Peanut Butter Candy
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Made with sugar, milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and honey, this old-fashioned peanut butter candy is like an irresistible cross between taffy and fudge and will have you coming back for more.
Old-fashioned peanut butter candy is a quick candy recipe that was a standard back in the golden days of school cafeterias. This recipe is from a time when the lunch ladies were usually the mama of someone you knew. And the hallways were slowly filled with the smell of soup stewing and bread rising as we watched the clock longingly and our stomachs got steadily louder the closer we got to lunchtime.
To make my peanut butter candy, you’ll need peanut butter, honey, powdered milk, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar. This is a classic peanut butter slice recipe with very basic (and few) ingredients that relies heavily on what was once considered “commodity” foods.
Fortunately, it’s super easy to make. Just mix all of the ingredients together until a dough forms. Then we roll the dough into two logs, leave them in the fridge for an hour or so to chill, and then cut them into slices. Add a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and your peanut butter slice candy will be ready to eat.
It’s peanut buttery good with the texture of taffy but without the stickiness. Kind of a peanut butter chew flavored heavily by peanut butter, milk, and honey: all favorite flavors in my house! If you like creamy fudge and peanut butter, you’re just going to adore this recipe. Plus, this homemade peanut butter candy makes a great holiday gift or teacher gift, if you need another reason to try it out. Let’s get to it!
Recipe Ingredients
- Honey
- Powdered milk
- Peanut butter
- Vanilla
- Confectioner’s sugar
How to Make Peanut Butter Candy
Take all ingredients and put them in a big old mixing bowl.
Mix the peanut butter mixture right up.
You want to mix this, scraping down the sides if needed, until it is well blended and a stiff dough is formed.
Put that dough on a large plate and knead it a few times with your hands just to help it all stick together.
If you have a pinch of it to taste, I won’t tell. It’s awfully good!
Separate that into two halves and roll them out into two logs.
Wrap those in plastic wrap or place them in a large plastic bag and seal them.
Place this in the fridge until it is well chilled. This is going to depend on your refrigerator. An hour-ish or so will probably do it.
Once cold, slice into 1/4-inch slices.
Dip those into a little confectioner’s sugar so that they won’t stick together when you put them on a plate.
Enjoy this old-fashioned creamy, chewy peanut butter slice candy!
Storage
- Store homemade peanut butter candy leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. If you’re stacking them, add parchment paper between the layers to avoid them sticking together.
- You can also freeze the candy for up to 3 months. Just thaw them in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Notes
- You can substitute corn syrup, maple syrup, or even pancake syrup for the honey if you would like or need to. I know honey can be on the expensive side these days so do what you need to do.
- Besides coating them in powdered sugar, you can add sprinkles, chocolate chips, crushed nuts, or a melted chocolate coating if you like. The chocolate-covered peanut butter candy will give it a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Do I need to refrigerate the candy dough?
You don’t HAVE to, but I strongly recommend you do, even for just an hour. The refrigerated dough holds its shape so much better than soft dough.
Can I use a different kind of nut butter?
You can use any kind of creamy nut butter, like natural peanut butter (just give it a good stir to distribute the oil), almond butter, nut-free sun butter, and cashew butter. If you use chunky peanut butter, just know it will change the texture of the peanut butter candy.
You may also like these peanut butter recipes:
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Brownies with Peanut Butter Fudge Icing
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (No Baking Necessary)
Ingredients
Candy
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1.75 cups powdered milk
- 1 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- extra powdered sugar for dipping
Instructions
- Place all candy ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well incorporated and a dough is formed.1 cup powdered sugar, 1.75 cups powdered milk, 1 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- Remove from the bowl and knead a time or two with your hands. Separate into two halves. Roll each half into a ball and then into a log. Cover each log with cling wrap or place them in a large zipper seal bag. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Slice into 1/4 slices and dip each slice in confectioner’s sugar before serving. Store remainders in the refrigerator.extra powdered sugar for dipping
Nutrition
Christy these look fun and delicious just wondering do they have to be stored in the fridge ? Was wondering about putting some in goodie/gift packages I mail ?
Thank you
I store mine in the fridge but I wouldn’t hesitate to send them this time of year as long as they were sent priority and in a winter climate 🙂
Do you think it would work if I replaced the powdered sugar with Splenda and used sugar free syrup ?
Dee, I bet it will work just fine. If the splenda is the grainy kind, maybe run it thru a blender or food processor to get it more powdery. Wouldn’t it be pretty with Sparkly sugar too!
Sounds so yummy. My husband loves crunchy peanut butter so I think I will try this and substitute crunchy peanut butter for the smooth.
🙂 I hope he loves it!
This is a dumb question but where in the grocery store do you find powdered milk? I have looked for it before, for other recipes (obviously I didn’t look too hard) but could never find it. Is it near the baking supplies or ???
Jen, I think it depends on your individual store. The store near me reorganizes things several times a year, and it can be hard to tell where something “ought” to be. Baking supplies is a good place to look. If I were you, I’d ask a clerk for help. I buy my powdered milk online because I prefer whole milk, and all the stores here carry only fat-free.
I agree with Philippa, the best way to find it (and save sanity) is to ask because they do move things around a bit from time to time. At my stores, it is always on the baking aisle, near (below or beside) the canned evaporated milk. And there are never any dumb questions here! If you ask a question you are doing me a favor by allowing me to share more information I should have shared to begin with, and therefore helping others, too! 🙂
In my grocery stores in Dallas, Tx, the powdered milk is usually by the chocolate syrup/hot chocolate mixes. That’s at several different ones I go to.
Looks delicious. Must try !!
I hope you get the chance to soon!!
BTW – My neighbor was a cafeteria lady; her wedding gift to my husband and I was to cater the family gathering at my house post wedding reception. She was a jewel. She taught me to knit, love dogs, and let me practice life skills on her grandbaby.
What a wonderful lady, neighbor and friend!!!
My mother-in-law introduced me to a candy she used to make, but later she would buy from a friend.
I believe this would be the missing piece of the puzzle!
Her candy was made “with potatoes” and peanut butter, but the peanut butter was a thick layer not the smear of PB as your potato candy recipe. I wonder if this recipe could be the peanut butter layer. ….
I am sensing a delicious experiment coming on…
Ohhh, have fun experimenting and let me know how it turns out!!!
Our family always makes “Potato Candy” at Christmas. Type in “Old Fashioned Potato Candy” in the “Help you find something” line on Christy’s recipe page and she tells you about it. It’s wonderful! This Cafeteria Peanut Butter Candy sound really good. I may have to try it, too.