layer:
 1/4 cup unsalted butter
 1 cup granulated sugar
 1/4 cup evaporated milk
 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*
 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
 1 1/2 cups roasted, lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
 1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Layer:
 11 oz bag caramels or caramel bits
 1/4 cup evaporated milk

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions
Crunchy Chocolate Bottom Layer:
 1. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
 2. Combine half of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until chips are fully melted and mixture is smooth.
 3. Stir in half of cereal until fully coated. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Nougat Layer:
 4. In small saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and evaporated milk over medium heat, stirring until butter is completely melted and sugar is dissolved.
 5. Bring mixture to boil and cook for additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallow crème until smooth. Stir in peanut
butter and vanilla. Fold in peanuts.
 6. Pour nougat layer over chilled chocolate bottom layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Caramel Layer:
 7. Combine caramels and evaporated milk in microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir and heat on high in 30-second intervals until caramel is completely melted.
 8. Spread caramel over top of chilled nougat layer.

Crunchy Chocolate Top Layer:
 9. Repeat directions for bottom layer (steps 2 and 3).
 10. Pour mixture on top of chilled caramel layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
 11. Bars should be refrigerated until ready to eat. Cut and serve.

Recipe adapted from Mom on Time Out.