The 2-Ingredient Retro Dessert I'm Making for the Holidays

It reminds me of holidays at my grandmother’s.

I have very fond memories of making rich, creamy peanut butter fudge with my grandmother, though I don’t quite remember the recipe. I do know that it used minimal ingredients and the microwave. It was the perfect candy recipe for me to make as a kid—there was no need for a thermometer or any risks of working with hot sugar.

I was recently inspired by TikTok to revisit making peanut butter fudge in the microwave. This version required just two ingredients—creamy peanut butter and canned frosting. Plus, it seemed like an ideal way to impress my teen daughter (a TikTok treat? Yes, please!).

My daughter and I fiddled around a bit with the technique and proportions to find a recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, chills for just an hour, and makes a super creamy peanut butter fudge. You can enjoy it straight from the fridge or dress it up with a drizzle of melted chocolate or a shower of chopped peanuts. 

The Key Ingredients

You’ll need one (15-ounce) container of no-stir creamy peanut butter and one (16-ounce) container of vanilla frosting. While you can customize your fudge by adding chopped nuts or trying another flavor of frosting, I recommend sticking to a creamy, no-stir brand peanut butter. Jif, Skippy, and Peter Pan all work. 

As long as you stick to the same proportions and creamy peanut butter, you can get a little playful with the frosting. Try French vanilla or cream cheese frosting, but skip any whipped varieties. 

How To Make My 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge

For about 16 to 25 pieces, you’ll need:

• 1 (16-ounce) container frosting (vanilla or cream cheese are favorites), about 2 cups
• 1 (15-ounce) container no-stir creamy peanut butter, such as Jif or Skippy, about 2 cups  

Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. 

Combine the frosting and peanut butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Don’t worry about mixing them together yet. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir with a spatula, and microwave again for 30 seconds. Mix again until completely smooth. 

Pour into the prepared pan. You can press some chopped peanuts or peanut butter cups or drizzle with melted chocolate if you like. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Use the parchment to remove from the pan and cut into 16 pieces to serve. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.